Pre-service teachers’ knowledge when they interpret primary school students’ answers to quotitive division problems

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate pre-service teachers (PST) specialized content knowledge related to quotitive division problems. PST answered two questionnaires where they had to solve two quotitive division problems and interpret primary school students’ answers to these problems. A high percentage of pre-service teachers solved the two problems successfully, but few of them were able to interpret pupils’ answers where they used a correct alternative method to the division procedure. Results give information to teacher trainers about initial references of pre-service teachers’ knowledge related to quotitive division problems and about the use of this knowledge in one of the professional tasks: interpreting pupils’ answers.