Research Information System
International Conference on Mathematics and Mathematics Education (ICMME 2019), Konya, Turkey, 11 - 13 July 2019, pp.360-361
ABSTRACT
The importance of using concrete materials is emphasized in the middle school
mathematics curriculum which is applied in our country and based on studentcentered
approach. The new mathematics curriculum is based on the ability of
students to explore and make sense of mathematical knowledge through concrete
models. In order to use concrete materials effectively in mathematics teaching,
teachers should have sufficient knowledge (Çiftçi, Yıldız and Bozkurt, 2015; Pişkin-
Tunç, Durmuş and Akkaya, 2012; Yetkin-Özdemir, 2008; Yazlık, 2018). In this
respect, the aim of this study is to examine the prospective mathematics teachers'
views about use of concrete materials in mathematics teaching.
In the research, case study that is based on qualitative approach has been
used. The study was conducted in a state university's elementary mathematics
teaching program with 39 prospective teachers who took instructional technologies
and material design courses. 85% of the participants are girls. The data of the study
was collected after the completion of the course at the end of the semester.
Prospective teachers designed a concrete material in the form of groups of 3-4
people. The research data were collected through the interview form after this
experience of the prospective teachers. In the interview form, the participants were
asked four open-ended questions (eg. How concrete materials help to understand
the ideas of a mathematics concept?). The participants were asked to answer these
questions in writing. The data obtained from the interview form were analyzed using
content analysis method. In this process, the coded data were arranged and
interpreted under certain themes.
ISBN: 978- 605-184-176-2 360
The findings of the study showed that primary mathematics teachers think that
the use of concrete materials in teaching mathematics is important and effective. This
finding is in line with the findings of other studies (Çiftçi, Yıldız and Bozkurt; YetkinÖzdemir,
2008; Yazlık, 2018). Yetkin-Özdemir (2008) concluded that prospective
elementary teachers believed that the use of materials was effective in mathematics
education.
Another result of the research was that participants think that the use of
concrete materials in mathematics classes made it easier to understand
mathematical concepts, concretized abstract concepts, provided permanent learning
and aroused curiosity among students. On the other hand, it was seen that preservice
teachers' ideas about how the use of concrete materials help to understand
and concretize the concepts of mathematics are general and superficial. In parallel
with these results, it is concluded that using concrete material provides similar
benefits in the literature (Çiftçi, Yıldız and Bozkurt; Ünlü, 2017; Yetkin-Özdemir, 2008;
Yazlık, 2018).
These findings indicate that prospective teachers need more experience in the
use of concrete materials in mathematics teaching. They need to acquire knowledge
to explore the relationship between material and mathematical concept. It is
important for prospective teachers to establish the relationship between material and
concept in order to provide meaningful learning.
Key Words: Mathematics education, concrete materials, prospective teachers.
REFERENCES
[1] Çiftçi, K., Yildiz, P., and Bozkurt, E. (2015). Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Opinions
About Using Material, Journal of Educational Policy Analysis 4 (1), 79-89.
[2] Özdemir, İ. E. Y. (2008). Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Cognitive Skills On Using
Manipulatives In Teaching Mathematics, Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 35(35), 362-
373.
[3] Pişkin-Tunç, M., Durmuş, S., ve Akkaya, R. (2012). Competence of elementary mathematics
teacher candidates to use concrete materials and virtual learning objects in mathematics teaching.
MATDER Mathematics Education Journal, 1(1), 13-20.
[4] Ünlü, M. (2017). Opinions of Pre-service Mathematics Teachers on the Use of Teaching
Material in Mathematics Courses. Theory and Practice in Education, 13(1), 10-34.
[5] Yazlık, D. Ö. (2018). The Views of Teachers About Use of Concrete Teaching Materials in
Mathematics Teaching. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 8(15), 775-805.