Applying Structural Equation Modeling to Assess Factors of Primary School Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of Students' Misconceptions

The study assessed the relationship between career preparation, beliefs, attitudes, in-service training, and peer communication of primary school mathematics teachers and their knowledge of students' misconceptions. Seven hundred one Chinese teachers were selected for the test and questionnaire survey. The mathematics teacher test paper had good reliability and content validity. The coefficient omega ([lower case omega]) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the reliability and validity of the questionnaire items on mathematics teachers' beliefs, attitudes, in-service training, and peer communication. The structural equation model (SEM) was used to explain the relationship between factors. SEM results showed that career preparation had no significant influence on mathematics teachers' knowledge of students' misconceptions. Mathematics teachers' attitudes towards students' misconceptions, student-centered beliefs, and peer communication positively influenced their knowledge of students' misconceptions. Furthermore, peer communication was the mediating variable between mathematics teachers' attitudes and knowledge of students' misconceptions, meanwhile between the student-centered beliefs and the knowledge of students' misconceptions. These results of the study have indicated the direction for education departments and schools to improve teacher education courses and teacher activities in classroom practice.