A commognitive analysis of pre-service mathematics teachers’ definitions and classification of quadrilaterals

Abstract

Definition of geometric concepts forms a critical part of teachers’ content knowledge for the teaching of geometry. The purpose of the study reported on here was to analyse pre-service mathematics teachers’ geometric thinking with regards to definitions and classification of quadrilaterals. Data were generated from 8 pre-service teachers based on their performance in a test administered to those who voluntarily accepted to take part in the study. The 8 participants were divided into 2 groups of 4 each – 4 in Group A who performed well in the test, and 4 in Group B whose performance was not so good. The results show that even though the pre-service teachers (PSTs) had difficulties with definitions, those in Group A demonstrated moderate thinking on the use of literate words in definitions of quadrilaterals compared to their counterparts in Group B who showed deficiencies and used colloquial words in their definitions. We also found that a few of the participants in Group A showed an explorative way of thinking in the classification of quadrilaterals. Thus, generally, the PSTs’ geometric thinking on inclusion relations of quadrilaterals was more ritualised in nature.