SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT INDUCTIVE REASONING AND THEIR INTERPRETATION IN TEACHING

Abstract

Inductive reasoning is an essential tool for teaching mathematics to generate knowledge, solve problems, and make generalizations. However, little research has been done on inductive reasoning as it applies to teaching mathematical concepts in secondary school. Therefore, the study explores secondary school teachers’ perceptions of inductive reasoning and interprets this mathematical reasoning type in teaching the quadratic equation. The data were collected from a questionnaire administered to 22 teachers and an interview conducted to expand their answers. Through the thematic analysis method, it was found that more than half the teachers perceived inductive reasoning as a process for moving from the particular to the general and as a way to acquire mathematical knowledge through questioning. Because teachers have little clarity about inductive phases and processes, they expressed confusion about teaching the quadratic equation inductively. Results indicate that secondary school teachers need professional learning experiences geared towards using inductive reasoning processes and tasks to form concepts and generalizations in mathematics.

Keywords

• perception
• inductive reasoning
• in-service mathematics teachers
• secondary school