The effect of a professional development program aimed at fostering algebraic thinking in middle school classrooms on teachers' perceptions of algebra and algebraic thinking

In this study, the changes in the perceptions of middle school mathematics teachers who participated in a professional development program designed to promote algebraic thinking in middle school classrooms were examined within the context of their understanding of the concept of algebra, the algebraic part of mathematics, the concept of algebraic thinking, and the types of questions they use to elicit algebraic thinking. The research was conducted within the scope of the TÜBİTAK-supported project titled "Developing Algebraic Thinking in Middle School Classrooms through a Professional Development Program" (TÜBİTAK 1001, Project No: 223K317). Within the project, Driscoll's (1999) conceptual framework of Algebraic Habits of Mind was utilized. The study involved 34 middle school mathematics teachers who participated in a ten-week training program consisting of eight weeks of instruction and two weeks of pre- and post-test implementations. Data for each research question were collected from participants before and after the training, and analyzed through content analysis. The codes obtained from the analysis were grouped under relevant categories to reveal the changes in teachers' perceptions. Findings indicated that the professional development program helped teachers shift their perceptions of algebra and algebraic thinking from traditional notions, such as operations, unknowns, and equations, toward more advanced ideas such as generalization and abstraction. Teachers' views on the algebraic part of mathematics also evolved, as they began to perceive algebra not as a topic limited to a specific grade level, but as a progressively expanding domain that exists across all levels of mathematics education. Moreover, positive changes were observed in the teachers' questioning practices related to eliciting algebraic thinking. Teachers began to pose questions that encouraged students to explore solution strategies, articulate their reasoning, and make generalizations. In conclusion, it was observed that a well-designed professional development program combining theoretical and practical components can lead to significant changes in teachers' perspectives on algebra and algebraic thinking. Keywords: algebra, algebraic thinking, middle school, mathematics, algebraic part of mathematics