Preservice teachers’ awareness of the existence of analogies in the conceptual structure of mathematics and biology

Abstract

In this paper, we present an empirical study carried out in a country where STEM education does not have a tradition, and the content and didactics of mathematics are typically studied separately from the content and didactics of biology. In that context, we focus on analogies in the conceptual structure of mathematics and biology, and study how prospective mathematics and biology teachers at the end of their professional training perceive them. Specifically, we investigate to what extent these teachers reason analogously when solving analogous mathematics and biology problems and to what extent they are aware of the analogies represented by the problems. The results are presented in the form of a structured system of qualitative categories that can help indicate opportunities for the development of the perception of such analogies and, consequently, for the development of conceptual knowledge in both school subjects made through mutually effective knowledge transfers.