EXAMINATION OF PRE-SERVICE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF TEACHING FUNCTION CONCEPT

Berna Tataroğlu Taşdan, Melike Yiğit Koyunkaya

Abstract: Teaching of mathematics could be improved with teachers who have a strong mathematical knowledge and have an ability to reflect this knowledge on their teaching. Therefore, it is important to develop mathematics teachers’ theoretical and pedagogical knowledge. This study was designed to examine pre-service secondary mathematics teachers’ (PSMT) mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) in terms of function concept. In order to examine PSMT’s MKT regarding function concept, case study design was used in the study. Three PSMTs’, who were at the fifth year in the program, were selected as the participants. The data was collected by observing and recording PSMTs’ teaching of function concept as well as by examining their lesson plan of the concept. Descriptive and content analysis were used to analyze the collected data. The results revealed that PSMTs’ had limited knowledge regarding teaching of function concept. Particularly, they had difficulties to reflect their knowledge of function concept on their teaching. The results also showed that experience is directly related to teaching of function concept, time and classroom management and communication with students. Therefore, it is important to improve both in-service and pre-service teachers’ MKT by considering the effect of experience and abilities in teaching.

Key words: teaching function concept, mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT), pre-service mathematics teachers’ education

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