The Mathematics Education I and II Courses’ Effect on Teacher Candidates’ Development of Number Sense

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine the number sense performance of the classroom teacher candidates taking the Mathematics Education I and II courses. Moreover, it investigates whether there is a change in the number sense performance of the teacher candidates following the Mathematics Education I and II courses. Embedded experimental design was used a mixed methods research design. Pretest-posttest weak experimental design was used in the quantitative part of the study, and a case study for the qualitative part. A total of 74 teacher candidates in the third year of the Faculty of Education, Department of Classroom Teaching at a state university participated in the study. As a data collection tool, the 17-question number sense test was used in both quantitative and qualitative part of the research. The quantitative data showed that there is a significant increase in the number sense performance of teacher candidates after the Mathematics Education I and II courses. The qualitative data indicated that prior to the Mathematics Education I and II courses, the teacher candidates considered mathematics as a course in mathematical operations. They generally tended to use routine rules and algorithms in the number sense test, could not fully conceptualize some mathematical rules and phrases they use, and tried to compute instead of using number sense skills. It was found that after the Mathematics Education I and II courses, there was a decrease in the number of teacher candidates computing, whereas an increase in the number that use number sense.

Monitoring proficiency: Growth of number sense in primary school

“…Given the studies concluding that improvement of number sense skills increases mathematics achievements in years to come (Jordan et al, 2007; Mazzocco & Thompson, 2005; McGuire et al, 2012), lack of instruments that aim to identify number sense skills of primary school students raises concerns. Studies on number sense have been performed with pre‐school students (Aunio et al, 2004, 2006; Howell & Kemp, 2010; Jordan et al, 2007, 2010), primary school students from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (Çekirdekci et al, 2016; Mohamed & Johnny, 2010; Olkun et al, 2015; Yang & Li, 2008; Zanzali & Ghazali, 2002), and elementary school students from Grade 5 to Grade 8 (Akkaya, 2016; Harç, 2010; İymen & Duatepe Paksu, 2015; Kayhan Altay, 2010; Kayhan Altay & Umay, 2013; Lin et al, 2016; Şengül & Gülbağcı Dede, 2013; Torbeyns & Verschaffel, 2016; Yang et al, 2008; Yapıcı, 2013), and preservice teachers (Gülbağcı Dede, 2015; Şengül, 2013; Şenol et al, 2015; Yaman,2015a, 2015b). Among these studies, there are limited number of research works about measuring number sense skills and test development, especially in primary schools.…”

“…Studies on number sense have been performed with pre-school students (Aunio et al, 2004(Aunio et al, , 2006Howell & Kemp, 2010;Jordan et al, 2007Jordan et al, , 2010, primary school students from Grade 1 to Grade 4 (Çekirdekci et al, 2016;Mohamed & Johnny, 2010;Olkun et al, 2015;Zanzali & Ghazali, 2002), and elementary school students from Grade 5 to Grade 8 (Akkaya, 2016;Harç, 2010;İymen & Duatepe Paksu, 2015;Kayhan Altay, 2010;Kayhan Altay & Umay, 2013;Lin et al, 2016;Şengül & Gülbağcı Dede, 2013;Torbeyns & Verschaffel, 2016;Yapıcı, 2013), and preservice teachers (Gülbağcı Dede, 2015;Şengül, 2013;Şenol et al, 2015;Yaman,2015aYaman, , 2015b. Among these studies, there are limited number of research works about measuring number sense skills and test development, especially in primary schools.…”

Ortaokul Öğrenci̇leri̇ni̇n Yüzdeler Konusunda Sayi Duyularinin İncelenmesi̇

“…It may be stated that the number of studies on number sense in Turkey has recently increased (Çekirdekçi, Şengül, & Doğan, 2016;Gülbağcı Dede & Şengül, 2016;İymen & Duatepe Paksu, 2015;Yaman, 2015). Considering the studies on the field of number sense, while studies focusing on investigating the number sense of students, teachers and prospective teachers are frequently seen, studies investigating number sense skills especially in a certain subject in mathematics are less frequent.…”

Investigating the Number Sense Ability of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers

“…Even so, if having a number sense ability, then students (especially preservice mathematics teachers) can solve the mathematical problems related to it better. Many studies have shown that various pre-service teacher backgrounds have low results in understanding numbers when given tests related to the component of number sense (Akkaya, 2015;Sengul, 2013;Yang, Reys, & Reys, 2009;Yaman, 2015;Aktas & Ozdemir, 2017). Besides, the results of research conducted by Sengul (2013) show that pre-service elementary teachers' number sense is still deficient and tends to use a "rule-based method" rather than "number sense" on each component tested (Koleza & Koleli, 2014).…”