An in-service training activity designed for mathematics teachers for developing a concept map

This study aims to plan, implement and evaluate in-service training to increase the knowledge, skills, beliefs, desires and, awareness of mathematics teachers, and to examine the effect of the level of duty and professional service on them. In this study, a qualitative research approach has been adopted since an in-depth study of a situation has been attempted. Case study method was used in the study. Study was conducted with 27 primary and secondary mathematics teachers working in Genç district of Bingöl province. At the beginning and end of the in-service training a questionnaire was applied, during the in-service training a dairy was applied and during the preparation of the concept map an observation method was applied to the teachers who were taken to in-service training as a data collection tool. Besides, at the end of the in-service training, an interview was conducted with four teachers selected by purposive sampling. Based on the findings obtained from the data collection tools, it was concluded that mathematics teachers were in need of 'in-service training' on concept mapping, and with the help of 'in-service training' applied to mathematics teachers, their concept map knowledge, skills, beliefs, willingness to use it and awareness levels have increased. The beliefs of the necessity of the concept map usage of mathematics teachers have been measured as high and the current status of their usage of the concept map is low. It has been concluded that this is due to the insufficient knowledge and skill levels. In this study, it was found that as the duration of professional service increased, the concept map sensations decreased, the beliefs of concept map effectiveness of high school teachers were lower than the secondary school teachers, and the beliefs and desires of concept map usage decreased in subjects with high abstract concept density. Also, it has been concluded that mathematics teachers' concept map usage type preferences are very diverse, all of them prefer activity paper, and their preference as a measurement-evaluation tool decreases as the professional service period increases.