Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course

Carlos Zerpa; Ann Kajander; Christina Van Barneveld

doi:10.29333/iejme/230

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Carlos Zerpa, Ann Kajander, Christina Van Barneveld

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Abstract

Teachers’ conceptual understanding of elementary mathematics is believed to be fundamental to effective classroom level mathematics reform. This study examined preservice teachers’ change in conceptual mathematical knowledge after taking a reform-based mathematics methods course as part of a teacher certification program, and investigated the relationship between this change and factors such as preservice teachers’ academic background, initial levels of conceptual and procedural mathematical knowledge and values, and the number of mathematics courses taken in high school and university. The results of this study suggest that the number of mathematics courses taken in high school may influence growth in conceptual mathematical knowledge, while preservice teachers’ subject-area background and the number of university mathematics courses taken did not appear to influence growth in conceptual mathematical knowledge as needed to teach in a reform-based manner.

Keywords

Preservice Teachers
Academic Background
Conceptual and Procedural Mathematical Knowledge
Conceptual and Procedural Mathematical Values
Mathematics Methods Course

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 4, Issue 2, May 2009, 57-76

https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

Publication date: 08 Aug 2009

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How to cite this article

APA

Zerpa, C., Kajander, A., & Barneveld, C. V. (2009). Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 4(2), 57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

Vancouver

Zerpa C, Kajander A, Barneveld CV. Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2009;4(2):57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

AMA

Zerpa C, Kajander A, Barneveld CV. Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2009;4(2), 57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

Chicago

Zerpa, Carlos, Ann Kajander, and Christina Van Barneveld. "Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2009 4 no. 2 (2009): 57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

Harvard

Zerpa, C., Kajander, A., and Barneveld, C. V. (2009). Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 4(2), pp. 57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230

MLA

Zerpa, Carlos et al. "Factors that Impact Preservice Teachers’ Growth in Conceptual Mathematical Knowledge During a Mathematics Methods Course". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 4, no. 2, 2009, pp. 57-76. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/230