METHODOLOGY
This is a qualitative case study facilitating to obtain in
depth information not only from the teacher but also
from the students who experienced the new primary
school mathematics curriculum. For this study,
qualitative methodologies were selected because, as
stated by Patton (1987), using qualitative methods
provide insights, understandings and deep information
about the issue under investigation.
The teachers were firstly asked to mention about inservice
training in which they participated to get
informed on newly developed primary school
mathematics curriculum. They were required to respond
where and when it was done and which aspects of the
new curriculum were introduced. The in-service training
was performed in one of the universities’ (METUMiddle
East Technical University) Cultural and
Conservation Centre on the dates of 1st-14th September,
2004 in Ankara. The training lasted fourteen days.
Throughout the in-service training, new mathematics
curriculum was overall introduced to the participants.
Further, they were informed on the main philosophy
underlying the curriculum, the topics (units and
subjects) to be covered, guide book to be used, activities
and implementation of those activities, and
measurement and evaluation methods. In addition to
general aspects of the newly developed mathematics
curriculum, an understanding of relating course topics
with real life and of learning by doing and living were
mentioned as well.