THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROSPECTIVE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS’ MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT BELIEFS AND MATHEMATICS TEACHING ANXIETY LEVELS

Abstract

This correlational study aims to determine the mathematics teaching anxiety levels and mathematical development beliefs of prospective preschool teachers, and to find out the relationship between these two concepts. Data were collected through the usage of 'Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Scale for Classroom Teachers' and 'Mathematical Development Belief Scale' from 200 prospective preschool teachers. The results show that prospective teachers’ mathematics teaching anxiety and mathematical development beliefs were found to be moderate level. It is seen that there was no significant relationship between the overall mathematical development beliefs and the mathematics teaching anxiety scales of the prospective preschool teachers. However, there were significant correlations between the sub-scale. Considering the relationships based on the sub-scale, it is possible to conclude that the high mathematical development beliefs of prospective preschool teachers may make them more anxious about mathematics teaching. This can lead to the interpretation that increased beliefs of students about mathematics escalate their anxiety about 'achieving better'. Based on the results obtained in the current study, it can be recommend that content and applications that will increase the knowledge and experience of prospective teachers regarding their field knowledge of mathematics can be developed to move the levels of their mathematical development beliefs to a high position and also to prevent these high levels from having a very high effect on their anxiety levels.

Keywords

• mathematics teaching anxiety
• mathematical development beliefs
• prospective preschool teachers

OKUL ÖNCESI ÖĞRETMEN ADAYLARININ MATEMATİKSEL GELİŞİM İNANÇLARI VE MATEMATİK ÖĞRETME KAYGI DÜZEYLERİ ARASINDAKI İLİŞKİ

Abstract

Bu ilişkisel araştırma, okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının matematik öğretimi kaygı düzeylerini ve matematiksel gelişim inançlarını belirlemeyi ve bu iki kavram arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır. 200 okul öncesi öğretmen adayından "‘Sınıf Öğretmenlerine Yönelik Matematik Öğretimi Kaygı Ölçeği" ve "Matematiksel Gelişim İnanç Ölçeği" kullanılarak veriler toplanmıştır. Sonuçlar, öğretmen adaylarının matematik öğretme kaygılarının ve matematiksel gelişim inançlarının orta düzeyde olduğunu göstermektedir. Okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının genel matematiksel gelişim inançları ile matematik öğretme kaygısı ölçekleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olmadığı görülmektedir. Ancak alt ölçekler arasında anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuştur. Alt ölçeğe dayalı ilişkiler dikkate alındığında, okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının matematiksel gelişim inançlarının yüksek olmasının, matematik öğretimi konusunda daha kaygılı hale gelebilmelerine neden olduğu sonucuna varma mümkündür. Bir diğer deyişle, öğrencilerin matematiğe yönelik artan inançlarının, "daha iyiye ulaşma" kaygılarını artırdığı söylenebilir. Bu çalışmada elde edilen sonuçlardan hareketle, öğretmen adaylarının matematik alan bilgisine ilişkin bilgi ve deneyimlerini artıracak içerik ve uygulamalar geliştirilerek matematiksel gelişim inançlarının üst bir konuma taşınması ve ayrıca bu yüksek seviyelerin kaygı seviyeleri üzerinde çok yüksek bir etkiye sahip olmasını önleyecek uygulamalara yer verilmesi önerilebilir.

Keywords

• matematik öğretme kaygı
• matematiksel gelişim inancı
• okul öncesi öğretmen adayları

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