Reflections from the Experiences of Elementary Mathematics Teaching Undergraduate Students within the scope of Mathematicians Who Left a Mark on History Project: A Project of CSP Course

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the experiences of the second year undergraduate students of Elementary Mathematics Teaching (EMT) within the scope of the Mathematicians Who Left a Mark in History (MWLMH) Project carried out within the scope of the Community Service Practices (THU) course. The case study method, one of the qualitative research designs, was used in the study. The participants of the research consist of 14 undergraduate students studying in the second year of the EMT program of a state university in the Western Black Sea region in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. The data of the research were obtained from the reflective diaries that the students kept regularly every week from the beginning to the end of the project process, and from the focus group interviews held with the students after the process was over. The obtained data were subjected to content analysis. As a result of the research; it has been determined that the MWLMH project contributes to PEMT undergraduate students in different aspects such as gaining teaching experience, experiencing designing materials and how to integrate MH into lessons and strengthening their communication skills. In addition, EMT undergraduate students were determined mostly pre-service teacher-related challenges as designing materials, also administrator-related challenges as being unwilling/indifferent. Lastly, EMT students emphasized that the activities/materials they developed were useful, interesting and entertaining for students and contributed to their awareness towards MH. Based on the results of the research, various recommendations were provided.