Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education

486-509

Authors: Adeneye Olarewaju Awofala

This study investigated the effect of personalisation of instruction on the motivation to learn mathematics word problems of 450 senior secondary students in Nigeria within the blueprint of quasi-experimental research of Solomon Four non-equivalent control group design. It also examined the influence of gender on motivation to learn mathematics word problems and personalisation was accomplished by incorporating selected information with students’ personal preferences into their mathematics word problems. Motivation to learn mathematics word problems was measured by the mathematics word problems motivation questionnaire and data collected for the study were analysed using the independent samples t-test and one way ANOVA. The results showed significant main effect of personalization of instruction on students’ motivation to learn mathematics word problems whereas no significant main effect of gender was found on the dependent measure.

536-552

Authors: Ramazan Gürbüz, Kenan Yıldırım

The purpose of this study is to determine the level of mathematics anxiety in primary school teachers in Turkey and to investigate the influence of a number of variables over the anxiety level. 559 teachers were participated in the study. In this study, mathematics Anxiety Scale Intended for Teachers and Candidate Teachers (MKÖ-Ö) was used as the data collection tool. For data analysis, "t" test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey test were applied. According to the research results, we have found that total anxiety scores for teachers were at the “I am anxious a little” level. Also, there was a significant difference between teachers’ anxiety level and gender variable, and female teachers’ anxiety levels were found to be higher than male teachers. Additionally, teachers’ anxiety levels decreased as their age and tenure increased. According to the variable of the program of study, the anxiety levels of teachers who graduated from primary school teaching program were lower than the graduated teachers from other programs. Moreover, it is found that the anxiety levels of mathematics teachers who like their job were lower than those who do not like their job.

578-600

Authors: Emel Çilingir, Perihan Dinç Artut

The aim of study was to investigate the effects of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) based instruction in the elementary mathematics curriculum on the mathematics achievement, Visual Mathematics Literacy Self Efficiency Perceptions (VMLSP) and Mathematics Problem Solving Attitude (MPSA). The study was determined as a quasi-experimental study which conducted as a pre-posttest design with a control group. The research was conducted with 147 students at fourth grade of a public elementary school in Adana. In the study, the experimental group and one of the control group were instructed by one of the researchers, while in other control group was instructed by their teacher. ‘Geometric Shapes’ unit was instructed with RME at the experimental group while the current instructional method was conducted to the control groups. The data were obtained with mathematics achievement tests and VMLSP and MPSA Scale which provided goodness according to the confirmatory factor analysis model. The quantitative data was evaluated by using mixed ANOVA and t-Test methods. As a result, it was found that the students at the experimental group have more successful in mathematic achievement tests and more progress on VMLSP and MPSA than control group.

621-645

Authors: Funda Aydın Güç, Adnan Baki

The main goal of mathematics education is to train individuals as have reasoning and connection skills, well-adjusted with their environment, productive and can solve problems that faced throughout in their lives. Modeling competencies take place in the center of this goal. When the literature examined, it can be seen that there are many studies on developing and assessing mathematical modeling competencies and it is seen that the adopted approaches are different from each other. However, systematic classifications of the relevant approaches, how it can be improve and how mathematical modeling can be integrated into learning environment are not dealt with in detail in the literature. In this study, studies on developing and assessing mathematical modeling competencies were examined and studies were classified by analyzing comparative in terms of integration mathematical modeling on the learning environment approaches and mathematical modeling competencies assessment approaches. The classifications set out in this study depending on the approaches and examples are thought to shed light on the discussions and studies on developing and assessing mathematical modeling competencies.

659-678

Authors: Zeynep Tatlı, Hava İpek Akbulut, Derya Altınışık

The purpose of this study is to enable pre-service teachers from various fields to develop materials in their fields through practices introduced to enhance the use of web 2.0 tools for educational purposes, and to investigate the impact of the training on the TPCK self-confidence levels of the pre-service teachers. The study group is composed of a total of 46 pre-service teachers in 13 distinct fields, enrolled in the fourth year of KTÜ Fatih Faculty of Education in the fall semester of the academic year 2015-2016. The study employed an experimental method, namely the pre-test / post-test pattern used with a single group. The data used in the study were gathered through an opinion survey regarding the effectiveness of the use of Web 2.0 technologies for education purposes, and the technological pedagogical content knowledge self-confidence (TPCKSC) scale. The TPCKSC scale was developed originally by Graham et. al. (2009) and was adopted into Turkish by Timur and Taşar (2011). At the end of the study, a significant increase (t(45)=4,24, p<0,05) on TPCK self confidence level of pre-service teacher was determined. The pre-service teachers who took part in the study reported a preference for Powtoon, quiz maker and edraw max applications, as well as an intention to use them in their professional lives.

