Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education (한국과학교육학회지)

The Korean Association for Science Education (한국과학교육학회)
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A study of optimal periods in proportional reasoning

  • Published : 2009.05.30
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Abstract

Proportional reasoning is one of the most widely used concepts in everyday life. It could be the most important basic concept in science and mathematics. In research where the subjects were animals, it has been found that learning effect rapidly decreased with any stimulation given after a optimalperiod. Therefore, it is necessary to research about optimal periods in order to instruct about proportional reasoning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the optimal periods in proportional reasoning. The three programs for proportional reasoning instruction were developed by researchers. The titles of the programs were 'Block', 'Balance scale' and 'Water glass'. The subjects were 131 3$^{rd}$ to 6$^{th}$ grade students who were not expected to have any proportional reasoning skills yet. In order to find out the optimal periods in proportional reasoning, the programs were applied to these students. After 4-5 weeks of treatment, the researchers investigated whether their proportional reasoning skills were formed or not through the instrument. The results indicated that it would be most effective to teach proportional reasoning to 6$^{th}$ grade students. Teaching of proportional reasoning is essential not only for mathematics but also for science. The findings could be used to investigate the optimal periods of controlling variables, probability, combinational and correlational logic.

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References

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