Prospective mathematics teachers’ thinking styles and problem-solving skills

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine problem-solving skills and thinking styles of prospective mathematics teachers and investigate whether the thinking styles of them are related to their mathematical problem-solving skills and the problem-solving strategies preferred by them differ depending on their thinking styles. The data of the study were collected from 32 prospective middle school mathematics teachers through five non-routine problems and “Thinking Styles Inventory”. Prospective mathematics teachers’ solutions to non-routine problems were analyzed qualitatively. For quantitative data, descriptive statistics, correlation and chi-square were used. The results showed that majority of the prospective teachers have difficulties in using problem-solving strategies appropriately and solving non-routine problems. It was found that prospective teachers mostly preferred legislative, hierarchical and liberal thinking styles respectively whereas they displayed least preferences for oligarchic, conservative and monarchic thinking styles respectively. The results revealed that problem-solving skills were significantly, negatively and moderately related to only monarchic thinking style. High level of problem-solving skills were found to be related to liberal and internal thinking styles significantly, negatively and moderately whereas there was no significant relationship between low level of problem-solving skills and thinking styles. It was also found that there were no significant differences between the thinking styles of prospective mathematics teachers and their problem-solving strategies. This finding was supported by qualitative data. More comprehensive results can be obtained through observing and monitoring prospective teachers for long period.