ERIC Number: EJ884129
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0020-739X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
On the Content-Dependence of Prospective Teachers' Knowledge: A Case of Exemplifying Definitions
Leikin, Roza; Zazkis, Rina
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, v41 n4 p451-466 2010
In this article, we demonstrate that prospective teachers' content knowledge related to defining mathematical concepts is dependent on content area. We use the example of generation (a research tool we developed in a previous study) to investigate prospective teachers' knowledge. We asked prospective secondary mathematics teachers to provide multiple examples of definitions of concepts from different areas of mathematics. We examined teacher-generated examples of concept definition and analysed individual and collective example spaces, focusing on their correctness and richness. We demonstrate differences in prospective teachers' knowledge associated with defining mathematical concepts in geometry, algebra and calculus. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Definitions, Knowledge Base for Teaching, Mathematical Concepts, Mathematics Teachers, Calculus, Geometry, Algebra, Knowledge Level, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Mathematics Instruction, Preservice Teachers, Secondary School Mathematics, Concept Formation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A