
Determinants of preservice teachers' attitudes toward problem-solving in mathematics education
Aishatu Malaika Arendse , Centre for Research, Innovation and Development (CRID), University of GhanaAbstract
The attitudes of preservice teachers toward problem-solving in mathematics education play a significant role in shaping how they approach teaching and facilitate student learning in the future. This study explores the factors that influence preservice teachers' attitudes towards problem-solving, particularly focusing on their mathematical background, pedagogical training, teaching experience, and personal beliefs about mathematics. The research involved a mixed-methods approach, utilizing surveys and semi-structured interviews to gather data from preservice teachers at a teacher education institution. The findings reveal that preservice teachers' attitudes are strongly influenced by their mathematical experiences, their exposure to problem-solving strategies during teacher preparation programs, and their personal beliefs regarding the importance of mathematics. Additionally, challenges such as anxiety about mathematics and lack of problem-solving skills were identified as barriers to developing positive attitudes. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing these factors within teacher education programs to improve preservice teachers’ readiness to incorporate problem-solving in their future classrooms.
Keywords
Preservice teachers, problem-solving, mathematics education
References
Adu-Yaboah, C., Kwaah, C. Y., Abreh, M. K., & Amuah, E. (2016). Preparing student teachers for teaching: An exploration of field experience in three colleges of education in Ghana. Journal of Educational Development and Practice (JED-P), 7(2), 1-27.
Adu-Yeboah, C., Kwaah, C., Abreh, M., & Amuah, E. (2014). An investigation of the practical component of the Initial Teacher Education Programme. Cape Coast: University of Cape Coast Publication.
Aktas, M. C., & Tabak, S. (2018). Turkish adaptation of Math and Me Survey: A validity and reliability study. European Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 707-714. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.7.3.707
Akyeampong, K. (2017). Teacher Educators’ Practice and Vision of Good Teaching in Teacher Education Reform Context in Ghana. Educational Researcher, 46(4), 194-203. doi:10.3102/0013189X17711907
Anggraeni, D. M., Prahani, B. K., Suprapto, N., Shofiyah, N., & Jatmiko, B. (2023). Systematic review of problem based learning research in fostering critical thinking skills. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101334
Burton, D. M. (2011). The history of mathematics: An introduction (Vol. 7). McGraw-Hill.
Csanadi, A., Kollar, I., & Fischer, F. (2021). Pre-service teachers’ evidence-based reasoning during pedagogical problem-solving: better together? A Journal of Education and Development, 36, 147–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-020-00467-4
Daniela, O., Lupiáñez, J. L., & Segovia, I. (2021). Roles and characteristics of problem solving in the mathematics curriculum: a review. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 52(7). https://doi.org/1079-1096. 10.1080/0020739X.2020.1738579
Hair, J. F. (2009). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson.Hourigan, M., & Leavy, A. M. (2023). Elementary teachers experience of engaging with Teaching Through Problem Solving using Lesson Study. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 901-927. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-022-00418
Posamentier, A. S., Kose, G., Virgadamo, D. S., & Keefe-Cooperman, K. (2019). The psychology of problem solving: The background to successful mathematics thinking (Vol. 12). World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/11426
Santos-Trigo, M. (2020). Problem-Solving in Mathematics Education. In S. Lerman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education (pp. 686-693). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15789-0_129
Sinaga, B., Sitorus, J., & Situmeang, T. (2023). The influence of students’ problem-solving understanding and results of students’ mathematics learning. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1088556. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1088556
Article Statistics
Downloads
Copyright License
Copyright (c) 2025 Aishatu Malaika Arendse

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright of their manuscripts, and all Open Access articles are disseminated under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC-BY), which licenses unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided that the original work is appropriately cited. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, and so forth in this publication, even if not specifically identified, does not imply that these names are not protected by the relevant laws and regulations.