285-303

Authors: Hande Gülbağcı Dede, Sare Şengül

The aim of the study is to investigate primary and secondary pre-service mathematics teachers’ number sense. A total of 464 mathematics teachers are participated in the study. To measure the number sense performances of the pre-service mathematics teachers with a Number Sense Test, including 31 multiple-choice questions, was developed by the researchers. Number Sense Test is a two-tailed test which includes the number sense questions and their possible solution strategies. Students’ answers of Number Sense Test were analyzed to find the number sense points in terms of two aspects; one of them were correctness (True or False) and the second one was solving strategies (Number sense strategy or Rule based strategy) of pre-service teachers. According to the data analysis, mathematics teachers had low performance and they preferred to use rule based strategies rather than number sense strategies. Although there is a positive correlation between Number Sense Test performance and using number sense skills, there is no significant difference between male and female pre-service teachers and their departments at using number sense.

321-349

Authors: Tangül Kabael, Başak Barak

This study aims to investigate development of middle school pre-service mathematics teachers’ mathematical literacy through teacher education program on some PISA items. Participants of this qualitative study were 22 pre-service teachers who were at fourth or sixth term. In first section, a test consisted of 5 PISA items was carried out with participants. In second section, clinical interviews with same PISA items lasted approximately ninety minutes were conducted with selected five participants via criterion sampling from 22 graduated participants. Data from test and clinical interviews were analysed by qualitative methods. According to the results of first section, participants had difficulties in mathematization, especially making relations between variables in the problem, interpreting graphics and participants’ mathematical literacy was not desirable. Participants could not progress in mathematical literacy from fourth term to graduation, had still difficulties in mathematization. Besides, participants assessed aims of items in the context of concept knowledge, mathematical abilities related to items not in the context of attaching importance to mathematical literacy. Participants could assess appropriateness of items for middle grades except difficult items for them.

365-392

Authors: Aytuğ Özaltun Çelik, Esra Bukova Güzel

The aim of this study is to examine the questioning approaches of a mathematics teacher participated in a lesson study model. The data of the study conducted through a qualitative case study were gathered from transcriptions of the mathematics teacher’s four-hour lessons about trigonometry and field notes of the researchers. Based on the data analysis realized by content analysis, it was seen that the teacher asked questions to reveal students’ prior knowlede, to understand their ideas and to ask them explain their corrrect responses. When examined the teacher’s questioning in terms of socio-mathematical norms, it was determined that they were insufficient for the students to have metacognitive abilities even if they were such as to encourage the students to think mathematically. It is thougt that the questions which the teacher used in the context of the lessons related to trigonometry and the evaluation of these questions will guide mathematics educators and researchers.

417-439

Authors: Yusuf Emre Ercire, Serkan Narlı, Esra Aksoy

The aim of this study is to investigate students’ difficulties about the relation between irrational number set, rational number set and real number set. For this purpose, ‘Irrational Number Concept Test’ which was composed of open-ended questions has been developed. The Data collection instrument was applied to 58 students in grade 8 and 50 students in grade 9. Semi-structured interviews with ten students who were selected from different levels with the maximum diversity sampling were conducted. In each grade, it was found that students had difficulties in understanding the relationship between real number set and other number sets. There have been some thoughts such as ‘all of the irrational numbers are not real numbers’ and ‘a number can be both rational and irrational’. It is found that the rate of students that have these wrong thoughts in 8th grades is more than those in 9th grades.

