• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.655-676
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of teaching on functional thinking, one of the algebraic thinking in sixth grade students level. For this study, we developed functional thinking based-teaching through analyzing mathematical curriculum and preceding research, which consisted of 12 classes, and we investigated the effects of teaching through quantitative and qualitative analysis. In the results of this study, functional thinking based-teaching was statistically proven to be more effective in improving algebraic reasoning skills and lower elements which is an algebraic reasoning as generalized arithmetic and functional thinking, compared to traditional textbook-centered lessons. In addition, the functional thinking based-teaching gave a positive impact on the functional thinking level. Thus functional thinking based-teaching provides guidance on the implications for teaching and learning methods and study of the functional thinking in the future, because of the significant impact on the mathematics learning in six grade students.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.453-475
• /
• 2007

School algebra starts with introducing algebraic expressions which have been one of the cognitive obstacles to the students in the transfer from arithmetic to algebra. In the recent studies on the teaching school algebra, algebraic thinking is getting much more attention together with algebraic expressions. In this paper, we examined the processes of the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and ways for teaching early algebra through algebraic thinking factors. Issues about algebraic thinking have continued since 1980's. But the theoretic foundations for algebraic thinking have not been founded in the previous studies. In this paper, we analyzed the algebraic thinking in school algebra from historico-genetic, epistemological, and symbolic-linguistic points of view, and identified algebraic thinking factors, i.e. the principle of permanence of formal laws, the concept of variable, quantitative reasoning, algebraic interpretation - constructing algebraic expressions, trans formational reasoning - changing algebraic expressions, operational senses - operating algebraic expressions, substitution, etc. We also identified these algebraic thinking factors through analyzing mathematics textbooks of elementary and middle school, and showed the middle school students' low achievement relating to these factors through the algebraic thinking ability test. Based upon these analyses, we argued that the readiness for algebra learning should be made through the processes including algebraic thinking factors in the elementary school and that the transfer from arithmetic to algebra should be accomplished naturally through the pre-algebra course. And we searched for alternative ways to improve algebra curriculums, emphasizing algebraic thinking factors. In summary, we identified the problems of school algebra relating to the transfer from arithmetic to algebra with the problem of teaching algebraic thinking and analyzed the algebraic thinking factors of school algebra, and searched for alternative ways for improving the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and the teaching of early algebra.

• School Mathematics
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.409-426
• /
• 2007

The relevance of secondary school algebra focused on paper and pencil manipulation has been reconsidered along with the expansion of universal education and the development of ICT such as computer or calculators. This study was designed to investigate the issues and trends of the recent algebra so as to provide implementations for algebra curriculum in Korea. The focus of algebra education has being shifted from paper pencil manipulation to algebraic thinking. The early algebra or informal algebra is one of the important traits of revolution, and the role of ICT is integrated in newly developed curricula. In Korea, algebra education has been retaining the traditional line even though the national curriculum documents allows ICT for instruction. The reasons of these discrepancies were analyzed and the tasks for the new curriculum in accordance with the current trends were suggested in this paper.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.211-230
• /
• 2016

The study aimed to investigate the characteristics of algebraic thinking of the mathematically gifted students and search for how to teach algebraic thinking. Research subjects in this study included 93 students who applied for a science gifted education center affiliated with a university in 2015 and previously experienced gifted education. Students' responses on an algebraic item of a creative thinking test in mathematics, which was given as screening process for admission were collected as data. A framework of algebraic thinking factors were extracted from literature review and utilized for data analysis. It was found that students showed difficulty in quantitative reasoning between two quantities and tendency to find solutions regarding equations as problem solving tools. In this process, students tended to concentrate variables on unknown place holders and to had difficulty understanding various meanings of variables. Some of students generated errors about algebraic concepts. In conclusions, it is recommended that functional thinking including such as generalizing and reasoning the relation among changing quantities is extended, procedural as well as structural aspects of algebraic expressions are emphasized, various situations to learn variables are given, and activities constructing variables on their own are strengthened for improving gifted students' learning and teaching algebra.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.281-301
• /
• 2024

Many students have experienced difficulties due to the discontinuity in instruction between arithmetic and algebra, and in the field of elementary education, algebra is often treated somewhat implicitly. However, algebra must be learned as algebraic thinking in accordance with the developmental stage at the elementary level through the expansion of numerical systems, principles, and thinking. In this study, algebraic thinking-based classes were developed and conducted for 6th graders in elementary school, and the effect on the ability to solve word-problems in fraction division was analyzed. During the 11 instructional sessions, the students generalized the solution by exploring the relationship between the dividend and the divisor, and further explored generalized representations applicable to all cases. The results of the study confirmed that algebraic thinking-based classes have positive effects on their ability to solve fractional division word-problems. In the problem-solving process, algebraic thinking elements such as symbolization, generalization, reasoning, and justification appeared, with students discovering various mathematical ideas and structures, and using them to solve problems Based on the research results, we induced some implications for early algebraic guidance in elementary school mathematics.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.309-327
• /
• 2003

