MATHEMATICAL ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM-POSING ABILITY ON PROBABILITY

Abstract

This research investigated the mathematical problem-posing abilities and behaviors of pre-service teachers in mathematics through Mathematical Problem-Posing Activities (MPA) on probability using the purposive sampling technique, thirty-eight sophomore pre-service teachers in the second semester of the 2017 academic year in the Department of Mathematics in the Faculty of Science at Srinakharinwirot University were involved in the study and four of the subjects were chosen as targets for collecting their mathematical problem-posing behaviors. The MPA lasted for twelve fifty-minute periods and an examination after the MPA took two hours. The research instruments included mathematical problem-posing activity lesson plans, the test on mathematical problem-posing ability on probability, an observation form for mathematical problem-posing behaviors, and an interview form for mathematical problem-posing process. The data were statistically analyzed using a Z-test for population proportion and the targets’ behaviors were analyzed by using content analysis. The results were as follows:

1) More than sixty percent of pre-service teachers participating in MPA had the ability to pose mathematical problems on probability at a .01 level of significance; 2) mathematical pre-service teachers have three types of mathematics problem-posing behaviors. The first type of behavior is listing attributes. After participating in MPA, pre-service teachers can list all attributes. The second type of behavior is changing attributes. After participating in MPA, pre-service teachers were able to use a variety of problem-posing strategies. They spent more time to discuss about changing the problem’s attributes and used “what if …?” and “what if … not …?” to ask more frequently. The third type of behavior is questioning. After participating the problem-posing activities, pre-service teachers can pose problems more clearly. Moreover, the problems posed by pre-service teachers are more complex.