ERIC Number: EJ1168591
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2147-611X
EISSN: N/A
An Examination of a Pre-Service Mathematics Teacher's Mental Constructions of Relationships in a Right Triangle
Koyunkaya, Melike Yigit
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, v6 n1 p58-78 2018
Students need to construct strong knowledge of angles as well as relationships between angles and side lengths in a triangle to succeed in geometry. Although many researchers pointed out the importance of angles and angle-related concepts, students and teachers have had limited knowledge of these concepts. This study is a part of a larger study, and examines pre-service secondary mathematics teachers' (PSMTs) mental constructions of relationships between angles and side lengths in a right triangle (RASR). The Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) learning theory was used as the theoretical lens and clinical interview methodology was used as the methodology in the study. The study was conducted with four PSMTs, but it focuses on one of PSMTs, Linda, who revealed evidence of schema for RASR. As a result of fine-grained analysis of Linda's responses to the tasks, this article reports the mental constructions enough to develop a schema for RASR. The model describes that schema for 2-line angles, right triangles and relationships between opposite angles and side lengths and process level for some relationships including "Pythagorean Theorem", "The hypotenuse is always the longest side in a right triangle", "Special right triangles", "Complementary Angles", and "Triangle inequalities" are enough to construct a schema for RASR.
Descriptors: Mental Computation, Preservice Teacher Education, Preservice Teachers, Geometric Concepts, Secondary School Mathematics, Interviews, Student Teacher Attitudes, Schemata (Cognition), Concept Teaching, Knowledge Level, Mathematics Achievement, Models
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Meram, Konya, 42090, Turkey. e-mail: ijermst@gmail.com; Web site: http://ijemst.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A