Opinions of Preservice Mathematics Teachers Regarding Conceptual Change Texts Prepared on Limit and Continuity

Abstract

Some students have misconceptions. Students’ misconceptions make difficult to learn the new subject. Teachers need to know students’ misconceptions and take precautions. One of the misconceptions in mathematics is about limits and continuity. In order for teachers to take precautions in this regard, they must have this experience during their education. For this, we have developed explanatory concept exchange texts on limit and continuity for preservice mathematics teachers. What is the views of preservice mathematics teachers the against the concept change texts prepared about limit and continuity is the research question. The 46 preservice mathematics teachers were informed about the subject in “misconceptions in mathematics” lesson and the concept change texts were presented. An open-ended questionnaire was prepared to determine the opinions of preservice mathematics teachers. In this questionnaire, questions whose validity and reliability were checked together with experts were used. The answers were analyzed by thematic analysis and some of the opinions were direct quoted. Some preservice mathematics teachers said that the concept change texts were “awareness” raising and “informative”. Some preservice mathematics teachers said it was “difficult”. Some of the positive comments that have emerged; they find the concept change texts interesting and enjoy reading, they are surprised and noticed the errors that exist in them.