Abstract
This study investigates pre-service elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge in teaching for length measurement. More specifically, this study compares the foundation and transformation knowledge of pre-service elementary teachers from Turkey and the United States. The current study examines similarities and differences between them by applying the codes of the Knowledge Quartet model with 40 pre-service teachers selected from Turkey and the United States. This study used a test assessing pre-service teachers’ mathematical knowledge in teaching about the students’ mistakes, difficulties, misconceptions, the reasons for them, and their strategies to overcome them related to the topic of length measurement. The findings indicated that while US pre-service teachers had more secure foundation knowledge in identifying the possible errors, Turkish pre-service teachers showed greater foundation knowledge in identifying the possible reasons for these errors. On the other hand, the pre-service teachers in both countries have similar transformation knowledge to suggest strategies to correct students’ errors. These findings might provide some insights about how pre-service teachers’ mathematical knowledge may be similar or different in different countries. Furthermore, these similarities and differences might help researchers and teacher educators emphasize the importance of the quality of teacher education programs.
Highlights
Students’ understanding and success is influenced by so many factors and teachers’ effectiveness is one of these factors (Baumert et al, 2010; McGraner et al, 2011; Rothstein, 2010)
The definition, sub-categories, and name of teacher knowledge are not the same in all countries, but in a time of globalization, researchers around the world agree that mathematical knowledge in teaching is important to improve the students’ understanding of mathematics (Ball et al, 2008; Rowland et al, 2003, 2005; Shulman, 1986, 1987)
This study aims to examine the parts that differ in Turkey’s and the United States’ pre-service elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge in teaching associated with foundation and transformation for the topic of length measurement
Summary
Students’ understanding and success is influenced by so many factors and teachers’ effectiveness is one of these factors (Baumert et al, 2010; McGraner et al, 2011; Rothstein, 2010). A comparison of pre-service elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge in teaching can contribute to an understanding of their knowledge in each country. Examining their knowledge in different countries would be beneficial to understand teacher knowledge from a broader perspective and this would give valuable information for policy makers to see the effectiveness of their education programs. By this way, we could compare the outputs of the programs in different cultures. The second aim is to examine the extent of the differences if exist between Turkish and US pre-service elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge in teaching
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
