Reflections from the Application of Different Type of Activities: Special Training Methods Course

Mihriban Hacisalihoglu Karadeniz

doi:10.12973/eu-jer.6.2.157

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify">The aim of this study is to reveal the benefits gained from “Special Training Methods II” course and the problems prospective mathematics teachers encountered with it. The case study method was used in the study. The participants in the study were 34 prospective mathematics teachers studying at a Primary School Mathematics Education Department. The data collection tools were a form composed of open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive analysis of the quantitative data was carried out. In the “Special Teaching Methods II” course, beginning in the spring term of the 2015-2016 academic year, teaching activities on “multiple intelligences”, “discovery”, “group work”, “problem-solving”, “history of mathematics” and “computer-assisted teaching” were developed and implemented. It was concluded that these activities helped students like mathematics more, understand the importance of helping each other and cooperation and have more enjoyable lessons, as well as aiding their cognitive, social and emotional development. It was also found that through these activities participants improved their belief in themselves and increased their confidence regarding teaching mathematics. The participants also faced with some difficulties during the application process. They mostly mentioned that preparing worksheets was time-consuming, finding a school to perform the activity was hard and students were reluctant.</p>

Highlights

Activity may be defined as a planned task which aims to provide the students with the gains in the curriculum (Bransford, Brown and Cooking, 2000) and applications which allow students to use mathematical expressions and symbols, create models and engage in reasoning and abstraction (Baki, 2008)
Related to The Opinions of The Participants About Gains Provided by Activities Developed in The “STM-II” Course for Middle School Students
This study focused on the difficulties encountered by prospective mathematics teachers while carrying out activities, the opinions of prospective teachers about what middle school students gained from the activities and about what participants gained from the activities

Summary

Introduction

Activity may be defined as a planned task which aims to provide the students with the gains in the curriculum (Bransford, Brown and Cooking, 2000) and applications which allow students to use mathematical expressions and symbols, create models and engage in reasoning and abstraction (Baki, 2008). Mathematical tasks are given great importance in the United States in order to improve the quality of mathematics education and support the learning of a certain concept (Simon and Tzur, 2004). National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) highlights the importance of student-centered mathematics education through application of various activities (NCTM, 2000). In the updated middle school mathematics curriculum and textbooks in Turkey, it is noted that subjects should be taught through activities (Ministry of National Education [MNE], 2013). Considering that the curriculum expects subjects or concepts are taught through activities (MNE, 2005), it seems that there is a conflict instead of a common perception as far as the application of the curriculum through activities goes and there are problems about the quality and the implementation style of

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