Eric.ed.gov – Secondary-Level Student Teachers’ Conceptions of Mathematical Proof

Recent reforms in mathematics education have led to an increased emphasis on proof and reasoning in mathematics curricula. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics highlights the important role that teachers’ knowledge and beliefs play in shaping students’ understanding of mathematics, their confidence in and outlook on mathematics education, and their ability to use math to solve fundamental problems. It is crucial that teachers, especially the uninitiated, understand on a deep level the mathematical concepts that they are expected to teach to adolescents. Thus, it becomes critical for teacher educators to assess the understanding and abilities of student teachers in constructing mathematical proof. The analysis in this study is based on three factors: 1) meaning of proof, 2) ideas about teaching methods on proof, and 3) ideas about the use-fullness of proof in a mathematics classroom. An analysis of the data collected from this study indicates that current student teachers’ conceptions of mathematical proof are limited. The uneasiness expressed by student teachers about mathematical proof may suggest an examination of students’ experiences with the mathematical proof in both secondary and post secondary classrooms. (Contains 2 tables.)