Developing Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Understanding of Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice

2024-3
ÇINAR BENT, Gonca
The purpose of the study was to examine and develop pre-service elementary mathematics teachers’ understanding of teaching mathematics for social justice through employing design research. In line with this purpose, firstly, the needs of pre-service mathematics teachers were identified, and then an intervention in teaching mathematics for social justice was designed according to their needs and implemented. Needs analysis interviews were conducted with seven pre-service elementary mathematics teachers and four teacher educators. According to the needs analysis results, pre-service mathematics teachers did not have much knowledge about teaching mathematics for social justice, and teaching mathematics for social justice was not covered in any of the undergraduate courses they attended. The intervention's goals were determined by examining the results of the needs analysis study and reviewing the literature. Five pre-service mathematics teachers attended the 1st design experiment, and nine pre-service mathematics teachers attended the 2nd design experiment regarding teaching mathematics for social justice. Data were collected during both of the design experiments through initial and final semi-structured interviews, field notes of the researcher, classroom observations, reflective papers, video recordings of classes, in-class activities, and individual lesson plans of pre-service mathematics teachers. The results of the study indicated that the intervention in teaching mathematics for social justice with a teaching and learning strategy grounded in social constructivism promotes pre-service mathematics teachers' understanding of teaching mathematics for social justice and their ability to prepare lesson plans based on teaching mathematics for social justice.
Citation Formats
G. ÇINAR BENT, “Developing Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Understanding of Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2024.