Epistemological Obstacles of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers in Understanding Fraction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46328/ijses.6624Keywords:
Conceptual Understanding, Fractions, Epistemological Obstacles, Pre-Service TeachersAbstract
This study aims to identify the epistemological obstacles encountered by pre-service elementary school teachers in understanding the concept of fractions. The study employs a qualitative approach with a phenomenological design to explore students' subjective experiences. The subjects were 73 pre-service elementary teachers who had completed a Basic Mathematics course. Data were collected through a learning obstacle test and semi-structured interviews. The data analysis involved reduction, categorization, and descriptive analysis to identify patterns of epistemological obstacles. The findings revealed that students have a limited understanding of fractions as numbers, visual representations, and fraction operations. Epistemological obstacles include difficulties in understanding fractions as parts of a whole, sets, or points on a number line, as well as common errors in fraction operations such as addition and multiplication. This lack of conceptual understanding is attributed to procedural-focused learning without reinforcing the conceptual meaning. In conclusion, epistemological obstacles in fraction understanding among pre-service elementary teachers highlight the need for more adaptive and concept-based pedagogical approaches. This study recommends the development of more effective curricula and teaching strategies to better prepare future teachers to address the challenges of teaching fractions.
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