An Examination of Pre-service Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions of Mathematics Learning Activities

Abstract

In our country, one of the important concepts proposed by the recent curricula has been 'activities' since 2005. From this point of view, both mathematics educators and teachers should focus on and discuss about the importance of activities. This study is designed to examine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' (PSMTs) perceptions about mathematics learning activities (MLA). Participants are twenty-seven PSMTs. The data include 3 different groups. The first group consists of PSMTs' free writings that describe their definitions of MLA. The second group consists of observation notes of the class discussions which are related to the structure of MLA and MLA's required properties. The last one consists of MLA samples that were designed by PSMTs. In consequence of data analysis, results show that PSMTs did not reach consensus on a unique definition or particular properties of MLA; the definitions spreaded out a broad perspective. PSMTs defined the activity as the classroom application that is connected with real life and other disciplines, compatible with the objectives in teaching programs, is designed to improve students' cognitive skills, student-centered, interesting, easy to learn, and appropriate for groupwork. But, it is found out that PSMTs did not reflect the properties of MLA while they were designing the activities. The results of the study indicated that PSMTs' perceptions of activities and their skills of designing an activity must be improved.

Examination of Activities and Problems Oriented toward Algebra Readiness Indicators Proposed by Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers

“…In this sense, the need to improve activity designing skills of pre-service teachers is revealed. The results obtained may be said to be consistent with the literature (Toprak, Uğurel, Tuncer & Yiğit Koyunkaya, 2017;Toprak, Uğurel & Tuncer, 2014;Bozkurt, 2012;Erarslan, 2011;Metin & Özmen, 2009).…”

Etkinlik Uygulama Sürecinde Ortaokul Matematik Öğretmenlerinin Sorunları Teşhis ve Müdahale Biçimlerinin Yapısı

“…There are few studies focusing on the problems that teachers encounter during the activity implementation and the solution endeavors. Some studies report that teachers try to implement activities, but encounter problems during implementation and sometimes give up doing activities as a result of these problems (Bozkurt & Kuran, 2016;Toprak et al, 2017). It is a noteworthy result that the teachers do not try to revise the activity but give up doing the activity by finding themselves unsuccessful.…”

The Points to be Considered while Developing the Activities for the Mathematics Course

“…In activity-based learning, it is thought that students will be held responsible for their own learning and their personal development will be supported (Festus, 2013). Placing the activities frequently mentioned in the program in the center of the learning-teaching process has put forward the importance of the activities and there has appeared a need for explaining this concept (Toprak, 2014). When the mathematics education literature is examined, it is seen that the English words "task" and "activity" are used in place of the Turkish word "etkinlik".…”

“…When other studies are examined in the literature, there are studies that examine the perceptions of mathematics teachers and prospective teachers about the concept of activity from different perspectives (Bozkurt, 2012), types of mathematical learning activities (Ozgen, 2017), their opinions about learning activities (Toprak, Ugurel, Tuncer & Yigit-Koyunkaya, 2017;, activity preparation and implementation processes (Ozturk & Isik, 2018), evaluation of mathematics course book activities (Kerpic & Bozkurt, 2011), effects of teacher and student roles on activity implementation process (Ozmantar & Aslan, 2017), examination of measurement and evaluation processes of implemented activities (Karakus & Yesilpinar, 2013).…”

“…In their study, Toprak et al, (2017) studied pre-service teachers' perceptions of mathematics learning activities. As a result of the study, they emphasized a lot of characteristics related to activities, but they determined that the pre-service mathematics teachers could not include these mentioned characteristics in the activities they developed.…”