Attitudes toward mathematics and knowledge of mathematical concepts of preservice elementary, early childhood, and special education teachers

The advent of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Professional Teaching Standard requires that teachers of mathematics be competent, value mathematics, and stress the importance of solving real-world problems in teaching mathematics to successfully prepare students for the technological world of the twenty-first century. Studies (Dutton, 1951, 1964; Smith, 1964; Kelly & Tomhave, 1980; Becker, 1982) have shown that teachers of elementary mathematics tend to suffer math anxiety and are weak in math content skills. Because of this tendency, the preparation of preservice elementary teachers needs to address the level of math anxiety and the achievement of appropriate content knowledge and work toward developing a more positive attitude in mathematics and increase the achievement in mathematics content. This paper addresses the attitudes toward mathematics and achievement in math content knowledge of preservice elementary, early childhood, and special education teachers and the changes through standards espoused methods in preservice mathematics content courses are used. Students enrolled in required mathematics courses for elementary education were given an attitude instrument in fall 1997 at the beginning and end of the semester to determine their self-efficacy in mathematics, their feelings about problem solving, and how they value mathematics. Fifteen students were interviewed to determined their attitudes toward mathematics and when these attitudes were developed. An achievement test based on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) Population Two items was administered in spring 1998. Results of the attitude test show that students tend to improve their attitudes toward mathematics when taught by instructors who model appropriate strategies. Results of the achievement test indicate that students are weak in mathematical content.