Determining the Perceptions of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers towards Mathematics Education through Visual Metaphors in the Covid-19 Process

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the whole world, has led to a number of changes in education as well as in many other fields . The most important change experienced was that education transformed into online platforms. Education on online platforms has led to several effects on students, and as a result, significant changes have been observed in students’ perceptions of mathematics education. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of pre-service mathematics teachers, who started university during the Covid-19 pandemic and took courses with synchronous distance education, through visual metaphors. The phenomenology method was used in the study. The sample of the study consisted of 31 first-year mathematics teachers who had never taken a face-to-face course at a university before. In sample selection, purposive sampling method was used. A metaphorical perception form was used to collect data. The participants were asked to make a drawing for the mathematics education they received through synchronous distance education during the Covid-19 pandemic and to explain the drawing. The findings were analyzed using content analysis method. Thus, codes were identified and then categories were established by bringing similar codes together. The findings showed that metaphors were grouped under the categories of education process and emotions. It was found both in the drawings and the explanations that the participants had a negative perception of distance mathematics education during the pandemic process. In addition, it was revealed that the participants were afraid to ask questions because they had not met their friends and teachers before, and therefore the lessons were inefficient. In line with these results, suggestions were presented to improve the efficiency of distance mathematics education.