Investigating Number Sense in Teacher Education: Evidence from Indonesian Prospective Teachers' Understanding of Fractions and Decimals
Main Article Content
Keywords
Decimals, fractions, number sense, prospective teachers
Abstract
Despite its essential place, the concept of numbers is challenging for children and adults. However, few studies have examined prospective teachers' number sense, specifically regarding fractions and decimals, leaving a research gap. Thus, this study aimed to investigate prospective teachers' performance in fraction and decimal number sense through a written test and interview with prospective teachers from two universities in Indonesia. The results showed that prospective teachers’ number sense was considered poor, relying predominantly on rule-based strategies. The least successful components were benchmark and estimation skills, as well as the understanding of operations, while the strongest were the ability to recognize and manipulate numbers by size and order. This finding underscores the need to improve Indonesian teacher education programs. Curriculum modification and teaching interventions can be implemented to support prospective teachers' number sense. While context-specific, the findings may inform future research and curriculum development in similar educational settings across ASEAN.
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Ren, K., & Gunderson, E. A. (2019). Malleability of whole-number and fraction biases in decimal comparison. Developmental Psychology, 55(11), 2263–2274. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000797
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Üredi, P. (2022). Developing a number sense-based instructional design to eliminate student errors based on mathematical misconceptions. International Journal of Modern Education Studies, 6(2), 493-522. https://doi.org/10.51383/ijonmes.2022.268
Wulandari, N. P., Apsari, R. A., Tyaningsih, R. Y., Salsabila, N. H., & Hadiyanto, F. R. (2021). Number sense ability of junior high school students. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1778(1), 12024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1778/1/012024
Yang, D. C. (2019). Development of a three-tier number sense test for fifth-grade students. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 101(3), 405-424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-018-9874-8
Yang, D. C., & Jan, H. J. (2019). The study of primary school teachers' performance on number sense. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 9(5), 342-349. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2019.9.5.1224
Yapici, A., & Altay, M. K. (2017). An investigation of middle school students' number sense regarding the percent. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Derg, 17(4), 2221-2243. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/340908
Akkaş, H., & Meydan, C. H. (2024). Sampling methods in qualitative sampling in multicultural settings. In A. Elhami, A. Roshan, & H. Chandan (Eds.), Principles of conducting qualitative research in multicultural settings (pp. 32-54). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-3306-8.ch003
Ay, Y. (2017). A review of research on the misconceptions in mathematics education. In M. Shelley & M. Pehlivan (Eds.), Education Research Highlights in Mathematics, Science and Technology (pp. 21-31). ISRES Publishing. https://www.isres.org/a-review-of-research-on-the-misconceptions-in-mathematics-education-70-s.html
Barumbun, M., & Kharisma, D. (2022). Procedural knowledge or conceptual knowledge? Developing the so-called proceptual knowledge in mathematics learning. Beta: Jurnal Tadris Matematika, 15(2), 167-180. https://doi.org/10.20414/betajtm.v15i2.472
Braithwaite, D. W., & Sprague, L. (2021). Conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognition in routine and nonroutine problem solving. Cognitive Science, 45(10), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13048
Bulut, A. S., & Kuzu, O. (2023). Mathematical reasoning skills as a predictive of number sense. International Journal of Progressive Education, 19(5), 172-185. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2023.603.11
Can, D. (2020). An analysis on the number sense performances of preservice primary school teachers based on their logical thinking ability. Cumhuriyet International Journal of Education, 9(2), 367-389. https://doi.org/10.30703/cije.596775
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Er, Z., & Artut, P. D. (2021). Investigation of number sense strategies used by primary school teachers and mathematics teachers. Eğitim Kuram ve Uygulama Araştırmaları Dergisi, 7(1), 48-61. https://doi.org/10.38089/ekuad.2021.40
Fenanlampir, A., Batlolona, J. R., & Imelda, I. (2019). The struggle of Indonesian students in the context of TIMSS and PISA has not ended. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 10(2), 393-406. https://iaeme.com/Home/article_id/IJCIET_10_02_042
Hakim, L., & Yasmadi, B. (2021). Conceptual and procedural knowledge in mathematics education. Design Engineering, 9, 1271-1280. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356711989
