Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to investigate first year university students' views on mathematics learning and teaching of cram school. For this purpose, we tried to define, according to students, cram schools, characters of a good cram school teacher, mathematics teaching and learning in cram school and desired and undesired sides of cram schools students gone to. The study was conducted with 46 student teachers from Secondary Mathematics Education department of a state university in Istanbul. Data were obtained with the means of a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions and analyzed and interpreted by using qualitative analysis methods. The results revealed that there are many reasons that obligate students to go to cram schools and the most interesting one of them is the effect of the social environment. Moreover mathematics of cram schools is qualified by the students as mathematics that does not give place to inquiry, is based on solving the questions and consists of teaching and learning of short and practical solutions methods. Key words: Cram schools, university students, mathematics teaching, university entrance examination

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