Prospective Elementary Mathematics Teachers’ Views on the Use of Islamic Geometric Patterns in Mathematics Lessons

Abstract

This study aims to examine the views of prospective elementary mathematics teachers regarding the use of Islamic Geometric Patterns (IGPs) in mathematics lessons. Conducted within a qualitative research design, the study collected data from seven teacher candidates—third-year students who had taken an elective course on IGPs—through a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed using content analysis, and a descriptive approach was adopted to interpret the findings based on themes, categories, and codes. The analysis revealed that the experiences and opinions of the teacher candidates about the use of IGPs were grouped under seven main themes: “Interest and Attitude Towards Mathematics,” “Establishing Interdisciplinary Context,” “Creativity and Instructional Design Skills,” “Visualization and the Concretization of Geometric Concepts,” “Integrating Historical and Cultural Context into Teaching,” “Limitations and Challenges,” and “Suggestions for Effective Utilization.” The findings indicate that IGPs can contribute to developing positive attitudes toward mathematics, fostering interdisciplinary integration, supporting creativity and instructional design skills, facilitating the understanding of geometric concepts, and providing a cultural-historical perspective. However, issues such as time management, topic alignment, and material shortages may prevent smooth implementation in every context. The study highlights that IGPs can serve as a potential tool for enriching mathematics teaching, enhancing students’ motivation and comprehension levels, and encourages the development of guiding resources, technological support, collaborative activities, and practical applications to realize this potential.