Abstract:

The aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of prospective middle school mathematics teachers about the concept of algebra with the help of metaphors. The phenomenology approach was used as the research model. The study group was determined according to a criterion sampling. In this context, the study group consists of 134 prospective teachers studying in the junior and senior levels in the primary mathematics education program in the 2021-2022 spring term. A form consisting of three parts was used as a data collection tool. A process consisting of four stages (naming, elimination, category, and validity-reliability) was followed in the analysis and interpretation of the metaphors. According to the results, it was revealed that candidates produced 110 valid and 82 different metaphors about the concept of algebra. The most frequently used metaphors were life, sea, puzzle, and game. The reasons given by the candidates were analyzed, and it was seen that the metaphors they developed were gathered in nine different categories. These categories are difficult and complex, systematic/ruled, the basis/language of mathematics, infinite/broad, effortful, abstract, fun, positive/negative, and other. It was concluded that the prospective teachers' perceptions regarding algebra were related to the category of difficult and complex, and they had a negative perspective towards algebra. As a result, in this study, it was found that prospective mathematics teachers had a rich metaphorical perceptions towards the concept of algebra, and as a result of the analysis of the metaphors, they mostly had a negative perceptions towards concept of algebra.

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