Joung, E., & Kim, Y. R. (2022). Identifying preservice teachers' concept-based and procedure-based error patterns in multiplying and dividing decimals. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 10(3), 549-567. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.2227
Jupri, A., Usdiyana, D., & Gozali, S. M. (2024). Teaching and learning processes for pre-service mathematics teachers: The case of systems of equations. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(8), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/14858
Kusuma, U. I., & Retnawati, H. (2019). Analysis of sixth graders’ difficulties in solving mathematics word problems on whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1320, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1320/1/012008
Lai, M. Y., & Wong, J. P. (2017). Revisiting decimal misconceptions from a new perspective: The significance of whole number bias in the Chinese culture. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 47, 96-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmathb.2017.07.006
Lee, H.-J., & Boyadzhiev, I. (2020). Underprepared college students’ understanding of and misconceptions with fractions. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/7835
Lin, X., & Powell, S. R. (2021). Examining the relation between whole numbers and fractions: A meta-analytic structural equation modeling approach. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 67, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2021.102017
Lortie-Forgues, H., Tian, J., & Siegler, R. S. (2015). Why is learning fraction and decimal arithmetic so difficult? Developmental Review, 38, 201-221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2015.07.008
McIntosh, A., Reys, B. J., & Reys, R. E. (1992). A proposed framework for examining basic number sense. For the Learning of Mathematics, 12(3), 2–8. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203990247
Novitasari, W., Herwin, H., Supartinah, S., Wulandari, P., & Budiharti, B. (2024). Number sense profile of prospective elementary school teachers in blended Mathematics learning. REID (Research and Evaluation in Education), 10(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.21831/reid.v10i1.51394
Palabıyık, E., & Tertemiz, N. I. (2024). Examining number sense skills of kindergarten children. International Online Journal of Primary Education (IOJPE), 13(3), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.55020/iojpe.1510531
Ren, K., & Gunderson, E. A. (2019). Malleability of whole-number and fraction biases in decimal comparison. Developmental Psychology, 55(11), 2263–2274. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000797
Rittle-Johnson, B., & Siegler, R. S. (2022). The relation between conceptual and procedural knowledge in learning mathematics: A review. In C. Donlan (Ed.), The development of mathematical skills (pp. 75-110). Psychology Press.
Roell, M., Viarouge, A., Houdé, O., & Borst, G. (2019). Inhibition of the whole number bias in decimal number comparison: A developmental negative priming study. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 177, 240-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2018.08.010
SEAMEO. (2018). Southeast Asia Teachers Competency Framework (SEA-TCF). Teachers' Council of Thailand. https://www.seameo-innotech.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/SEA-TCF_2018.pdf
Üredi, P. (2022). Developing a number sense-based instructional design to eliminate student errors based on mathematical misconceptions. International Journal of Modern Education Studies, 6(2), 493-522. https://doi.org/10.51383/ijonmes.2022.268
Wulandari, N. P., Apsari, R. A., Tyaningsih, R. Y., Salsabila, N. H., & Hadiyanto, F. R. (2021). Number sense ability of junior high school students. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1778(1), 12024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1778/1/012024
Yang, D. C. (2019). Development of a three-tier number sense test for fifth-grade students. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 101(3), 405-424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-018-9874-8
Yang, D. C., & Jan, H. J. (2019). The study of primary school teachers' performance on number sense. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 9(5), 342-349. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2019.9.5.1224
Yapici, A., & Altay, M. K. (2017). An investigation of middle school students' number sense regarding the percent. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Derg, 17(4), 2221-2243. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/340908
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Published
Jul 30, 2025
Article Details
How to Cite
Lestiana, H., & Izzati, N. (2025). Investigating Number Sense in Teacher Education: Evidence from Indonesian Prospective Teachers’ Understanding of Fractions and Decimals. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.56278/asten.v9i1.3124
Section
Section 1: Research Articles and Research Briefs
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