Middle-School Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Opinions on the Use of Modeling Activities at The Course of Mathematics Applications

Abstract

This research aimed to reveal the opinions of the prospective mathematics teachers who will be the implementers of the program on the use of Modeling Activities within the course of elective Mathematics Applications. Participants of the study were 42 prospective teachers enrolled in the Modeling in Teaching Mathematics course in the 2016-2017 academic year, studying at a state university in the Black Sea region. Thirteen weeks of theoretical and practical training on model, modeling and problem solving with the help of modeling activities were given to the prospective teachers within the framework of modeling perspectives. At the end of the training, prospective teachers were asked an open-ended question to determine the experience gained during the implementation of the modeling activities. The written answers to this question were analyzed qualitatively. The findings of the study showed that while prospective mathematics teachers positively thought on the use of modeling activities in their own classrooms, they related this to mathematics learning, individual development, associating mathematics with real life, and contribution to success in international exams. On the other hand, they have also drawn attention to the difficulties that affect classroom management and the education system applied.