Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions of Mathematical Activities

Abstract

This study examines elementary and secondary school mathematics teachers’ perceptions of educational activities. The data were collected via questionnaires with an open-ended item. The datacollection took place in the southern part of Turkey and 252 mathematics teachers participated in thestudy. Of all, 127 were teachers at elementary level and 125 were teaching secondary level. To analyzethe data, teachers’ definitions are categorized and the frequency of each category is determined.Findings suggest that the participant teachers’ perceptions of educational activities vary widely andmany have a reductionist perception of this notion. Teachers at elementary level are also observed toput more emphasis on visualization and concretization while secondary school mathematics teachersrefer more to discovery and problem solving.