Examining The Problems Posed By Classroom Teacher Candidates According to Mathematical Process Skills

Abstract

In mathematics teaching, problem posing is an expected outcome for students. It is important for future teachers to be able to pose problems effectively when implementing the mathematics curriculum. This study aimed to examine the problems posed by classroom teacher candidates based on their mathematical process skills. The Problem Posing Test, used as a data collection tool, was was developed based on four objectives within the domain of measurement learning. In this quasi-experimental study, both the experimental and control groups comprised 25 volunteer classroom teacher candidates each. Analysis of the problems posed by teacher candidates was carried out according to the conceptual framework created by the researchers. The analysis revealed that classroom teacher candidates struggled with mathematical communication, association, and reasoning skills. Specifically, it was observed that they often wrote mathematical units incorrectly or incompletely, overly relied on verbal representation, failed to make interdisciplinary connections, and frequently posed problems requiring analogy-based reasoning. After instruction in problem posing, teacher candidates in the experimental group demonstrated improved mathematical process skills. Future studies should examine the problems posed by teachers or teacher candidates across different grade levels to assess their mathematical process skills.