460-485

Authors: Ferhan Bingölbali, Ayşe Elçin Gören, Selahattin Arslan

How teachers read or interpret textbooks, which represent curricula, is important for successful implementation of curricula (the level of reading of knowledge, skills and values in the textbooks that curriculum sets forth for students’ learning). This paper aims to investigate how middle school mathematics teachers read mathematics textbooks in the light of goals of middle school mathematics curriculum. To this end, a 5th grade mathematics textbook’s segment which covers one learning objective about simplifying and expanding fractions is given to 30 middle school mathematics teachers and they are asked this following question: “What do think that the textbooks writers pay attention for teaching of this learning objective?” The findings reveal that the teachers did not read such mathematical process skills as reasoning, making connection, and communication which were reflected into the learning objective in the textbook. The findings also show that the teachers mainly read the textbooks by “describing what is done”, “providing suggestion”, and “pointing out short comings” and these suggest that this type of reading is rather superficial as far as the teaching that the curriculum aims to achieve is concerned. The paper draws attention to the issues regarding how the textbook reading skills of mathematics teachers can be developed and presents some implications about textbook research.

1-23

Authors: Berna Cantürk Günhan, Hatice Açan

This study evaluates with the meta-analysis method that is defined as a systematic review of experimental studies the results of the dynamic geometry software applied in Turkey in the last nine years and analyzes the effect of using dynamic geometry software on the success of geometry. In order to access these studies, the YÖK National Thesis Center, Ulakbim and Google Scholar databases were reviewed. As a result of a survey of the literature of dynamic geometry software a total of 41 studies on the effect on students' achievements in geometry were included in the meta-analysis. An effect size value of 43 was calculated from these studies. As a result of necessary analyses, it was concluded that using dynamic geometry software in Turkey is more successful than ongoing education and the calculated effect size of 0.954 is at a strong level. Comparative effect sizes according to education level, application duration, sample size and publication size were calculated and it was discovered that effect size on academic success does not differ according to education level, application duration, sample size and publication size. According to the results obtained in the study, recommendations were made to researchers.

35-61

Authors: Samet Korkmaz, Sefa Dündar, Hakan Yaman

he aim of this research is to reveal what the mathematical habits of mind which are observed on the mathematics teachers serving at the public schools are. This study is a survey research which falls under descriptive researches group and was conducted with 52 mathematics teachers. While collecting data, “Knowing Our Own Habits as a Mathematician” form were used and 6 problems were solved by teachers. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation values and Mann Whitney-U and Kruskal Wallis-H tests were used for data analysis. The findings obtained as a result of the researches showed that the teachers who participated in the study have different opinions on their mathematical habits of mind and the majority of the teachers think the habits of mind are effective both inside and outside the class. It was found that the difference between the opinions of the teachers on their own habits and their habits in practice is not statistically significant in terms of gender. According to the professional seniority variable, it was observed that the opinions of the teachers on habits of mind do not differ excluding generalization habit; and the higher the professional seniority is, the higher generalization preferences of the teachers are. It was found that the difference of habits of mind of the teachers in practice, in terms of professional seniority is not statistically significant.

89-111

Authors: Didem Akyüz

The importance of the use of technology in mathematics education has been demonstrated by many studies. Effective use of technology has been found to support the conceptual understanding of students. However, it is also found that, having only technological knowledge is not sufficient for using technology effectively in teaching mathematics; technological knowledge must be supported by pedagogical and content knowledge as well. It is stated that a teacher who effectively integrates these three types of knowledge has technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). In order for teachers to acquire this knowledge, it is important for them to take courses that support TPACK during their pre-service training. However, the type of instruction that they receive during such a course may have an impact on whether they actually acquire TPACK or not. In this study, we investigate a total of 80 pre-service teachers who took a class called “Exploring Geometry with Dynamic Geometry Applications” with different types of instruction over the course of 5 semesters. The participants involved a mixed group of junior, senior, and graduate students which allowed us to analyze the effect of class level and the type of instruction in the student’s ability to acquire TPACK. To analyze the students’ TPACK level, we performed document analysis using the theoretical framework developed by Bowers and Stephens after reinterpreting it based on the literature and the data collected during this study. It was found that the majority of the graduate students achieved Technological Content Knowledge (TCK). Additionally, it was observed that the type of instruction as well as students’ class level is important in developing TPACK. The obtained results allow us to make conclusions about how the contents and the instruction method of a course should be designed such that it better promotes TPACK achievement.

