Preservice Secondary Teachers Perceptions of College-Level Mathematics Content Connections with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

Abstract

Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers (PSMTs) were surveyed to identify if they could connect early-secondary mathematics content (Grades 7-9) in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) with mathematics content studied in content courses for certification in secondary teacher preparation programs. Respondents were asked to identify college-level mathematics courses they had taken in their preparation programs that specifically addressed connections to early-secondary school mathematics content in the CCSSM. The analysis of the results specifically focuses on PSMTs’ inability to self-identify connections between this CCSSM content and college-level mathematics coursework. In this study, the goal that content coursework for teachers emphasize visible connections between the content PSMTs will teach and mathematics coursework in preservice preparation programs was seemingly not achieved.