An investigation of the geometric thinking levels of middle school mathematics preservice teachers according to solo taxonomy: "Social distance problems"

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the geometric thinking levels of middle school mathematics preservice teachers regarding the problem situations regarding the concept of social distance according to the SOLO taxonomy. The research was conducted using the special case method, one of the qualitative research methods. The working group, studying at a state university in Turkey in middle school mathematics teaching department consists of 80 preservice teachers. While determining the participants, purposeful sampling method was used because the preservice teachers who took "Basics of Mathematics II" and "Special Teaching Methods II" courses were selected. In the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 preservice teachers since it was aimed to examine remarkable situations from the answers given to open-ended questions. Descriptive analysis technique was used while analyzing the data. Most of the answers given in the study were found to be below the relational geometric thinking level. As a result, it was determined that most of the answers given reflected quantitative learning. In line with this result obtained in the study, it is suggested that open-ended questions about life should be included frequently in teaching in order to reach the relational and extended abstract level answers that reflect qualitative learning.