A Survey On The Mathematics Teaching Knowledge Of Pre-service Teachers

This study is designed to carry out surveys about the mathematics teaching knowledge of the pre-service teachers. The study has two main subjects: (1)the state of pre-service teachers'teaching knowledge of mathematics; (2) the existence of all kinds of sources in the attainment of the pre-service teachers'mathematics teaching knowledge, as well as the effects of the different sources on their mathematics teaching knowledge. The intention is to arouse the teachers'reflection on their own knowledge, and provide some references to the normal students of higher normal institutions.This paper established a conceptual framework for the study. Pre-service teachers'mathematics teaching knowledge is defined as the pre-service teachers of mathematics instruction on how to know things, which consists of four parts: the knowledge about mathematics curriculum,the knowledge about mathematics teaching,the knowledge about mathematics learning and pedagogical knowledge in psychology. In the study, pre-service teachers'sources of mathematics teaching knowledge have been identified as: the primary and secondary students'experience, the general educational curriculum, the mathematics education courses, educational practice, tutoring and shifting experience and extra-curricular learning.The paper aims at the pre-service teachers of the Mathematics Department, Northeast Normal University. The investigation is carried out according to the self-edited questionnaires. The result shows that the average level of the pre-service teachers'mastery of the mathematics teaching knowledge is not very well. The mastery of Mathematics Teaching Knowledge is best, superior to the mastery of Mathematics Curriculum ,Mathematics Learning and the Educational Psychology Knowledge. Gender has significant effect on the teaching knowledge of mathematics and girls'mastery of mathematics teaching knowledge is better than boys'; academic career and tutoring experience have no effect on the teaching knowledge of mathematics; the various sources exist in the dimensions of the mathematics teaching knowledge; the sources'relative importance towards pre-service teachers'attaiment of mathematics teaching knowledge:"Mathematics Education Courses"are the most important sources;"General Education Courses","Educational Practice"and"Extra-curricular learning"are relatively important sources;"the experience of the primary and secondary students"and"the tutoring and shifting experience"are the least important sources.