Pre-service teachers' point of views about learning history of mathematics: a case study in Turkey

Abstract

This study examines pre-service teachers’ points of view about learning history of mathematics during their undergraduate education. An open-ended questionnaire was administered to one hundred and twenty pre-service teachers, during the fall semester of the 2013–14 academic year. The participants indicated that learning history of mathematics could increase their content knowledge as they understand how formulas, theories and relations were developed over time. In addition, it could develop them intellectually as they learn life stories of mathematicians. Also, it could help them to hold the attention of students, and answer some of the why questions. Particularly, they reported using history of mathematics knowledge while teaching Geometry and Numbers.