Correlation Between Thinking Styles and Teaching Styles of Prospective Mathematics Teachers

Abstract

Increasing the quality of education is based on changes thinking and teaching styles. Considering variance of
thinking styles and teaching styles person to person, identifying thinking styles and teaching styles of prospective
mathematics teachers is very important. So, the aim of this study is to determine the correlation between thinking and
teaching styles of prospective mathematics teachers and to examine thinking styles and teaching styles of the
prospective mathematics teachers by considering some demographic characteristics. The sample of the research
consisted of 80 prospective mathematics teachers who studied at the Mathematics Education Department of Ahmet
Keleşoğlu Education Faculty at Necmettin Erbakan University. Relational screening model was used in analysis of
the data. “Thinking Styles Scale” which was developed by Sternberg and Wagner (1992) and adapted to Turkish by
Buluş (2006) and “Teaching Style Inventory” developed by Grasha (1994) and adapted to Turkish by Uredi (2006)
were used as data collection tool in the research. According to the conclusion of the research, a positive moderate
correlation was found between thinking styles and teaching styles of prospective mathematics teachers.