Mathematical Material Design Self-Efficacy

The rapid advancement of technology has made it necessary to go beyond traditional classroom settings in mathematics instruction. The use of instructional materials, one of the ways to achieve this, helps students concretize concepts, supports meaningful learning, and enhances student engagement to promote lasting retention. At this point, the necessity of teachers and teacher candidates possessing adequate competence in the design and use of such materials is an undeniable fact.

Design of Instructional Materials in Mathematics Education

Concrete instructional materials are defined as objects used to concretize abstract mathematical concepts and facilitate their easier understanding. Review of studies in the field reveals consistent emphasis on how instructional materials contribute to student motivation and active participation in lessons.

Research also highlights the importance of concretizing concepts in mathematics education for effective and lasting learning. It is further stated that the use of concrete materials positively enhances student achievement and attitudes. Multiple studies have demonstrated that material-supported instruction not only facilitates perception and learning by making them more tangible but also contributes significantly to long-term retention.

Self-Efficacy and Self-Efficacy in Material Design

Self-efficacy is defined as individuals’ judgments regarding their ability to organize and execute actions necessary to achieve a specific performance.

Self-efficacy belief refers to an individual’s personal conviction that they can successfully accomplish a specific task. Considering the importance of instructional materials in lessons, teachers implementing them must possess adequate skills and competence, as well as high confidence in their ability to carry out such practices.

When reviewing the literature on the use of materials in mathematics education, it has been concluded that teachers do not frequently use concrete materials in their mathematics lessons. Research identifying the challenges faced by mathematics teachers in material design has found that these difficulties include time constraints, lack of resources, student diversity, and economic limitations.

These challenges can negatively affect mathematics teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs regarding material design and may lead to a loss of confidence in their ability to create such materials. Given that the currently abstract nature of mathematics must be concretized, it is essential that mathematics teachers understand how to design instructional materials, and high levels of self-efficacy in this area are of critical importance.