مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Learning Components that Teacher Candidates Focus on during the Mathematics Courses

Abstract :

The purpose of this study is to analyze the learning components that mathematics teacher candidates focus on in the learning process. This research is a qualitative study conducted in descriptive method. The study group of the research consists of 42 senior students as pre-service elementary and secondary teachers in the Education Faculty Mathematics Teaching Department. Teacher candidates’ opinions were taken through a form that consists of 8 opened questions in order to discover the learning components in the learning process. In addition to this, verbal interviews were carried out to clarify vague statements of some teacher candidates. After collecting data, by using descriptive method, one of the qualitative data analysis methods, data were analyzed. As a result of the analysis of data collected, opinions of the teacher candidates were classified under four categories. These categories are: (1) the basic elements teacher candidates center on are examples, (2) teacher candidates evaluate theoretical knowledge in secondary importance, (3) teacher candidates’ self-assessments on learning can be defined as their problem solving capacity, (4) although teacher candidates have a strong intuitive approach towards theoretical knowledge, they have not perceived its vitality sufficiently. According to the findings obtained as a result of the study, teacher candidates did not pay attention to the theoretical background in both them in-class learning process and their individual studies. It has been determined that teacher candidates try to learn through example and problem oriented learning components. It can be referred that there are gaps and inconsistencies between teacher candidates’ views for the components they focus on during learning process and their actual condition.