Evolution Of Views About Mathematics Of Students Majoring In Mathematics In Normal University

Views of mathematics are significant parts in the system of goals of mathematical education. Teacher's views of mathematics influence on their behavior in mathematics class obviously. And students' views of mathematics have a direct influence on their attitude to mathematics and the efficiency of their mathematics learning.Researches on views of mathematics in the field of mathematical education can date back to 1970s' . Some researchers as Hersh had given some results about philosophy of mathematics. Then, in 1980s' and 1990s', researches on views of mathematics had ever become the center of the study of mathematical education. Hersh, Ernest, Thompson, Lerman and Raymond had given the effect of teachers' views of mathematics on their behavior in mathematics class; Lester, Garofalo, Carpenter, Frank and Wong Ngai-ying had investigated students' views of mathematics and their impacts on their performance in mathematics.This paper investigates the evolution of views of mathematics of students majoring in mathematics in normal university based on given literature. In brief, the central problem is how the students majoring in mathematics in normal university develop their views of mathematics.The original data are collected from 141 students which belong to 4 grades in department of mathematics, Hunan Normal University. The questionnaire, interviewing, and observation in the preservice teachers'mathematical class are applied in this research. The data from questionnaire are analyzed by using SPSS statistical software; the others are analyzed by using qualitative methods.The research unearths that students majoring in mathematics innormal university follow the Platonist view of mathematics. There aretwo important changes in this stage. One is changing from theinstrumentalist view to the Platonist view; the other is changing from the Platonist view to some varying tendency. The principally factors, which result in these changes, are exercise practicing, teachers and the content of curriculum & books. In contrast to these factors, the traditional experience space of mathematics to which the preservice teachers areexposed provides occasion for the preservice teachers' views to come to back up to some extent.The results of this research can be concluded as follows. An opportunity is offered by the stage of normal university witli fresh thought mode, intelligence challenging, and true exploring process. In this stage, we can stop the circle of elder conceptions.