Problems Posed by Prospective Elementary Mathematics Teachers in the Concept of Functions: An Analysis Based on SOLO Taxonomy

The aim of this study is to carry out an analysis according to SOLO-taxonomy about problem
posing knowledge of prospective elementary mathematics teachers on mathematical functions. The
methodology adopted in the current study was a case study. The participants of the study consisted of 67
prospective elementary mathematics teachers. According to the findings of the study, the knowledge of
the prospective elementary mathematics teachers on functions in mathematics is open to development
through proper teaching methods. Moreover, the majority of their knowledge levels have been grouped as
pre-structural level, multi-structural level and relational level while only a few of their knowledge levels
were at extended abstract level. Based on the results, it might be beneficiary to train prospective
mathematics teachers who can creatively use problem posing activities in their classrooms and who will
become a model for their students with their problem-posing performances to overcome their conceptual
deficiencies concerned with functions.
Keywords: Mathematical knowledge, problem posing, prospective mathematics teachers, SOLO
taxonomy