• The Mathematical Education
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.47-62
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• 2020

Understanding the concept of probability distribution becomes more important. We considered probabilities defined in the sample space, the definition of discrete random variables, the probability of defined discrete probability distribution, and the relationship between them as knowledge of discrete probability distribution, and investigated the understanding degree of the mathematics preservice teachers. The results are as follows. Firstly, about 70% of preservice teachers who participated in this study expressed discrete probability distribution graphs in ordered pairs or continuous distribution. Secondly, with regard to the two factors for obtaining discrete probability distributions: probability for each element in the sample space and the concept of random variables that convert each element in the sample space into a real value, only 13% of the preservice teachers understood and addressed both factors. Thirdly, 39% of the preservice teachers correctly responded to whether different probability distributions can be defined for one sample space. Fourthly, when the probability of each fundamental event was determined to obtain the probability distribution of the discrete random variables defined in the undefined sample space, approximately 70% habitually calculated by the uniform probability. Finally, about 20% of preservice teachers understood the meaning and relationship of binomial distribution, discrete random variables, and sample space. In relation, clear definitions and full explanations of concept need to be provided from textbooks and a program to improve the understanding of preservice teachers need to be developed.

• School Mathematics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.691-708
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• 2014

In general, the intuitive knowledge that can use in mathematics problem solving is one of the important knowledge to teachers as well as students. So, this study is aimed to analyze the elementary preservice teachers' intuitive knowledge in relation to intuitive and counter-intuitive problem solving. For this, I performed survey to use questionnaire consisting of problems that can solve in intuitive methods and cause the errors by counter-intuitive methods. 161 preservice teachers participated in this study. I got the conclusion as follows. preservice teachers' intuitive problem solving ability is very low. I special, many preservice teachers preferred algorithmic problem solving to intuitive problem solving. So, it's needed to try to improve preservice teachers' problem solving ability via ensuring both the quality and quantity of problem solving education during preservice training courses. Many preservice teachers showed errors with incomplete knowledges or intuitive judges in counter-intuitive problem solving process. For improving preservice teachers' intuitive problem solving ability, we have to develop the teacher education curriculum and materials for preservice teachers to go through intuitive mathematical problem solving. Add to this, we will strive to improve preservice teachers' interest about mathematics itself and value of mathematics.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.19-39
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• 2017

Taking samples of data and using samples to make inferences about unknown populations are at the core of statistical investigations. So, an understanding of the nature of sample as statistical thinking is involved in the area of statistical literacy, since the process of a statistical investigation can turn out to be totally useless if we don't appreciate the part sampling plays. However, the conception of sampling is a scheme of interrelated ideas entailing many statistical notions such as repeatability, representativeness, randomness, variability, and distribution. This complexity makes many people, teachers as well as students, reason about statistical inference relying on their incorrect intuitions without understanding sample comprehensively. Some research investigated how the concept of a sample is understood by not only students but also teachers or preservice teachers, but we want to identify preservice secondary mathematics teachers' understanding of sample as the statistical literacy by a qualitative analysis. We designed four items which asked preservice teachers to write their understanding for sampling tasks including representativeness and variability. Then, we categorized the similar responses and compared these categories with Watson's statistical literacy hierarchy. As a result, many preservice teachers turned out to be lie in the low level of statistical literacy as they ignore contexts and critical thinking, expecially about sampling variability rather than sample representativeness. Moreover, the experience of taking statistics courses in university did not seem to make a contribution to development of their statistical literacy. These findings should be considered when design preservice teacher education program to promote statistics education.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-47
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• 2024

Mathematical modeling activities are gaining popularity in K-12 mathematics education curricula worldwide. These activities serve dual purposes by aiding students in making sense of real-world situations intertwined with social justice while acquiring mathematical knowledge. Despite efforts to prepare teacher candidates for instructing in mathematical modeling within a single country, little attention has been given to teacher candidates' approaches to mathematical modeling on a social justice issue from different countries. This article employs an in-depth, small-scale comparative study to examine the approaches of U.S. and Korean teacher candidates in solving a justice-oriented mathematics task. Our findings reveal that, although both U.S. and Korean teacher candidates identified certain variables as key when constructing a mathematical model, Korean teacher candidates formulated a more nuanced model than U.S. candidates by considering diverse variables. However, U.S. teacher candidates exhibited a heightened engagement in linking the task to social justice issues, whereas Korean teacher candidates barely perceived real-world problems in relation to social justice concerns. This study serves as a valuable tool to inform the roles and limitations of teacher education programs, shaped within specific educational contexts.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.401-416
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• 2023

This study systematically examined the influence of preservice teachers' self-efficacy and AI anxiety, on the intention to use AI programs 'knock-knock! mathematics expedition' in mathematics lessons based on a technology acceptance model. The research model was established with variables including self-efficacy, AI anxiety, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention of use from 254 pre-service teachers. The structural relationships and direct and indirect effects between these variables were examined through structural equation modeling. The results indicated that self-efficacy significantly affected perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intention to use. In contrast, AI anxiety did not significantly influence perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use significantly affected perceived usefulness and intention to use and perceived usefulness significantly affected intention to use. The findings offer insights and strategies for encouraging the use of 'knock-knock! mathematics expedition' by preservice teachers in mathematics lessons.

