Examination of pre-service teachers' problem solving processes

This research is performed in order to examine the problem solving processes of teacher candidates. Case study model that one of the qualitative research approaches is used for the working group which consist of 19 preschool teacher candidates, 20 elementary school teacher candidates and 20 secondary school mathematics teacher candidates in the 2018-2019 spring term in the Faculty of Education in a city of Eastern Anatolia. The data is obtained through 'Problem Solving Process Forms' (PSPF) developed by researcher. Descriptive analysis method was used in the research and the data obtained through structured problem solving process forms were evaluated by means of evaluation criteria prepared by the researcher and an expert. In the step of understanding the problem, which is the first step of the Polya's problem solving method, the elementary teacher candidates; in the step of solving the problem, preschool and elementary school teacher candidates; lastly, in the step of evaluating the solution, preschool, elementary school and secondary school mathematics teacher candidates have been found to have difficulty. In accordance with the research results, it is recommended to add a course including problem solving and teaching of problem solving content in the undergraduate program.