Mathematical beliefs and beliefs about mathematical connections of pre-service Mexican teachers

Abstract

The aim of this research is to identify the mathematical beliefs and beliefs about mathematical connections professed by a group of pre-service Mexican teachers. Among other reasons, because it is a first step to design professional development courses that promote changes in the beliefs. The research is qualitative and it adopts a conceptual framework. An open-ended questionnaire using a Google form was used to collect data that was analyzed through thematic analysis. Twelve pre-service Mexican teachers (eight men and four women) from the eighth semester of a degree in mathematics from an Autonomous University located in southern Mexico participated. The results indicate a variety of mathematical beliefs and beliefs about mathematical connections that profess the pre-service teachers. Furthermore, these beliefs form a system which allowed us to identify the relationship between them.

Mathematical beliefs; Beliefs about mathematical connections; Pre-service Mexican teachers