Primary preservice teachers' understandings of volume: The impact of course and practicum experiences

Mathematics teacher education programs are designed with an intention, explicit or implicit, to produce graduates who are competent in both pedagogic knowledge and discipline knowledge. This paper explores students' experiences in coming to learn mathematics and mathematics education. Using an example from a quiz question, supplemented with follow-up interviews with students, the paper raises questions as to the effectiveness of programs that adopt traditional approaches to the teaching of mathematics. It is shown how a functionalist perspective was adopted by many of the preservice teachers, which engendered a reproductive approach to teaching. The data raised concerns about preservice teachers' knowledge of volume, their pedagogic knowledge, and the role of the practicmn on their learning.