Pre-service Teachers’ Mathematics Self-efficacy and Mathematics Teaching Self-efficacy

Pre-service mathematics teachers’ mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics teaching self-efficacy were investigated in this study. The purpose was to determine the confidence levels of their self-efficacy in mathematics and mathematics teaching. Also, the study was aimed at finding whether their mathematics self-efficacy and teaching self-efficacy were related. The participants were 49 pre-service mathematics teachers who were in their final year of training in the University.  The mathematics self-efficacy items were adopted from Han, et al (2015) and May (2009), while the mathematics teaching self-efficacy items were those used by Khale (2008) and Gavora (2010). The findings of the study revealed that pre-service mathematics teachers had above average confidence levels in both MSE and MTSE. The study also revealed that the pre-service mathematics teachers’ MSE and MTSE were significantly related. Keywords: Mathematics self-efficacy, Teaching self-efficacy, Pre-service teacher

ICT Integration in Developing Competence for Pre- Service Mathematics Teachers A Case Study from Six Universities in Vietnam

Competence structure that pre-service teachers need to develop to become a future teacher has been defined since the 1930s. For pre-service mathematics teachers, their competence has its own characteristics. ICT integration in developing competence for pre-service mathematics teachers has been been proved to be effective in many previous studies. In Vietnam, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has recommended the use of ICT to enhance teaching-learning activities in schools and universities, therefore, there have been many studies on ICT intergration at different educational levels. However, there are only a few studies on the use ICT integration in developing competence for pre-service mathematics teachers. This paper presents results from a research on the feasibility of ICT integration in developing competence of Vietnamese pre-service mathematics teachers. The research was conducted by surveying on a randomly selected of 297 pre-service mathematics teachers and 40 mathematics lecturers in six universities which provide mathematics training programs. Results show that despite of the availability of technologies, ICT integration in training pre-service teachers is still limited. In addition, ICT integration in teaching activities of mathematics teachers is not really effective because the levels of their ICT skills are very different. Pre-service mathematics teachers have the ability to use ICT equipment, and good accessibility to learning systems, but their use of the learning management systems (LMS) is limited. This study can be a reference for future studies to test the effective of ICT integration in training pre-service teachers when designing activities to develop feasibly and effectively their competence

INVESTIGATING THE NUMBER SENSE ABILITY OF PRE-SERVICE MATHEMATICS TEACHERS

Abstract:This research aims to identify the components of number sense of pre-service mathematics teachers. Pre-service mathematics teachers need a good number sense ability as a provision to transfer knowledge to students. This research uses a quantitative method. Subjects in this research are 14 third year pre-service mathematics teachers. The instrument used was in the form of 30 items of number sense questions that were developed based on number sense components, that is, understanding and skills about numbers, using number and operations on numbers, and using number and operation skills in calculations. The results showed that number sense ability of pre-service mathematics teachers' was still at a moderate level, which is 76.67%. Pre-service mathematics teachers also lack numbers' comprehension and skills elements.Abstrak:Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidiki komponen number sense mahasiswa calon guru matematika. Calon guru matematika memerlukan kemampuan number sense sebagai bekal untuk mentransfer pengetahuan kepada siswa. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif. Subjek penelitian adalah 14 calon guru matematika tahun ketiga. Instrumen yang digunakan berupa 30 item soal number sense yang dikembangkan berdasarkan komponen number sense, yaitu pemahaman dan keterampilan tentang bilangan dan penggunaan operasi bilangan, dan menerapkan keterampilan bilangan dan operasi dalam perhitungan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan number sense mahasiswa calon guru matematika masih berada pada level sedang yakni 76,67%. Mahasiswa calon guru matematika masih lemah dalam komponen pemahaman dan keterampilan tentang bilangan

Development of the Pre-Service Teachers’ Mathematics Identity Instrument (P-STMI)

Background: The urgency of knowledge of mathematical identity is one of the reasons for increasing numbers of research on mathematical identity. Knowing pre-service mathematics teachers' mathematical identity becomes essential and needs to be done using valid mathematical identity instruments. Mathematical identity instruments can reveal one's mathematical identity, contributing to learning and teaching mathematics. However, mathematical identity instruments have not been widely developed, especially for pre-service mathematics teachers. Objectives : This research aims to develop valid and reliable mathematical identity instruments for pre-service mathematics teachers. Design : This research used scale-development research using the DeVellis model.Setting and Participants : 196 pre-service mathematics teachers from 7 universities in Indonesia were involved in piloting test. Data collection and analysis : The questionnaire instrument was distributed via google form and analyzed for content validity, construct validity, and reliability. The data analysis used the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method to test the construct validity. Results : The Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Identity Instrument (P-STMI) contains 18 closed questions with five components. In addition, the instrument meets the criteria for content validity with a range between 0.79-1.00, meets construct validity, and the overall reliability value is 0.91. Conclusions: The P-STMI satisfies content validity, construct validity, and reliability. Therefore, the P-STMI is valid and reliable and can be used to see the mathematical identity of pre-service mathematics teachers

Determinants of problem solving performance: basis for mathematical model development