142-163

Authors: Deniz Kaya, Cenk Keşan, Dilek İzgiol, Yusuf Erkuş

The basic aim of this study is to determine the success levels of algebraic reasoning skills of the seventh grade students in secondary schools. The quantitative research method has been used in the study and the Algebraic Reasoning Evaluation Tool (ARET), which was developed by Kaya (2015), was used in the study as the data collection tool. This tool consists of seven dimensions and is intended for determining the algebraic reasoning skills of the students. The ARET consists of 38 questions, 16 of which are multiple choice questions and 22 of which are open-ended questions. The study group consisted of 146 students in total, 76 of whom were males and 70 of whom were females studying at the seventh grades of a secondary school at the city center of İzmir. When the descriptive analysis results are examined, it is observed that the test points of the students in terms of recognizing and using algebraic structures/relations, using the algebraic expressions of the same data, determining the proper algebraic reasoning, making deductions on algebraic expressions, making algebraic operations for the purpose of deduction, deciding on the accuracy of the result and the solution way, and solving problems that are not routine were at lower levels or at the medium levels. When all the sub-dimensions of the study are considered, no meaningful relations are found between the algebraic reasoning skills of the female and male students.

188-206

Authors: Hande Gülbağcı Dede, Hatice Akkoç

The aim of this study is to compare professional identity of pre-service mathematics teachers in pedagogical formation certificate program and undergraduate teacher education program in the context of pre-service teachers’ stories of becoming a mathematics teacher. A total of 113 pre-service elementary mathematics teachers participated in the study. 58 of them were enrolled in undergraduate teacher education program and 55 of them were enrolled in pedagogical formation certificate program. Demographic questionnaire and reflective essays on pre-service teachers’ stories of becoming a teacher were used as data collection tools. Demographic questionnaires were analyzed descriptively and pre-service teachers’ writings were analyzed using content analysis. Data analysis indicated that two groups had similarities in reasons for why they chose teaching as a profession and mathematics as a subject for teaching. Their earlier teaching experiences in high school and their role model teachers were the most observed reasons for why they chose teaching as a profession. The main difference between the two groups was their determination for aiming to be a teacher. Participants in the undergraduate teacher education program decided to be a teacher in high school while some of the participants in the other group decided to have a teaching certificate just in case they might need it in the future. Interest and success in mathematics were the most important factors for choosing mathematics as a subject for teaching in both groups.

229-258

Authors: Adnan Baki, Bahar Bektaş Baki

The purpose of this study is to compare secondary school mathematics teacher training programs in Turkey and Germany in terms of entry requirements, training time, professional appointment process of the teacher candidates. Due to the nature of comparative studies documents are obtained from two different sources of data and descriptive analysis was conducted. In the stage of data collection the existing practices about teacher training in Germany and Turkey, books, magazines, printed resources such as scientific articles were used. According to the comparative findings the teacher training programs in Turkey are trying to obtain the needed subject area knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge theoretically. In Germany the needed knowledge are trying to give in a more practical way. On the other hand, both countries are different from each other in terms of entry conditions to teacher training institutions and conditions of appointment of the profession. in Germany teacher candidates go through many processes to be appointed as a noble teacher. It is seen that teacher candidates in Turkey have less time and opportunity in terms of teacher training and practice.

274-284

Authors: Şeyda Birni, Zekeriya Karadağ

Bu çalışmada “Değişen Dünya İçin Geometriyi Anlamak: NCTM’in 71. Yıl Kitabı” (Understanding Geometryfor a Changing World: NCTM's 71st Yearbook) isimli kitabın incelemesi yapılmıştır. Kitap üç ana bölümden oluşmaktadır. “Geometrik Vizyonu Geliştirmek” isimli ilk bölüm, altı makaleden, “Geometri Öğrenme” isimli ikinci bolum, beş makaleden ve “Anlamak İçin Geometri Öğretme” isimli son bolum ise on iki makaleden oluşmaktadır. Çalışmanın amacı her bir makalenin ana fikrini ve değindiği önemli noktaları ortaya koymak olduğundan, içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır.