Factors Associated with Prospective Teachers' Achievement in Quadrilateral Definitions: An Exploration of Background Characteristics

This study investigated the relationships among prospective middle school mathematics teachers' background variables and their achievement in defining special quadrilaterals. The participants of the study were 184 prospective teachers (49 males and 135 females) from four intact classes (38 freshmen, 50 sophomores, 49 juniors, and 47 seniors). The Background Characteristics Questionnaire, the Special Quadrilaterals Test, and the Utley Geometry Attitude Questionnaire were used to gather data. The results showed that participants had low level of achievement in defining special quadrilaterals. No significant difference was found in their achievement with respect to gender, enrolment in an elective geometry course, and enrolment in a teaching practicum course. On the other hand, their achievement scores differentiated significantly in terms of their year levels. The multiple regression correlation results showed that prospective teachers' geometry course scores were a significant predictor of their achievement, while cumulative grade point averages (CGPAs) and geometry attitude scores were not.