Asian Research Thesis Index

Abstract

The study examined the processes and issues involved in developing mathematical thinking among pre-service teachers. I conducted action research under the paradigm of qualitative research in one elementary college of education of Karachi. I worked with a whole class of pre-service teachers (with a focus on four participants) for five and a half weeks. I taught them nine lessons in four cycles of action research. I collected data through observation, semi-structured interviews, my reflective journal and pre-service teachers' work samples. The study indicates that problem-solving tasks, the environment of the classroom, instructional strategies and teacher educator attitude make a difference in pre-service teachers' learning of mathematics. Pre-service teachers had difficulties in the content area of mathematics, and they did not have a positive attitude towards mathematics. However, they gradually improved their mathematics skills and started journeying toward mathematical thinking. Besides the helping factors, there are some challenges as well; for example, low levels of self-confidence among students and their prior limited knowledge of mathematics.

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