Investigation of the level of prospective teachers' learned helplessness in mathematics in relation of various variables

Abstract

One of the lessons in where learned helplessness is most observed is maths. Learned helplessness behavior towards maths can affect students' maths performance greatly. The first formation of students' learned helplessness behavior towards maths usually starts at primary school ages. Accordingly, classroom teachers and maths teachers have a crucial role in whether students exhibit learned helplessness behavior towards maths or not. Within the context of this study, the purpose is to investigate the maths-related learned helplessness levels of prospective teachers who are receiving education in the departments of primary mathematics teaching and classroom teaching in faculties of education with regard to different variables. The study sample comprised 305 students receiving education in the Programs of Primary Mathematics Teaching and Classroom Teaching in Hasan Ali Yucel Education Faculty at Istanbul University during the 2012-2013 academic year. In this study, students' learned helplessness levels in maths were measured through "Learned Helplessness in Mathematics Scale", which was developed by Biber and Baser (2012). Within the context of the study, significant results were obtained in relation to the prospective teachers' learned helplessness levels in maths as a result of the analyses carried out with regards to gender, program of study and grade level variables. It is believed that the obtained results will contribute greatly to the mathematics education provided in the programs of primary mathematics teaching and classroom teaching. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.