Abstract
This paper presents some results of an investigation on the number sense of a group of pre-service secondary teachers from Spain. The objective of this research was to analyze students’ use of strategies associated to number sense and compare them with those obtained in a previous study with pre-service primary teachers in Taiwan, (Yang, Reys & Reys, International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 7, 383–403, 2009). Pre-service secondary teachers showed lower success than pre-service primary teachers in a number sense test. Nevertheless, these last based their reasoning mainly on rules and algorithms, while pre-service secondary teachers used more strategies of number sense. In an attempt to delve into the low success shown by of Spanish pre-service secondary teachers, some students were interviewed. Those interviews showed that a deeper work on number sense in the training of these students is needed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alajmi, H. & Reys, R. (2007). Examining eighth grade Kuwaiti students’ recognition and interpretation of reasonable answers. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8, 117–139.
Almeida, R, Bruno, A. & Perdomo-Díaz, J. (2014). Estrategias de sentido numérico en estudiantes del grado en matemáticas [Strategies of Number Sense in Mathematics Degree Students]. Enseñanza de las Ciencias, 32(2), 9-34.
Alsawaie, O. N. (2011). Number sense-based strategies used by high-achieving sixth grade students who experienced reform textbooks. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10, 1071–1097.
Australian Education Council (1990). A national statement on mathematics for Australian schools. Carlton, Australia: Curriculum Corporation.
Dowker, A., Flood, A., Griffiths, H., Harris, L. & Hook, L. (1996). Estimation strategies of four groups. Mathematical Cognition, 2(2), 113–135.
Ghazali, M., Othman, A. R., Alias, R. & Saleh, F. (2010). Development of teaching models for effective teaching of number sense in the Malaysian primary schools. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 8, 344–350.
Greeno, J. G. (1991). Number sense as situated knowing in a conceptual domain. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22(3), 170–218.
Markovits, Z. & Sowder, J. (1994). Developing number sense: An intervention study in grade 7. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 25(1), 4–29.
McIntosh, A., Reys, B.J. & Reys, R.E. (1992). A proposed framework for examining basic number sense. For the learning of mathematics, 12(3), 2–8.
Mohamed, M. & Johnny, J. (2010). Investigating number sense among students. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 8, 317–324.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000). Principles and standars for school mathematics. Reston, VA: Author.
Real Decreto 1631/2006, de 29 de diciembre, por el que se establecen las enseñanzas mínimas correspondientes a la Educación Secundaria Obligatoria [establishing core curriculum for compulsory Secondary Education]. BOE nº5, España, viernes 5 de enero de 2007.
Reys, B. J. & Yang, D. C. (1998). Relationship between computational performance and number sense among sixth and eighth grade students in Taiwan. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 29(2), 225–237.
Sengul, S. & Gulbagci, H. (2012). An investigation of 5th grade Turkish students’ performance in number sense on the topic of decimal numbers. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 2289–2293.
Sowder, J. (1992). Estimation and number sense. In D. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 245–275). New York, NY: MacMillan.
Tsao, Y. (2004). Exploring the connections among number sense, mental computation performance, and the written computation performance of primary pre-service school teachers. Journal of College Teaching and Learning, 1(12), 71–90.
Veloo, P. K. (2010). The development of number sense and mental computation proficiencies: An intervention study with secondary one students in Brunei Darussalam. Dunedin, New Zealand: Doctor Ph. University of Otago.
Yang, D.C., Hsu, C.J. & Huang, M.C. (2004). A study of teaching and learning number sense for sixth grade students in Taiwan. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2, 407-430.
Yang, D. C. (2005). Number sense strategies used by 6th grade students in Taiwan. Educational Studies, 31(3), 317–333.
Yang, D. C., Reys, R. & Reys, B. J. (2009). Number sense strategies used by pre-service teachers in Taiwan. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 7, 383–403.
Acknowledgments
This research is supported by the project EDU2011-29324: Modelos de competencia formal y cognitiva en pensamineto numérico y algebraico de alumnos de Primaria, de Secundaria y de profesorado de Primaria en formación. Ministerio de Ciencias e Innovación. Madrid. Funding from FONDECYT 3140597 project and PIA-CONICYT Basal Funds for Centers of Excellence Project BF0003 are gratefully acknowledged. Chile.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Almeida, R., Bruno, A. & Perdomo-Díaz, J. Strategies of Number Sense in Pre-service Secondary Mathematics Teachers. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 14, 959–978 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-014-9601-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-014-9601-6