Mathematics Preservice Teachers’ Preparation in Designing Mathematics-Based Programming Activities Rich in Metacognitive Skills

Abstract

Programming problems enrich the environment of mathematics learning, adding the flavor of technology to these problems. This is especially true when this programming is Scratch based, where Scratch is being used to make students’ learning of mathematics more meaningful. This role of programming in the mathematics classroom points at the importance of preparing mathematics teachers for designing mathematics-based programming problems activities. The present research describes one attempt to prepare mathematics preservice teachers in designing mathematics-based programming problems activities that could be used in the classroom to teach both programming and mathematics concepts. Twenty-three preservice teachers participated in the research, where they worked in eight groups of 2-3 members in each group. Data collected through observations based on video recordings of the sessions in which the preservice teachers discussed with the pedagogical supervisors the designed mathematics activities. The preparation model comprises of five stages related to the educational environment and to the design notions. The results show special importance for the concepts of struggle and devolution in designing this kind of activities, in addition to the concept of equilibrium between the creative and imitative thinking. The results also show the useful application of metacognitive skills when designing the activities, especially when designing the directions given to the students for solving each of the programming activities.