ERIC Number: EJ1078222
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Dec
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1305-8223
EISSN: N/A
Mathematics Teacher-Candidates' Performance in Solving Problems with Different Representation Styles: The Trigonometry Example
Dündar, Sefa
EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, v11 n6 p1379-1397 Dec 2015
Using multiple representations of a problem can reveal the relationship between complex concepts by expressing the same mathematical condition differently and can contribute to the meaningful learning of mathematical concepts. The purpose of this study is to assess the performances of mathematics teacher-candidates on trigonometry problems represented in different formats and to examine the reasons for test failures. This study uses a mixed-method approach and consists of 51 teacher-candidates enrolled in the Department of Mathematics Education at a state university. The data collection tools were a symbolic trigonometry test, a visual trigonometry test, and a verbal trigonometry test. Interviews were conducted with the teacher-candidates to reveal the reasons of their failures and the advantages and disadvantages of each representation style for the trigonometry problems. This study found that the teacher-candidates were most successful on the symbolic test and least successful on the verbal test. The teacher-candidates stated that seeing different representation forms helped them to understand the questions better and produce multiple solutions.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Preservice Teachers, Mathematics Teachers, Problem Solving, Trigonometry, Mathematics Tests, Mathematics Skills, Academic Failure, Mixed Methods Research, Interviews, Test Format, Learning Processes, Verbal Tests, Visual Measures, Scores, Statistical Analysis, Correlation
EURASIA. Gazi Egitim Fakultesi, K Blok 210, Teknikokullar, Ankara, 06500 Turkey. Tel: +90-312-202-8192; Fax: +90-312-222-8483; e-mail: editor.eurasiajournal@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.ejmste.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Turkey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A