Determining science teacher candidates’ comprehension level of equations

Abstract

It is commonly known that mathematics is used in many subjects in physics and chemistry courses and the relations between mathematics and variables are more easily understood. These courses also comprise a number of equations that correspond to a mathematical correlation and are also called formulas. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to determine the level of science teachers to verbally express the meaning of the equations given and comprehension of the mathematical structure of equations.

The data obtained with the help of open-ended questions were analyzed by the content analysis method, one of the qualitative research methods. According to the data obtained, code, category and themes were created.

The study was carried out with science teacher candidates studying at the Faculty of Education of Uludag University in the 2017 and 2018 academic year. When the obtained data were evaluated, it was found that majority of the teacher candidates had difficulty in expressing fully the concept of equation, and in perceiving the mathematical structure of the equations and in drawing the graphs of the equations.