A practice of activity-based for improving mathematical literacy and awareness of pre-service elementary school teachers'

The aim of the research has two purposes. First of all, planning and implementation of teaching activities aimed at improving mathematics literacy of pre-service elementary school teachers. In addition, it is the evaluation of the reflective views of the pre-service elementary school teachers about the development of mathematics activity towards mathematics literacy. The research model was determined as an embedded design among mixed method research designs. The study was carried out with 73 pre-service teachers studying in the third grade of a public university elementary school teachers program. "Mathematical Literacy Achievement Test", "Mathematical Literacy Awareness Test", "Reflective Opinion Determination Form", "Planned Teaching Activities for Developing Mathematical Literacy" were used as data collection tools in the research. In the first stage of the practice process, "Mathematical Literacy Achievement Preliminary Test" and "Mathematical Literacy Awareness Preliminary Test" were applied in order to determine the mathematics literacy achievements and awareness of pre-service elementary school teachers. Then, pre-service elementary school teachers were applied teaching activities to improve mathematics literacy for eight weeks. Beginning from the fourth week of the practice process, pre-service elementary school teachers designed mathematics literacy activities every week. At the same time, reflective thinking opinions of pre-service teachers about mathematics literacy activities were taken every week after the activity. After the completion of the practice process, mathematics literacy achievement test and mathematics literacy awareness test were applied as a post test to pre-service teachers. The mean and standard deviation values of the pre-test and post-test results were calculated to determine the effect of teaching on the achievement and awareness of mathematics literacy of pre-service elementary school teachers. In addition, dependent groups' t test was used to determine whether the pre and post test scores of the achievement test of each group were significant. The descriptive analysis method was used in the analysis of the reflective views of the pre-service teachers about their experiences in designing a mathematics activity. According to the findings of the research, it was determined that the instructional activities designed to improve mathematics literacy improved the mathematics literacy levels and awareness of pre-service elementary school teachers. It was determined that cooperative learning, problem solving towards mathematics literacy and the activity of pre-service elementary school teachers to form mathematics literacy, which form the basis of the designed teaching activity, had a positive effect on the mathematics literacy achievements and awareness of the pre-service teachers. The reflective views of the pre-service elementary school teachers regarding the development of mathematics activity towards mathematics literacy were discussed under three themes: Pre-active reflections, active process and post-active reflections (self-evaluation) according to the reflective thinking model of Artz and Armor Thomas (1999). The pre-service teachers stated that they determined the purpose of the activity based on the gains in the primary school mathematics curriculum in the context of mathematics literacy before the activity. During the active process, it was determined that pre-service teachers designed activities with a contemporary and student-centered approach. In terms of post-active reflections, pre-service teachers stated that they had difficulties in the first weeks of the design process. They explained this situation with lack of experience. However, as they gained experience in the process, they stated that they became competent in preparing materials, designing activities, creating activity plans and teaching mathematics. Another remarkable result of the pre-service teachers' opinions is that they have difficulty in finding problems related to mathematics literacy. They emphasized that mathematics literacy problems are not included in the textbooks and activity books, but only in national reports published by the Ministry of National Education.