Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Skills in Middle School Mathematics Lesson Curriculum and Teaching Profession Through the Eyes of Pre-service Elementary Mathematics Teachers

Abstract

These days, when the age of industrial society has passed to the age of information and technology, the profile of people with intelligent, logical, and practical intelligence stands out instead of the labor force. In this sense, education is the most important element in the education of entrepreneurial individuals who can keep up with the rapid changes of the age. Entrepreneurship trainings are also important for individuals to gain entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills. These trainings are usually given at the university level. At this point, the main goal in entrepreneurship education is to introduce entrepreneurship, and to educate entrepreneurial individuals. The aim of this research was to examine the thoughts and knowledge of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers about the concepts of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills from the point of view of the middle school mathematics course curriculum, as well as from the point of view of the teaching profession. Qualitative research was used in the research. A total of 40 pre-service elementary mathematics teachers, including 10 pre-service teachers (5 females and 5 males) from each year of study, who were studying at a Faculty of Education. The data was collected using a semi-structured interview form. The interview form consisted of 5 questions. The content analysis technique was used in the data analysis. The findings of the middle school mathematics curriculum in entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills in the place and on the importance of the teaching profession and the faculty were examined under 2 titles. All of the first-year pre-service teachers stated that they had never studied the curriculum in terms of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills. Pre-service teachers have skills that can be associated with entrepreneurial skills, creativity, problem solving, communication, critical thinking, and forecasting skills. Mathematics lessons are taught the most by pre-service teachers to help them gain entrepreneurship skills. The importance of having entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship skills for the teaching profession, in terms of the teacher-student and teacher-teaching processes. All of the pre-service teachers stated that they had not taken courses on entrepreneurship. The concepts of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship skills, whose place and importance are increasing day by day, should be included more in curricula and their importance in terms of teaching should be taught. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurial Skills, Entrepreneurship Education, Pre-service Elementary Mathematics Teachers DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-5-06 Publication date: February 28 th 2021