Turkish Journal of Mathematics Education

Investigation of Patterns in Secondary School Mathematics Textbooks in the Context of Transition from Arithmetic to Algebra

2023-06-02T06:20:50+00:00

Algebra can be defined as a mathematical language that has a more abstract structure than arithmetic and it includes variables, symbols, and patterns. Studies show that students face some difficulties in algebra. The transition process from arithmetic to algebra it is thought to be an important reason for the difficulties encountered in the field of algebra, as it acts as a bridge for the development of algebraic thinking. The basis of algebraic thinking is the generalization of patterns. In this context, it is important to provide a meaningful transition process from arithmetic to algebra in textbooks. This study aims to examine the subject of patterns in secondary school mathematics textbooks in the context of the transition from arithmetic to algebra. In this study, the document analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research approaches, was used. The data of the study were obtained by examining the mathematics textbooks recommended by the Ministry of National Education, which are used at the 5th and 7th-grade levels of secondary school in the 2020-2021 academic year. The subject of patterns in the textbooks has been examined in this direction by determining the important situations in the literature about pattern generalization. The results of the research show that the only solution method is generally included in the pattern generalization in the textbooks and the students are not allowed to find different strategies while reaching the general rule, and the examples for decreasing patterns are quite limited. It is suggested that more than one solution method should be included in the activities related to the pattern topic, different pattern examples such as decreasing, shape, and number should be included, as examples that could guide students to find different strategies and create a discussion environment should be included.

An Investigation of the Effect of a Teaching Experiment on the Assessment Literacy of Pre-service Mathematics Teachers According to Teacher Competence Standards

2023-03-31T19:20:12+00:00

Literacy is a concept that contains the functional use of knowledge and skills in a specific field. In this sense, teachers who are assessment literate are expected to know assessment methods, choose and develop the appropriate tools, evaluate results and give the feedbacks. In Turkey, teacher training programs include assessment courses. It is intended in this study to examine the assessment literacy of pre-service mathematics teachers who took this course before and after a teaching experiment conducted within the scope of assessment in mathematics education according to the Standards for Teacher Competence in Educational Assessment of Student (AFT, NCME & NEA, 1990) and to reveal the changes that occurred. The participants are eight pre-service teachers in the last year of the mathematics teaching undergraduate program in a state university in Turkey. The research was carried out with a qualitative approach and descriptive analysis was used. The research data were collected in two stages using Classroom Assessment Literacy Inventory in Mathematics Education consisting of open-ended questions. According to the results obtained, it is revealed that the pre-service teachers consider assessment professionally important, but they do not feel sufficient in this field. In addition, it was observed that pre-service teachers did not have sufficient knowledge about alternative assessment approaches. The results of the research show that the participants have misconceptions about the main concepts such as validity and reliability.

Practicalizing the Theory: Daily Scheme of Learning and Lesson Implementation

2023-08-14T17:22:07+00:00

This study was purposed to examine the relationship between lesson plan (scheme of learning) and lesson implementation among in-service teachers and pre-service teachers at the basic level. Interview guides and scoring rubrics were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to test the hypothesis and answer research questions. The respondents were made up of 91 mathematics in-service teachers and 89 mathematics pre-service teachers. The findings of this study show that in-service teachers demonstrated a higher level of competence in lesson planning. The ability of pre-service teachers to plan a lesson significantly impacts the lesson plan's implementation, and effective training and support are crucial. However, there was no significant relationship between in-service teachers' ability to plan a lesson and their ability to implement it, suggesting that other factors such as adaptability to unexpected situations in the classroom may play a more significant role. The study highlights the importance of effective lesson planning for successful teaching and student learning and the need for ongoing professional development and support for both pre-service and in-service teachers in this area. Further studies are needed to explore the factors that contribute to the difference in pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers' ability to prepare lesson plans.

Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Explore Teachers’ Knowledge about the Nature of Mathematics the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics

2023-06-07T05:11:08+00:00

Investigating teachers’ knowledge about the nature of mathematics and their viewpoints about the teaching and learning of mathematics is important as it has a great influence on what they do in classrooms. This paper describes the two phases of the development and validation process of an instrument named as Mathematics Teacher Survey Questionnaire (MTSQ) developed to determine Pakistani teachers’ knowledge about the nature of mathematics, its influence on their viewpoints about the teaching and learning of mathematics. Phase one includes item writing, item analysis and item administration whereas phase two includes the tool validation process using Cronbach’s alpha and content validity to ensure the developed tool is reliable and valid. An acceptable score of reliability indicates that MTSQ is an appropriate tool to investigate teachers’ knowledge about the nature of mathematics and how the teachers’ viewpoints are shaped. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted on 37 items scale by administered to 200 teachers from public and private schools in Karachi, Pakistan.

Comparing the Mathematics Achievement of Immigrant and Native Students according to TIMSS 2019: Turkey, Qatar, USA, Singapore and England

2023-08-14T17:13:54+00:00

TIMSS, the international math and science trends survey, is implemented in many countries and provides information about students, teachers, school administrators and parents of those countries through questionnaires. The education of immigrant students is one of the most important immigrant problems on the agenda of the whole world. In the literature review, there are no studies comparing immigrant-native students using data from Turkey. The main purpose of this study is to compare the TIMSS 2019 mathematics achievement of immigrant and native students in Turkey, Qatar, England, Singapore, and the USA. The students were categorized into native-migrant categories based on the answers given to the questions "were you born in the country you were born in?" and "how often is the test language spoken at home?" in the questionnaire applied to the students. The data in the study were obtained from the IEA's public website. The study was divided into 5 categories as native, 1st generation immigrant + national language, 1st generation immigrant + different language, 2nd generation immigrant + national language, 2nd generation immigrant + different language. The relationship between the math achievement of the groups was compared using ANOVA test. As a result of the research, while the use of different languages in the USA, England and Turkey creates a disadvantage for immigrant students' mathematics achievement, this situation differs between categories in other countries.