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Abstract

Mathematical creative thinking and problem-solving skills are essential for success in the 21st century. The present study investigated 43 special education teacher candidates' creative processes by examining their mathematical problem-solving skills and, later, by interviewing them. This qualitative case study revealed the creative process stages of the respondents while they worked on mathematical problems and examined how they achieved original ideas and strategies. The results showed that preservice teachers did not produce enough original solutions to an arithmetic mathematical problem. Teacher candidates and teachers play a vital role in developing students' creative thinking skills in the teaching process. For this reason, the results show that it is essential to create, develop, and use learning activities that support the creativity of teacher candidates.