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

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.223-247
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• 2016

Given the importance of developing algebraic thinking from early grades, this study investigated an overall performance and main characteristics of algebraic thinking from a total of 197 third grade students. The national elementary mathematics curriculum in Korea does not emphasize directly essential elements of algebraic thinking but indicates indirectly some of them. This study compared our students' performance related to algebraic thinking with results of Blanton et al. (2015) which reported considerable progress of algebraic thinking by emphasizing it through a regular curriculum. The results of this study showed that Korean students solved many items correctly as compatible to Blanton et al. (2015). However, our students tended to use 'computational' strategies rather than 'structural' ones in the process of solving items related to equation. When it comes to making algebraic expressions, they tended to assign a particular value to the unknown quantity followed by the equal sign. This paper is expected to explore the algebraic thinking by elementary school students and to provide implications of how to promote students' algebraic thinking.

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

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.105-119
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• 2008

Functional thinking, which focuses on the relationship between two or more varying quantities, is one of the key strands of algebraic thinking. This article is a case study that aimed to investigate how 3rd grade elementary students might make their functional thinking. The results showed that students not only understood the functional situation well but also created a record of the corresponding values of quantities, typically using descriptive writings and pictures. But when they tried to find a pattern and make a generalization, the students showed various difficulties. This paper concludes with implications on how to promote students' functional thinking from early grades in the elementary school.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.409-429
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• 2021

This study investigated instructional methods for fractional division emphasizing algebraic thinking with sixth graders. Specifically, instructional elements for fractional division emphasizing algebraic thinking were derived from literature reviews, and the fractional division instruction was reorganized on the basis of key elements. The instructional elements were as follows: (a) exploring the relationship between a dividend and a divisor; (b) generalizing and representing solution methods; and (c) justifying solution methods. The instruction was analyzed in terms of how the key elements were implemented in the classroom. This paper focused on the fractional division instruction with problem contexts to calculate the quantity of a dividend corresponding to the divisor 1. The students in the study could explore the relationship between the two quantities that make the divisor 1 with different problem contexts: partitive division, determination of a unit rate, and inverse of multiplication. They also could generalize, represent, and justify the solution methods of dividing the dividend by the numerator of the divisor and multiplying it by the denominator. However, some students who did not explore the relationship between the two quantities and used only the algorithm of fraction division had difficulties in generalizing, representing, and justifying the solution methods. This study would provide detailed and substantive understandings in implementing the fractional division instruction emphasizing algebraic thinking and help promote the follow-up studies related to the instruction of fractional operations emphasizing algebraic thinking.

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

• School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.343-360
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• 2003

In this paper, we deal with the teaching of algebra based on patterns and generalization. The past algebra curriculum starts with letters(variables), algebraic expressions, and equations, but these formal approaching method has many difficulties in the school algebra. Therefore we insist the new algebraic approaches should be needed. In order to develop these instructions, we firstly investigate the relationship of patterns and algebra, the relationship of generalization and algebra, the steps of generalization from patterns and levels of difficulties. Next we look into the algebra instructions based arithmetic patterns, visual patterns and functional situations. We expect that these approaches help students learn algebra when they begin school algebra.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.507-539
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• 2014

The algebra is an important tool influencing on a mathematics in general. To make good use of the algebra, it is necessary to transfer from a given situation to a proper algebraic representation. But some research in related to algebraic word problems have reported the difficulty changing to a proper algebraic representation. Our study have focused on transformation and elaboration of algebraic representation. We investigated in detail the responses and perceptions of 29 Grade 7 students while transforming to algebraic representation, only concentrating on the literature expression form the problematic situations given. Most of students showed difficulties in transforming both descriptive and geometric problems to algebraic representation. 10% of them responded wrong answers except only a problem. Four of them were interviewed individually to show their thinking and find the factor influencing on a positive elaboration. As results, we could find some characteristics of their thinking including the misconception that regard the problem finding a functional formula because there are the variables x and y in the problematic situation. In addition, we could find the their fixation which student have to set up the equation. Furthermore we could check that making student explain own algebraic representation was able to become the factor influencing on a positive elaboration. From these, we also discussed about several didactical implications.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.163-177
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• 2007

Studies on mathematically gifted students have been conducted following Krutetskii. There still exists a necessity for a more detailed research on how these students' mathematical competence is actually displayed during the problem solving process. In this study, it was attempted to analyse the algebraic thinking process in the problem solving a peg puzzle in which 4 mathematically gifted students, who belong to the upper 0.01% group in their grade of elementary school in Korea. They solved and generalized the straight line peg puzzle. Mathematically gifted elementary school students had the tendency to find a general structure using generic examples rather than find inductive rules. They did not have difficulty in expressing their thoughts in letter expressions and in expressing their answers in written language; and though they could estimate general patterns while performing generalization of two factors, it was revealed that not all of them can solve the general formula of two factors. In addition, in the process of discovering a general pattern, it was confirmed that they prefer using diagrams to manipulating concrete objects or using tables. But as to whether or not they verify their generalization results using generalized concrete cases, individual difference was found. From this fact it was confirmed that repeated experiments, on the relationship between a child's generalization ability and his/her behavioral pattern that verifies his/her generalization result through application to a concrete case, are necessary.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Industrial Safety Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.532-538
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• 2003

경제성장과 국민소득의 증대에 따른 교통수요의 증대는 필연적으로 자동차 대수의 증가를 초래하게 되었다. 교통은 국가산업의 발전, 지역 간의 격차해소 및 문화교류에 기여하고 있으며, 작게는 국민의 일상적인 대중 교통수단으로서의 역할을 맡아 개인생활의 향상에 이바지하고 있다. 그러나 이러한 교통의 양적 발달의 이면에는 교통사고라는 부정적인 요소를 내포하고 있으며, 우리나라의 경우 유래 없이 높은 교통사고율로 말미암아 교통사고로 인한 재해의 위기에 처해 있다하여도 과언이 아니다.(중략)