An investigation into logical thinking skills and proof writing levels of prospective mathematics teachers

Abstract

The cognitive development of prospective teacher needs to be taken into estimate so that proofs are presented in forms that are potentially meaningful for them. This requires educators and mathematicians to rethink consider the use of types of proof related to the logical thinking improvement of the singular. The purpose of the study is to identify the proof writing levels of prospective teachers and to reveal the difference between varying proof writing levels and logical thinking skills. In this study mixed research design was used and the sample was selected through criterion sampling. “The Proof-Writing Scale” and “The Test of Logical Thinking” were used as data tools. The proofs written by the prospective teachers for the theorems included in the Proof-Writing Scale were subjected to a descriptive analysis. The proofs were assigned in accordance with Balacheff’s taxonomy. As a result of the study, the distribution of the proofs written by the prospective mathematics teachers to the theorems was as follows: pragmatic proofs (35%), intellectual proofs (49%) and demonstration proofs (16%). There was a significant difference, in terms of their logical thinking skills, among the prospective teachers who had varying levels of proof-writing.