The Effects of Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers’ Pedagogical Knowledge in Mathematics on Their Perceptions of Mathematics Education: The Role of Attitudes Toward Mathematics

The purpose of the study has two folds. One was to examine the relationship between pre-service early childhood teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in mathematics (PCKM), attitudes toward mathematics (ATM), and Perception of Mathematics Education (PME). The other was to verify the moderating effect of ATM on the relationship between PCKM and PME. The subjects of the study were 187 pre-service teachers in early childhood education. Self-reporting survey questionnaires were used to measure the variables. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple regression utilizing SPSS and PROCESS Macro. The results showed the positive correlations between pre-service early childhood teachers’ PCKM, ATM, and PME. Pre-service early childhood teachers’ PCKM had a positive effect on their PME, and this correlation was moderated by their ATM. The results underscore the importance of structured training curricula to develop both the pedagogical and attitudinal aspects of early mathematics education for pre-service teachers.