ATTITUDES TOWARD AND BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS OF PROSPECTIVE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS AND THE FACTORS INFLUENCING ATTITUDES AND BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes toward mathematics of prospective elementary teachers and their basic understanding of mathematics.;An Analysis of Variance statistical design was used to determine the significance of difference between the prospective teachers' attitudes toward mathematics, their basic understanding of mathematics and the following factors: high school graduation class size, college class level, high school and college mathematics background. The significant differences between sex and attitudes toward mathematics was determined by a t-test, as were the differences between the two schools' prospective teachers with respect to attitude and basic understanding of mathematics. The Pearson Correlation coefficient was employed to determine the relationship of attitudes toward mathematics and basic understanding of mathematics.;Within the limitations of the study the following major conclusions were drawn: (1) Prospective teachers have relatively positive attitudes toward mathematics. (2) There is a significant relationship between attitudes toward mathematics and basic understanding of mathematics of prospective teachers. (3) There were no significant differences between prospective teachers at Oregon State University and Western Oregon State College with respect to attitudes toward mathematics and basic understanding of mathematics. (4) There was a significant difference in attitudes toward mathematics and high school and college mathematics background and sex of prospective teachers. (5) There were no significant differences in attitudes toward mathematics and students from various ages of high school graduation classes and college class levels. (6) There was a significant difference in basic understanding of mathematics and prospective teachers' high school mathematics background and their college class level. (7) There was no significant difference in basic understanding of mathematics and students from various sizes of high school graduation classes, college class levels and sex of the prospective teachers.;Two hundred fourteen subjects, representing prospective teachers from Oregon State University and Western Oregon State College participated in this study. The responses of this total population to the 20 items on the Revised Mathematics Attitude Scale, 74 items on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and demographic information supplied by the participants provided the data for this study.