The purpose of this study is developing valid and reliable scales in order to measure beliefs and perceived self-efficacy beliefs towards using origami in mathematics education and then, investigating beliefs and perceived self-efficacy beliefs of Turkish prospective elementary mathematics teachers in using origami in mathematics education. Furthermore, gender differences in prospective teachers&#039 / beliefs and perceived self-efficacy beliefs in using origami in mathematics education were investigated. Data for the current study was collected in the spring term of 2011-2012 academic year from 299 prospective elementary mathematics teachers. These teacher candidates are from three universities located in three different regions of Turkey and all the participants have elective origami course experience. Origami in Mathematics Education Belief Scale (OMEBS) and Origami in Mathematics Education Self-Efficacy Scale (OMESS) were used as data collection instruments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results showed that OMEBS and OMESS are valid and reliable instruments in order to measure beliefs and perceived self-efficacy beliefs in using origami in mathematics education. Descriptive analysis results indicated that, Turkish prospective elementary mathematics teachers strongly believe that origami is beneficial and suitable to be used in mathematics education. However, their perceived self-efficacy belief level is at little higher than moderate level. Lastly, independent sample t-test results revealed that female teacher candidates have significantly higher belief and perceived self-efficacy beliefs in using origami in mathematics education when compared with male teacher candidates.

Orientador: Nelson Antonio Pirola / Resumo: Esta pesquisa se desenvolveu na perspectiva da Psicologia da Educação Matemática e buscou investigar o desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico face às crenças de autoeficácia, as atitudes em relação à Matemática e ao conhecimento matemático especializado para o seu ensino nos anos iniciais do Ensino Fundamental. Buscou, também, analisar possíveis relações e influências de aspectos afetivos na solução de problemas algébricos, com foco na capacidade de generalização, cerne do desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico. A investigação foi ancorada numa abordagem mista, quanti-qualitativa, fundamentada nos estudos de Creswell e Park (2013). Os participantes da pesquisa foram 128 estudantes do curso de Pedagogia (pre-service) de instituições privadas e 119 professores (in-service) dos anos iniciais, da rede pública de ensino. Para tanto, os instrumentos utilizados para essa investigação contaram em sua primeira etapa com um questionário para caracterização dos participantes, sendo um para os pre-service e outro para os in-service; uma Escala de Atitudes traduzida e validada por Brito (1996); um questionário estruturado em duas subescalas do tipo likert, uma sobre as crenças de autoeficácia dos participantes em relação ao conhecimento especializado para o desenvolvimento do pensamento algébrico e a outra para o ensino desse pensamento matemático nos anos iniciais. Na segunda etapa da pesquisa, foram selecionados três pre-service e três in-service considerando suas pontuações nas escal... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This research developed from the perspective of the Mathematics Education psychology and sought to investigate the algebraic thinking development in relation to the self-efficacy beliefs, attitudes towards Mathematics and specialized mathematical knowledge for its teaching in the early years of Elementary School. It also sought to analyze possible relationships and influences of affective aspects in solving algebraic problems, focusing on the generalization capacity, the core of the algebraic thinking development. The research was anchored in a mixed, quanti-qualitative approach based on the studies of Creswell and Park (2013). The participants of the study were 128 students from the pre-service pedagogy course, from private institutions and 119 teachers (in-service) from the early years of the public school system. To do so, the instruments used for this research had in their first stage a questionnaire to characterize the participants, one for pre-service and the other for in-service; a Scale of Attitudes translated and validated by Brito (1996); a questionnaire structured in two likert type subscales, one on the participants' self-efficacy beliefs regarding the specialized knowledge for the algebraic thought development and the other for the teaching of this mathematical thought in the early years. In the second stage of the research, three pre-service and three in-service were selected considering their scores on the scales (below, median and above the central point) for ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre