The Role of Professional Development Networks in Reforming Mathematics Education in Egypt

Mathematics is considered to be one of the key areas for growth and development in Egyptian schools (Monk et al., 1999). Therefore, reforming mathematics education has been given priority by the Egyptian Ministry of Education. Accordingly, a particular emphasis has been given to the professional development of mathematics teachers. This paper is a case study of the role of the Egyptian National Network for Distance Training (NNDT) in development of mathematics teachers’ knowledge and in reforming teachers’ practice in schools. This paper concludes with some suggestions for the effective use of the network in teachers’ professional development. Introduction Since 1991, Egypt has been pursuing a reform policy that aims to improve many aspects of its education system (Swain et al., 2003). The Egyptian Ministry of Education reform efforts include, for example, curricula development, reviewing assessment and examination systems and using information and communication technology. The Egyptian Ministry of education places mathematics education at the top of its reform agenda. As part of the reform policy, the mathematics curriculum for basic education has been revised to encourage the students to solve problems and develop higher thinking skills such as critical and creative thinking (The Ministry of Education, 2003). In line with this reform, a particular emphasis is now given to developing mathematics teachers in order to transform their role from the traditional one (dispenser of knowledge) to take on multiple roles such as guide and facilitator of students’ learning. Therefore, professional development is considered to be an important mean to achieve these goals. Professional Networks in education can be used to promote the dissemination of good practice and enhance the professional development of teachers (Sliwka, 2003). The Ministry of Education in Egypt has established the National Network for Distance Training (NNDT), which has become the backbone of teachers’ continuous professional development. A large number of training courses for mathematics teachers have taken place via the network in order to improve their practice in schools. These courses aim to address the problems that face teachers in teaching mathematics, inform teachers about any changes and/or developments in the mathematics curriculum and introduce mathematics teachers to new methods of teaching and technologies. The research described in this paper is a case study of mathematics teacher continuous professional development in Egypt. It aims to investigate the views of mathematics teachers, inspectors and training experts about their professional development using a distance leaning network. This paper highlights the different issues that face mathematics teachers during their training using the network. For instance, it addresses the impact of the training on the development of the mathematics teachers’ knowledge and its role in changing their practice inside classrooms. This paper also examines the role of the Egyptian network in the building of communities of practice among mathematics teachers.