Mathematics Education of Pre-Service Teachers: As Reflected in Methods Course Syllabus

Abstract

This study seeks to contribute a better understanding of what future pre-service teachers of mathematics learn in their mathematics methodology courses at the universities. Course syllabi from six countries were analyzed using the Mathematics Teacher Educator (MTEd) Instrument to examine the “ideal” curriculum trends in mathematics education courses of pre-service teachers. The MTEd identifies 11 research areas and these were our guiding theoretical and analytical frameworks. Each of the syllabi contained in the final syllabus data set (n = 31) were coded using the MTEd Instrument. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between category levels and overall levels assigned to each syllabus in elementary-only and secondary-only syllabi. Mann-Whitney U test was conducted between the elementary and secondary data sets. Findings from the study indicated that research related to the mathematics education of pre-service teachers was moderately represented in the course syllabi analyzed. Technology and assessment were the only two categories that were correlated to overall score. Recommendations for mathematics teacher education courses are offered.