Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to explore pre-service primary mathematics teachers’ understanding of fundamental definitions used in Calculus course. Formal definitions in function, sequence, limit, continuity and derivative topics were taken into consideration as the fundamental definitions of Calculus course. It was examined how pre-service teachers understand these definitions. The study was carried out in a state university located in Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey and spring term of 2013-2014 academic year, with eight pre-service mathematics teachers who were junior at the department of primary mathematics education. The pilot study of the research was conducted with 10 pre-service primary mathematics teachers who were senior in the fall semester at the same university. The criterion sampling which is one of the purposeful sampling method was taken into consideration in selection of the research group. The criterion chosen by the research group is that the pre-service teachers have taken and successfully completed the Calculus courses in teaching mentioned subjects. Two successive groups, one with the average achievement and the other with the success, were separated by taking into account the achievements from related courses and their cumulative grade point average. The data of the study adopted qualitative research approach was obtained with semi-structured clinical interviews. The study's data was gathered in four weeks by interviewing with participants four times. During the interviews, the formal definitions of concepts were presented to the students at first, and then they were questioned about what they understood from the definitions in detail. As a result of the study, it was determined that the students understood the definitions in four different ways named as conceptual, erroneous, symbolic understanding and conceptual complexity. In this sense, it was emerged that some students had difficulty in conceptually understanding of formal definitions and confused concepts with each other.

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