Teachers' teaching behavior is directly influenced by teachers' belief, and students' belief system is directly influenced by teachers' teaching behavior. There has been a question whether curriculum of teacher training university could help preservic...
Teachers' teaching behavior is directly influenced by teachers' belief, and students' belief system is directly influenced by teachers' teaching behavior. There has been a question whether curriculum of teacher training university could help preservice teachers form positive belief system. The purpose of this study was to address this issue empirically. First, a questionnaire about mathematical belief was given to freshmen preservice teachers. They generally showed positive belief about mathematics to the degree that is not satisfactory and responded most positively in the sub-area of teaching mathematics from three sub-areas of mathematics itself, studying mathematics, and teaching mathematics. After studying a mathematical philosophy course, the freshmen preservice teachers were given the same questionnaire that they responded before studying the course. Belief about mathematics itself was changed very positively, and increase in the sub-area of mathematics itself was the largest. These results show that the mathematical philosophy course helped preservice teachers form positive belief system in mathematics.