Abstract:

Length is the first measurement subject that students encounter and face challenges in order to understand. One of the different understanding observed among the students with respect to length measurement subject is that they prefer counting the points and the lines on the ruler instead of counting the units. Teacher should have awareness regarding these misconceptions and similar ones in order to help students grasp the length measurement conceptually. Within this scope, this study investigated to what extent the pre-service primary teacher, who are the important future teachers, are able to determine the different understanding of the students. Data were collected through the questionnaires administered to the 85 pre-service primary teachers and interviews were performed with 4 pre-service primary teachers later on. At the end of the analysis of the data obtained, the answers given by the pre-service teachers were collected within three categories. 59% of the teacher candidates were placed in the category which included the candidates who were not aware of the different understanding, 20% of them were placed in the category which included the candidates who were aware of the different understanding but who did not express it in the right way and 21% of them were placed in the category which included the candidates who were aware of the different understanding and expressed it in the right way

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