Digging wells with needles: Teachers' views on values education in mathematics

The objective of this study is to ascertain the perspectives of middle school mathematics teachers in a district located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey with regard to the integration of values education into their pedagogical practices in the 2020-2021 academic year. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, the study explores the manner in which educators integrated ethical principles into the 2017-2018 Turkish mathematics curriculum. The findings of the study suggest that teachers have a marked preference for implicit methods, such as the embedding of values through problem solving, as opposed to explicit lessons. This preference is influenced by a number of contextual factors, including the ongoing pandemic. The analysis emphasizes the adaptability of educators and contributes to the understanding of values education in mathematics, an area often perceived as value-neutral. The findings emphasize the necessity for enhanced teacher training and curriculum revisions, thus establishing a foundation for future research. This research should encompass comparisons between regions and the incorporation of student perspectives, with the objective of aligning mathematics teaching with ethical development. The findings of this research offer insights into the effective addressing of the technical and ethical dimensions in mathematics education.