This master's thesis examines the mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge of
prospective mathematics teachers regarding the teaching of fractions in primary education.
Fractions are among the more demanding mathematical topics, as they require an
understanding of their multiple interpretations and provide an essential foundation for learning
rational numbers, decimals, percentages, ratios, and proportions.
The theoretical part presents the key aspects of teachers' knowledge of fractions based on the
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) framework, with particular emphasis on the
distinction between mathematical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Different
interpretations of fractions, common student misconceptions, and the role of various
representations and models in teaching fractions are also discussed.
The empirical study was based on a knowledge test, and the collected data were analysed using
a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. The aim of the study was to
examine the extent to which prospective mathematics teachers possess mathematical and
pedagogical content knowledge of fractions, as well as their ability to identify students'
misconceptions, explain students' misconceptions, explain students' errors, and select
appropriate instructional approaches.
The findings indicate that prospective mathematics teachers demonstrate well-developed
procedural knowledge of basic fraction operations and are generally successful in identifying
students' incorrect answers. However, greater difficultes arise in tasks requiring deeper
conceptual understanding, particularly with less intuitive interpretations of fractions, such as
fractions as ratios, and in explaining the underlying causes of students' misconceptions. Their
explanations are often focused on the correct application of procedures rather than on
developing students' conceptual understanding.
The results confirm that well-developed procedural knowledge alone is not sufficient for highquality mathematics teaching. Effective teaching of fractions requires the development of
specialized content knowledge, knowledge of content and students, and knowledge of content
and teaching. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the preparation of
prospective mathematics teachers and provide guidance for further improvements in teacher
education.
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