• The Mathematical Education
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.149-167
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• 2009

This study was aimed to examine problem-solving ability of fifth graders on two types of mathematical essay problems, and to analyze the process of mathematical justification in solving the essay problems. For this purpose, a total of 14 mathematical essay problems were developed, in which half of the items were single tasks and the other half were data-provided tasks. Sixteen students with higher academic achievements in mathematics and the Korean language were chosen, and were given to solve the mathematical essay problems individually. They then were asked to justify their solution methods in groups of 4 and to reach a consensus through negotiation among group members. Students were good at understanding the given single tasks but they often revealed lack of logical thinking and representation. They also tended to use everyday language rather than mathematical language in explaining their solution processes. Some students experienced difficulty in understanding the meaning of data in the essay problems. With regard to mathematical justification, students employed more internal justification by experience or mathematical logic than external justification by authority. Given this, this paper includes implications for teachers on how they need to teach mathematics in order to foster students' logical thinking and communication.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.567-580
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• 2013

As integrated essay writing is performed in university entrance examinations, teachers and students recognize the importance of integrated essay, but teachers have still difficulties of teaching methods. The purpose of this study is to derive educational implications through case of mathematics instruction for integrated essay education to pre-service mathematics teachers. The content knowledge of this class is a definition of conic section in mathematics and properties of conic section in an antenna reflector. The students have to discover them using the history of math, manipulative material, paper-folding and computer simulation. In this teaching and learning process the students can realize mathematical knowledge invented by humans through history of mathematics. The students can evaluate the validity of that as create and justify a mathematical proposition. Also, the students can explain the relation between them logically and descript cause or basis convincingly in the process of justifying. We should keep our study to instructional materials and teaching methods in integrated essay education.