EJMT Abstract

Computational thinking is mandated as a cross-curricular requirement in the current Portuguese mathematics curricula from primary to secondary levels, and the guidelines advocate the use of technology. Official documents propose strategies to foster computational thinking through dynamic geometry environments, including GeoGebra, internet applets, Scratch, and Python. This study examined how prospective teachers interpret these tools, focusing on first-year students enrolled in the Master’s programme in Teaching Mathematics for Basic and Secondary Education, a course with a long tradition in preparing mathematics teachers to use technological pedagogical tools. The work of twelve students was analysed through a design-based research methodology, attending to their activities over two academic years and the adjustments made between the first and second intervention cycles. Qualitative analysis indicates that integrating content knowledge with technological knowledge is complex. The inclusion of pedagogical content knowledge alongside these domains poses further challenges in initial teacher education. The study offers insights for refining the course unit in subsequent iterations and identifies considerations for ongoing teacher professional development in Portugal.