Öğretmen Adaylarının Matematiğe Yönelik İmajları, Tutumları ve Akademik Başarıları Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the images of first- and fourth-year elementary mathematics, science and elementary education teacher candidates about mathematics, mathematicians, mathematics teachers and students, their mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics; whether their images of mathematics and mathematicians, mathematics achievement and attitudes towards mathematics vary significantly based on several variables (program of study, year of study and gender); and whether a relationship exists between their images of mathematics and mathematicians, their mathematics achievement levels and attitude towards mathematics. The study used the partial mixed concurrent dominant status design. Participants were 424 teacher candidates. Qualitative data were collected by using a mathematics image survey for teacher candidates and a drawing form, while quantitative data were collected by using a mathematics attitude scale and a basic mathematics achievement test. The quantitative data were analyzed with multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). For the analyses of qualitative data, themes and codes were identified, and percentages were reported for the statements “often, rarely, never”. Furthermore, Chi-square was used to reveal whether program type, year of study and gender created a significant difference. In order to associate qualitative and quantitative data, correspondence analysis was undertaken where possible. The findings showed that the mathematics success and mathematics attitudes of elementary mathematics education teacher candidates were higher than those of science and elementary education teacher candidates. The word “mathematics” was mostly associated by teacher candidates with the most common mathematics topics. These associations of “mathematics” did not vary significantly with respect to program of study or gender. On the other hand, year of study caused a significant difference in these associations, and was related with mathematics achievement and attitude for all teacher candidates. Considering their associations of the word “mathematics”, teacher candidates most frequently mentioned life. While their associations of the word “mathematics” did not vary significantly based on program type, year of study or gender, no relationship was found between mathematics achievement and mathematics attitudes of teacher candidates from different program types and years of study. When asked the reasons for their associations of the word “mathematics”, teacher candidates most commonly mentioned their feelings for mathematics, and more precisely positive feelings. While their reasons for these associations did not vary significantly with respect to year of study or gender, they varied significantly with respect to program type. For all teacher candidates, they were found to be related with mathematics achievement and attitudes. Teacher candidates stated that if they were academics working in the field of mathematics, they would want to work on derivatives, numbers and geometry. These topics did not correlate with the mathematics achievement or attitudes of teacher candidates. When asked why they chose these areas, they mostly responded by emphasizing positive feelings. Their reasons for choosing these areas did not correlate with the mathematics achievement or attitudes of teacher candidates. On the other hand, they correlated with mathematics achievement during different years of study. When asked about their favorite past and present mathematicians, teacher candidates most commonly answered Pythagoras and Cahit Arf, after their own lecturers. When asked their reasons for respecting these mathematicians, teacher candidates mostly mentioned their useful deeds. Their reasons for respecting these mathematicians did not correlate with the mathematics achievement or attitude of the teacher candidates in different years of study. When drawing mathematicians, the teacher candidates most commonly preferred to draw males, followed by females, and then either a male or female. They stated that the mathematicians they drew mostly worked as teachers at schools. At the same time, they mostly mentioned teachers when asked the sources that influenced their drawings of mathematicians. In their drawings where they imagined themselves as mathematics teachers, they most commonly represented the mathematics teacher as lecturing and students as listening to the lecture. It is supposed that the results of the study will be able to provide useful contribution for educators, policy makers, and researchers studied in math curriculum and instruction, teacher education, and images.