In this paper, we deal with the teaching of algebra in the elementary school mathematics, and call this algebra teaching method as ‘early algebra’. Early algebra is appeared in the 1980's with the discussion of ‘algebraic thinking’. And many studies about early algebra is in progress since 1990's. These studies aims at reducing difficulties in the teaching of algebra and the development of algebra curriculum. We investigate the background of early algebra, and justify teaching of early algebra. Also we examine the projects and studies in progress around the world. Finally through these discussions, we compare our elementary textbooks with early algebra, and verify the characters of early algebra from our arithmetic curriculum.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.719-743
• /
• 2013

Proportional reasoning is considered as a difficult concept to most elementary school students and might be connect to functional thinking, algebraic thinking, and mathematical thinking later. The purpose of this study is to analyze the sixth graders' development level of proportional reasoning so that children's problem solving processes on different proportional problem items were investigated in a way how the problem type of proportion and the degree of ill-structured affect to their levels. Results showed that the greater part of participants solved problems on the level of proportional reasoning and various development levels according to type of problem. In addition, they showed highly the level of transition and proportional reasoning on missing value problems rather than numerical comparison problems.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.81-98
• /
• 2009

This study analyzed the types of quantitative reasoning and the characteristics of representation in order to figure out the characteristics of quantitative reasoning of the sixth graders. Three students who used quantitative reasoning in solving problems were interviewed in depth. Results showed that the three students used two types of quantitative reasoning, that is difference reasoning and multiplicative reasoning. They used qualitatively different quantitative reasoning, which had a great impact on their problem-solving strategy. Students used symbolic, linguistic and visual representations. Particularly, they used visual representations to represent quantities and relations between quantities included in the problem situation, and to deduce a new relation between quantities. This result implies that visual representation plays a prominent role in quantitative reasoning. This paper included several implications on quantitative reasoning and quantitative approach related to early algebra education.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
• /
• v.14
• /
• pp.197-215
• /
• 2001

최근 수학적 사고력 연구가 구체적 수학내용에 기반한 활동과 조작에 대한 연구보다는 활동이나 조작을 통한 결과로 수학적 사고력에 접근하는 일회성 연구로 이루어지는 경향이 있다. 본고에서는 교육 내용을 선정하기 위해 학교수학에서 아동들이 어떤 수학적 사고를 하는데 장애을 겪는지에 주목하여, 이러한 장애를 극복하는 것을 통해 수학적 사고력의 신장을 생각해보고자 하였다. 이에 대수에서는 문자도입에 따른 추상적 상징의 수용과 이용부분에서, 기하에서는 논증기하의 증명도입과정에서 형식적, 연역적 사고 시작으로 아동이 수학적 사고에 어려움을 겪는다는 사살에 주목하였다. 특히 논증 기하의 연역적, 형식적 증명은 논리와 추론이 바탕이 되어야 한다. 그런데 논리와 추론은 고등학교 1학년과정 집합과 명제부분에 들어있어 아동은 논리와 추론에 대한 어떤 경험도, 교육도 받지 않은 상태에서 증명을 하게 된다. 이에 교육 내용으로 수학적 사고력을 신장을 위해 가장 필요한 내용이 논증 기하가 도입되기 이전에 초등학교 5,6학년 아동을 대상으로한 논리와 추론교육이라고 본다. 또한 교육 방법으로는 컴퓨터를 이용한 교육공학적 접근을 하고자 하였다. 교육공학적 접근이 적극 권장되는 교육적 현실과 정규교육과정에서 이를 받아들일만한 시간적 여유가 없음을 감안하여, 교과 내용과 연계된 컴퓨터 교육을 제안하는 바이다. 이에 논리 및 추론 교육은 컴퓨터 교육으로 초등학교의 특기적성 시간이나 정규수업 시간에 이용할 것을 제안한다. 논리와 추론교육을 위해 무엇을 어떻게 가르칠 것인가에 대한 답으로 논리와 추론교육에 적합한 수학적 내용으로 크게 이산수학과 중등 기하의 초등화하여 탐구하도록 하는 내용을, 교육 방법 측면에서는 논리와 추론 교육을 위한 LOGO 기반 마이크로월드를 설계, 이용하여 수학적 사고력을 신장시키고자 한다. 여기까지가 수학적 사고력을 위한 가능성을 모색한 것이라면 후속연구로 이러한 가능성을 실험연구로 검증하고자 한다.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2016

Patterns are of great significance to develop algebraic thinking of elementary students. This study analyzed teaching methods of patterns in current elementary mathematics textbook series in terms of three main activities related to pattern generalization (i.e., analyzing the structure of patterns, investigating the relationship between two variables, and reasoning and representing the generalized rules). The results of this study showed that such activities to analyze the structure of patterns are not explicitly considered in the textbooks, whereas those to explore the relationship between two variables in a pattern are emphasized throughout all grade levels using function table. The activities to reason and represent the generalized rules of patterns are dealt in a way both for lower grade students to use informal representations and for upper grade students to employ formal representations with expressions or symbols. The results of this study also illustrated that patterns in the textbooks are treated rather as a separate strand than as something connected to other content strands. This paper closes with several implications to teach patterns in a way to foster early algebraic thinking of elementary school students.