Problem solving approaches of mathematics teacher candidates in PISA 2003

Abstract

The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a system of assessments that focus on 15-year-olds’ capabilities in reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy in developed countries. PISA measures the level of awareness of real life issues and redefining these issues in an algebraic format instead of just working on algebraic problems. The students’ proficiency levels are related to their teachers’ effectiveness. Based on this assumption, the purpose of this study is to expose the prospective elementary math teachers’ methods on solving the PISA 2003 questions. The PISA 2003 questions are used to gather data. The students’ problem solving strategies are grouped among themselves with analyzing the data by using percentages and frequencies.