• School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-41
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• 2017

The purpose of this article was to a) identify how preservice teachers conceive feedbacks and subsequent classroom discourses, and b) compare them with those in reform-oriented mathematics classroom video for mathematics teachers' professional development about classroom discourse. This article analyzes feedback patterns and subsequent classroom discourses in preservice teachers' imaginary classroom scripts (lesson plays) and compares them with those in the reform-oriented classroom video dealing with the same teaching situation. Most of the preservice teachers' feedbacks focused the evaluation of students' responses and transmission of meaning (univocal function), whereas the teacher's feedback in the reform-oriented classroom allowed the whole class to validate or challenge the answers, thereby facilitating students' generation of meaning (dialogic function). The comparison analysis between the univocal discourse in a preservice teacher's lesson play and the dialogical discourse in the reform-oriented classroom video shows that teacher feedback serves as an important indicator for the main function of classroom discourse and the levels of students' cognitive participation, and also as a variable that determines and changes them. This case study suggests that to improve the quality of classroom discourse, preservice and in-service teachers need experience of perceiving the variety of feedback patterns available in specific teaching contexts and exploring ways to balance the univocal and dialogical functioning in their feedback move during the teacher training courses.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.89-102
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to diagnose the problems of mathematics education in Korea by conducting an in-depth analysis of international comparative studies, a Delphi method, and a survey. Further analysis of TIMSS and PISA results also reveals several negative aspects of mathematics education practice in Korea. The mathematics education experts' opinions collected by Delphi method were classified into 12 categories: private education and test-driven education, curriculum and textbooks, lessons, evaluation, teacher, learner, teaching aid and facilities. affective aspects of mathematics, discrepancy between a theory and a practice, preservice/inservice teacher education and teacher employment test, education policy, and overall. Another survey was conducted to focus more on the development of curriculum which is a pending issue. Considering the fact that mathematics education should contribute to improve practical aspect as well as elaborate theoretical aspect, this study lays a foundation of improvement of mathematics education in Korea.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.101-123
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• 2022

Recently, as the educational paradigm shifts from teacher-centered to learner-centered, the active construction of knowledge of learners is becoming more important. Accordingly, classes using mathematical modeling are receiving attention. However, existing research is focused on teachers or middle and high school students, so it is difficult to apply the contents and results of the research to preservice teachers. Therefore, in this study, the experience of mathematical modeling was examined for elementary school preservice teachers. And we looked at how positive experiences of mathematical modeling change their perceptions. As a result of the study, elementary school preservice teachers had very little experience in mathematical modeling during their school days. In addition, it was found that the perceptions changed more positively than when a theoretical class on mathematical modeling was conducted, rather than when the experience of mathematical modeling was actually shared. Based on the results of this study, implications were suggested in the course of training preservice teachers.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.75-87
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• 2014

It is central to use a scale to measure a person's level of a construct in mathematics education research. This article explains a practical process through which a researcher rapidly can develop an instrument to measure the construct. The process includes research questioning, reviewing the literature, framing a background theory, treating the data, and reviewing the instrument. The statistical treatment of data includes normality analysis, item-total correlation analysis, reliability analysis, and factor analysis. A virtual example is given for better understanding of the process.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2002

Teachers' teaching behavior is directly influenced by teachers' belief, and students' belief system is directly influenced by teachers' teaching behavior. There has been a question whether curriculum of teacher training university could help preservice teachers form positive belief system. The purpose of this study was to address this issue empirically. First, a questionnaire about mathematical belief was given to freshmen preservice teachers. They generally showed positive belief about mathematics to the degree that is not satisfactory and responded most positively in the sub-area of teaching mathematics from three sub-areas of mathematics itself, studying mathematics, and teaching mathematics. After studying a mathematical philosophy course, the freshmen preservice teachers were given the same questionnaire that they responded before studying the course. Belief about mathematics itself was changed very positively, and increase in the sub-area of mathematics itself was the largest. These results show that the mathematical philosophy course helped preservice teachers form positive belief system in mathematics.