Pre-service middle school mathematics teachers’ creative thinking dispositions and problem solving skills

Problem-solving (PS) skills and creative thinking (CT) dispositions are important components of effective mathematical thinking. However, less is known about the relationship between pre-service mathematics teachers’ (PSTs') CT dispositions and their PS skills and about how CT disposition levels may be associated with their preferred PS strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the PS skills and CT dispositions of PSTs , the relationship between their CT dispositions and PS skills, and the association between their preferred PS strategies and CT disposition levels. Fifty-nine fourth-year PSTs participated in the study, and a convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed. Qualitative data were collected through PSTs’ written solutions to non-routine problems, while quantitative data were collected using a CT dispositions scale. Data were analysed with both qualitative and quantitative techniques It was determined that the PSTs had some difficulties in solving non-routine problems and using PS strategies. It was found that the scores of the PSTs on the overall CT dispositions scale and its sub-factors were above average. The findings further indicated that PSTs’ PS skills were positively and significantly correlated with their total CT disposition scores and with the self-discipline, innovation search, courage, and inquisitive sub-factors. Although the relationships between PS skills and the doubt and flexibility sub-factors were positive, they were not statistically significant. Qualitative findings align with and support the quantitative results. The quantitative findings revealed no significant differences in PSTs’ preferred PS strategies across different levels of CT dispositions, a finding that was corroborated by the qualitative results. PSTs with high CT disposition levels tended to prefer visual representation and accounting for all possibilities, while those with low levels tended to prefer working backwards and writing an equation strategies. Overall, this study provides insights into PSTs’ PS skills and CT dispositions by examining both dimensions separately and their association with each other. The findings suggest that considering cognitive and affective dimensions together may offer a broader perspective on PSTs’ PS and CT dispositions. Further research is needed to examine these dimensions across different contexts and to better understand their potential interplay.