Self-Directed Learning Through Computer-Aided Mathematics Instruction: First-Year Teacher Education Experience

Objective: The study investigates first-year teacher education students’ self-directed learning through Computer-Aided Mathematics Instruction (CAMI).Methods: A total of 230 first-year mathematics teachers specialising in Further Education and Training (FET) phase teaching participated in the study, where responses from 50 student teachers were purposively and conveniently selected to report on in this paper. A qualitative research method approach was used and open–ended questionnaires were utilised to collect the data for first-year teacher education students’ self-directed learning. The questionnaires were analysed using descriptive data analysis.Results: Results of the study revealed that CAMI was used to monitor students’ learning, the time the learning takes place, the performance of the student within the duration of time, and to evaluate student performance. The results also revealed the skills that characterised self-directed learning and active learning where the student teachers were motivated to learn more and to solve difficult problems in mathematics.Conclusions: The study recommends technology integration, such as CAMI, in teacher education and teaching and learning in the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), to promote self-directed learning and support effective learning for future learners.

A Turkish adaptation of a framework for evaluating the mathematical quality of instruction

A structured assessment tool on the quality of mathematics instruction is considered to be important. It is believed that such a tool could play an important role in providing feedbacks to the preservice teachers during their trainings as well as in evaluating the quality of in-service teachers’ practices. From this point of view, firstly, it has been performed a comprehensive examination of the relevant frameworks developed to evaluate the quality of mathematics instruction. As a result, it was observed that the Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) framework differed from the others with respect to both functional and structural features. Within the scope of this study, the adaptation of the MQI framework to Turkish language has been realized. In this study, the characteristics, usage, components and theoretical background of the MQI framework are shared with the reader. In addition, the adapted version of MQI framework was shared and the performance indicators to help potential users were elaborated. ​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file. Özet Matematik öğretiminin niteliğine ilişkin yapılandırılmış bir değerlendirme aracı oldukça önemlidir. Bu türden bir araç gerek öğretmen yetiştirme sürecinde öğretmen adaylarına geri dönüt vermek gerekse halen hizmet veren matematik öğretmenlerinin uygulamalarının niteliğini değerlendirerek uygulamaların geliştirilmesine katkıda bulunabilecektir. Bu düşüncelerle öncelikle matematik öğretiminin niteliğine ilişkin değerlendirme yapmak için kullanılabilecek çerçevelere ilişkin kapsamlı bir tarama yapılmıştır. Bu tarama neticesinde kullanışlılığı ve yapısal özellikleri nedeniyle Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) çerçevesinin diğerlerinden ayrıldığı görülmüştür. Bu makale çalışması kapsamında matematik öğretiminin niteliğine ilişkin işlevsel bir değerlendirme yapmak amacıyla geliştirilen MQI çerçevesinin ülkemizde kullanılabilmesi amacıyla Türkçe’ye adaptasyonu gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu çalışmada söz konusu çerçevenin özellikleri, kullanım şekli, bileşenleri ve kuramsal arka planı okuyucuyla paylaşılmıştır. Ayrıca adaptasyonu yapılan çerçeve paylaşılmış ve potansiyel kullanıcılara yardımcı olacak performans göstergeleri detaylandırılmıştır.

Students’ Mathematical Thinking and Comprehensive Mathematics Instruction (CMI) Model

Several facts about learning mathematics in high school, show that students' mathematical thinking skills are still low. Therefore, there needs to be an effort to increase these variables, considering that these variables are very important in supporting students' academic achievement. This study discusses the application of a comprehensive mathematics instruction (CMI) model in mathematics learning as an effort to improve students' mathematical thinking. This research is a quasi-experimental research. The sample was taken purposively from the population of high school students in Subang Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The instruments used in the research consisted of a mathematical thinking ability test and an observation sheet. Mathematical thinking ability is built by four important aspects, namely specializing, generalizing, conjecturing and convincing. The CMI model is a learning model that accommodates three stages, namely develop, solidify and practice. Each of these stages provides the opportunity for students to develop specializing, generalizing, conjecturing and convincing aspects. The results showed that the CMI model can improve students' mathematical thinking abilities. Thus, the CMI model deserves to be used as an innovation in mathematics learning.

Exploring Matrices with Spreadsheets

Bridge the digital divide by teaching students a useful technological skill while enhancing mathematics instruction focused on real-life matrix applications.