DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS
This was qualitative case study seeking for in dept information about the implementation of math curriculum. The study was realized with fifth grade students and classroom teachers who experienced pilot administration of new mathematic curriculum. The results of the study revealed so many significant findings addressing to the classroom design, teachers’ and students’ new roles, classroom implementation, and instructional delivery. Further the study indicated that the teachers had several difficulties. The findings of the present study were so much parallel to the findings found by Toptas (2006) who conducted a study with classroom teachers to determine their difficulties with implementing the new curricula. He found that the main problems confronted by teacher were regarded as insufficient sources, lack of instructional medium, insufficient time for instruction and evaluation, and insufficient number of activities. According to Güzel & Alkan (2005), students had positive opinions about the application of the constructivist learning approach utilized in the new program. For instance, the students reluctantly behaved in sharing responsibility. These are parallel to the findings of the present study. On the other hand different from teachers’ views in this study, they found that , the students could not establish relation with the science, the real world and the school. In relation to strengths mentioned by teachers in this study, the new curriculum emphasizes the understanding of “no students left behind”. Similarly Çakmak & Bulut (2005) stated that teachers can enable children to learn and understand what is taught effectively if teachers have effective strategies. Consequently, newly developed mathematics curriculum gives opportunities for students and teachers about effective teaching and learning.
Author’s Note
I would like to thank Mehmet Erdoğan for sharing his research instruments used in this study and his guidance throughout the study.