This study aimed to look into the determinants of problem solving performance among the pre-service mathematics teachers with the end view of developing a mathematical model. Specifically, it looked for the description of the pre-service mathematics teachers in terms of the following variables: epistemological belief, motivation, curiosity, cognition, and metacognition; level of problem solving performance, relationship of the predictor variables under study and the mathematics problem solving performance, best predictor of mathematics problem solving if taken singly or in combination. Mathematical model was developed as output of the study. A researcher-made questionnaire and test were the instruments used in gathering the data needed in the correlational research. Purposive sampling method was used to obtain the 118 pre-service mathematics teachers who served as respondents. The statistical tools used were weighted mean , mean and standard deviation, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The study revealed that the pre-service mathematics teachers had strong epistemological belief, strong motivational belief, belief in curiosity, belief in cognitive style and metacognitive learning style as reflected in strong agreement with those variables. It also revealed that the pre-service mathematics teachers had average performance in mathematics problem solving as shown in the result in problem solving performance test. Findings also revealed that the problem solving performance was significantly related to epistemological belief, curiosity, cognitive and metacognitive learning style. When taken singly, the best predictor among those variables was the epistemological belief and when in combination, their epistemological belief, cognitive and the metacognitive learning style gave the best results. As a result of this study, a mathematical PSP model was produced to enhance the mathematics problem solving performance of pre-service mathematics teachers

Scale development for pre-service mathematics teachers’ perceptions related to their pedagogical content knowledge

The purpose of this study is to develop a scale to determine pre-service mathematics teachers’ perceptions related to their pedagogical content knowledge. Firstly, a preliminary perception scale of pedagogical content knowledge was constructed and then administered to 112 pre-service mathematics teachers who were enrolled in a mathematics teacher education programme. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, item analysis, correlation analysis, internal consistency and descriptive statistic techniques were used to analyse the data. Then validity and reliability of the scale were investigated. The analyses resulted in the development of a five-factor scale of 17 items that was proved valid and reliable. We contend that the scale developed has the merit to contribute to pre-service teachers’ self-awareness by revealing their perceptions regarding their pedagogical content knowledge.Keywords: pedagogical content knowledge, pre-service mathematics teachers,scale developmen

Exploring pre-service mathematics teachers’ knowledge of logarithm in one of the universities in Kwazulu-Natal.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The use of logarithm, an important tool for calculus and beyond, has been reduced to symbol manipulation without understanding in most entry-level college algebra courses. In most secondary school mathematics curriculum, particularly in South Africa, logarithm just occurs as the inverse function of an exponential function without a detailed explanation of the logarithm itself. The primary aim of this research, therefore, was to explore pre-service mathematics teachers’ knowledge of logarithm through the use of a research task designed to observe what pre-service mathematics teachers know as they solve the problems and through the use of interview to understand how they solve the problems. Constructivism theory was used as a framework for the analysis and the interpretation of how pre-service teachers conceptualize logarithm. Constructivism theory is a useful theoretical framework for studying and explaining conceptual development through prior knowledge. This is a qualitative study conducted in one of the universities in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings of this study reveal that most pre-service mathematics teachers do not have a good knowledge of logarithm. This is why they have difficulties in solving problems involving logarithm. The findings also reveal that pre-service mathematics teachers do not have good knowledge of logarithm because of how the concept of logarithm was introduced to them in secondary school. The study concludes by recommending that lecturers in the mathematics discipline should try to design teaching material that targets the development of conceptual understanding and pre-service mathematics teachers need to develop sufficient sense of dealing with more abstract concepts in order to do justice in the teaching of logarithm at the secondary school level

Collaborative Skills of Pre-service Mathematics Teachers in Blended Learning

Blended learning is a learning that combines face-to-face and online learning. Several studies have shown that blended learning has a positive effect on collaborative skills. The aim of this study is to determine the collaborative skills of pre-service mathematics teachers after using blended learning. The focus of this study is 4 indicators of collaborative work skills, namely quality of work, problem solving skills, working with others, and focus on the task. This type of study is a case study. The participants were 23 pre-service mathematics teachers in second year. Data collection was carried out using a collaborative questionnaire. Data were analysed using quantitative descriptive methods. The results showed that the criterion for quality work of students was 47.83% average. The criterion for problem solving skills was 47.83% very high. The criterion of working with others was 86.96% very high. The criterion for focus on the task was 82.61% very high. Therefore, blended learning possesses positive effects towards pre-service mathematics teachers.

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Conceptual Knowledge of Binary Operation

Binary operation is one of the main topics of undergraduate mathematics. A binary operation is also used as a foundation for other disciplines such as physics, chemistry and biology. This study aims to describe the conceptual knowledge level of pre-service mathematics teachers regarding binary operation. In order to achieve this, a test consisting of open-ended and true-false questions on binary operation was administered to a total of 77 pre-service teachers; 32 primary school pre-service mathematics teachers, 30 high school pre-service mathematics teachers and 15 pedagogical formation teacher candidates. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive analysis in the context of the framework developed by the researchers. The findings of the study indicated that the performance of the pre-service teachers was insufficient with regards to the underlying conceptual knowledge that the questions sought. The study also indicates that pre-service teachers have difficulty in forming their subject knowledge successfully and they need to re-structure this as soon as possible

Examining pre-service teachers’ subject matter knowledge of school mathematics concepts

This article explores the nature of the subject matter knowledge that pre-service mathematics teachers’ possess by analysing its components, namely, common content knowledge and specialised content knowledge of the high school mathematics curriculum. The data was generated from 59 final year pre-service mathematics teachers’ written responses, which tested three sets of competencies: solving problems on Functions and Inequalities; analysing and interpreting learners’ errors; and their expertise in allocating marks to questions. Analysis of the written responses identified five categories of response patterns and thereafter individual interviews were conducted with four participants to discuss the responses. The results revealed that while the participants were competent solvers of school mathematics problems, they were unable to analyse and interpret learners’ errors for diagnostic purposes. This suggests that teacher preparation should develop pre-service mathematics teachers’ specialised content knowledge. The findings also confirmed the value of learner error analysis as an alternative strategy to cultivate the specialised content knowledge of future mathematics teachers