Misconception, cognitive conflict and conceptual changes in geometry: a case study with pre-service teachers

This is a qualitative study which the participants were seven students from an Elementary Mathematics Teaching department of a Turkish University. This study primarily aimed that creating a cognitive conflict, observing their feedbacks during this period and determining how this cognitive conflict being solved. The secondary aim is recording and researching the participants’ ability and behavior of using dynamic mathematics software as a cognitive tool. These participants were asked to construct a hexagon whose every sides are 5units by using GeoGebra the dynamic mathematics software and record the whole process by Wink the screen capturing software. 15 constructions were recorded in total by 7 students. The records were uploaded to a Wiki space. The screen records were examined by the method of video analysis. Besides, the confirmation of this analysis was also done via clinical interviews. At the end of the research, it is found that students have the misconception of wrong classification of equilateral and regular polygons like in some literature knowledge. At the same time, it is observed that students misrepresented the irrational length coming from the behavior of trying to use dynamic mathematics software with an easier way. Interviewing processes clearly asserted that this type of experience helps preservice teachers to evolve their mathematical understanding and reflected on the reasons had led them to the misconception they had developed in the past.