[KSCI] Korea Science Citation Index Service

http://dx.doi.org/10.7468/jksmed.2015.19.2.89

Comparing U. S. and Taiwanese Pre-service Teachers' Solving Triangular Arithmagons

LIN, Cheng-Yao (Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Southern Illinois University)
KUO, Yu-Chun (Department of STEAM, Rowan University)

Publication Information

Research in Mathematical Education / v.19, no.2, 2015 , pp. 89-100 More about this Journal

Abstract

The study investigated pre-service teachers' knowledge and computational skills by using Triangular Arithmagon. Participants included 90 pre-service teachers from two schools in the United States and Taiwan. The Triangular Arithmagons Test (TAT) was used to measure pre-service teachers' performance in whole number, fractions, and decimals operations (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), each of which included level-1 (basic) and level-2 (advanced) tests. MANOVA analysis was performed to compare the performance between teachers from the United States and Taiwan. Results indicated that overall, pre-service teachers in Taiwan outperformed those in the United States, especially on the advanced-level tests. Pre-service teachers in the United States were found to have poor ability of solving complex operation problems. Different curriculum plans and teaching methods may lead to the performance gap between the two countries.

Keywords

pre-service teacher; triangular arithmagon;

Citations & Related Records

Reference

1	Ball, D. L.; Thames, M. H. C. & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: What makes it special? Journal of Teacher Education 59(5), 389-407. DOI
2	Borko, H.; Eisenhart, M., Brown. C. A.; Underhill, R. G.; Jones, D. & Agard, P. C. (1992). Learning to teach hard mathematics: Do novice teachers give up too easily. J. Res. Math. Educ. 23(3), 194-222. DOI
3	Hill, H. C.; Schilling, S. G. & Ball, D. L. (2004). Developing measures of teachers' mathematics knowledge for teaching. Elementary School Journal 105(1), 11-30. DOI
4	Lin, C. Y.; Becker, J. P.; Ko, Y. Y. & Byun, M. (2013). Enhancing pre-service teachers' fraction knowledge throughopen approach instruction. J. Math. Behav. 32(3), 309-330. DOI
5	Lin, P. J. & Hsieh, F. J. (2008). Taiwan pre service teachers education and development study in mathematics. Taipei, Taiwan: National Science Council & Ministry of Education in Taiwan.
6	Luo, F.; Lo, J. & Leu, Y. (2011). Fundamental fraction knowledge of pre-service elementary teachers: A cross national study in the United States and Taiwan. Sch. Sci. Math. 111(4), 164-177. DOI
7	Ma, L. (1999). Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics: Teachers' understanding of fundamental mathematics in China and the United States. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
8	Macintosh, A. & Quadling, D. (1975). Arithmogons. Mathematics Teaching 70, 18-23.
9	Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., & Foy, P. (with Olson, J. F., Preuschoff, C., Erberber, E., Arora, A., & Galia, J.). (2008). TIMSS 2007 international mathematics report TIMSS 2007 international benchmarks for mathematics achievement. Chestnut Hill, MA: Boston College.
10	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM. ME 1999f.03937 for discussion draft (1998)
11	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] (2006). Curriculum focal points for prekindergarten through grade 8 mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM.
12	Schmidt, W. H.; McKnight, C. C.; Houang, R. T.; Wang, H. C.; Wiley, D. E.; Cogan, L. S. & Wolfe, R. G. (2001). Why schools matter: A cross-national comparison of curriculum and learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
13	Wittmann, E. C. & Muller, G. N. (2000). Series of German primary school student textbooks and workbooks. Stuttgart: Klett Publishers.
14	Schmidt, W. H.; Wang, H. C.; McKnight, C. C. & Curtis, C. (2005). Curriculum coherence: An examination of U.S. mathematics and science content standards from an international perspective. Journal of Curriculum Studies 37(5), 525-559. DOI