Investigation of the tendencies of graduate theses prepared in the field of mathematics education on the concept of proof in Turkey: A research synthesis study

This study is a research synthesis study conducted to determine the tendencies of postgraduate theses related to the concept of proof in mathematics education. The study covers the theses made between 2010 and 2022. For the study, the keywords "ispat, kanit, and proof" were searched from the National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education. After this screening, seventy-six theses were included in the research. The study was carried out with the research synthesis method, one of the qualitative research methods, and document analysis was used as a data collection method. The data collection tool used to classify the theses was created by the researcher by scanning the literature. The sub-problems of the research were used in the data collection tool. In the data collection tool, the information of "year, type, language, university, purpose, sample type, sample size, research method, data collection tool and result" of the theses were included. The data obtained from the classified theses were tabulated and presented by giving frequency and percentage values. In the distribution by years, it was seen that most theses were published in 2017 and 2019. The theses examined mostly preferred the pre-service teachers as the sample group. The least used sample group is document analysis. The observed theses often prefer small sample groups (sample groups of 0-40 people). They examined mostly used the case study model, one of the qualitative methods. They used the interview technique the most as a data collection tool. When we look at the results obtained from the theses examined, we saw that the participants have difficulties in proving most of the theses. Limitations in the process of proof, lack of conceptual knowledge about proof, not being aware of the importance of the concept of proof, and not using mathematical language well are examples of difficulties encountered. Another frequently expressed result is that learning environments and teaching practices have a positive effect on the proof-making process..