Perceptions of pre-service teachers towards a GeoGebra-supported modeling approach in mathematics learning

Studying PSTs’ perception helps teacher educators understand how future teachers interpret teaching and learning. The tendency to study preservice teachers’ perception on instructional approaches is broad and generic categories, rather than examining perceptions tied to specific contexts and strategies. In this context, the purpose of the study was to investigate pre-service teachers’ perceptions about the instructional approaches they have learned with. 80 pre-service teachers were involved, and a mixed research method with post-test only non-equivalent quasi-experimental design was employed. The study employed GeoGebra-supported modeling approach, modeling approach, and conventional approaches. Pre-service teachers’ perception was analyzed using three categories: learning and understanding, interaction and cooperation, and satisfaction and future career. As the statistical result described, there were a statistically significant mean score difference among the groups, as ( F (2, 77) = 16.895, p = 0.001 < 0.05), with effect size η 2 = 0.32. This suggests that, 32% of the variance in perception was explained by the instructional approach, indicating a strong practical significance. Accordingly, implementing these approaches support more positive engagement among PSTs, thereby informing future practice and guiding subsequent studies to further validate and extend these results. In the thematic analysis, most pre-service teachers in the treatment groups reflected that, learning mathematics through modeling approach provides a solid understanding of mathematical concepts. The finding implied that, the instructional approaches PSTs encountered during their training are strongly linked to the instructional approaches they are likely to adopt in their future career. This study suggested that, pre-service teachers should gain appropriate training in student centered and technology supported instructional approaches, to enhance their interest towards the profession.