Preservice Math Teachers¡¯ Thinking in Exploratory Activities Using a Hand-held Calculator

Abstract

This study set out to determine the impact of the graphing calculator on preservice math-teachers' mathematical thinking while they engaged in exploratory tasks. To understand their thinking processes, two groups of three students enrolled in the college of education program participated in the study and their performances were observed and audio-taped. The results indicated that the preservice math teachers got clues for recalling prior memory, adapting algebraic knowledge to given problems, and finding patterns related to data, in order to solve the tasks based on inductive, deductive, and creative thinking. Also, the study described relationships between the different kind of thinking and distinct contrasts between two groups in terms of the learners¡¯ behavior.