• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.415-435
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• 2007

A transition from elementary to secondary school, and among grades, among learning contents is a essential problem in education. A connectivity between learning contents is important in student's growth and development. A gap between lower grades and higher grades in elementary school is no less extensive than a gap between elementary mathematics and secondary mathematics. In this paper, we start with a critical mind about a transition and connectivity between lower grades and higher grades in elementary school. In order to compare between elementary grades, we firstly focus 4th grade mathematics which finish lower grades and start higher grades at the same time. First, we make up a questionnaire to 4th grade students and teachers in charge 4th grade. A questionnaire is composed of questions about the degree of difficulty in the learning(and teaching) of 4th grade mathematics comparing with 3rd grade mathematics. Second, we compare to lower grades lessons(1st grade) and 4th grade lessons using a qualitative method. we analyze the lesson contents, activities and time through 'analysis of the learning course'. And we compare the pattern of eliciting questions, question patterns, nomination patterns and feedback patterns between 1st grade and 4th grade lessons. We hope that this paper is a fundamental sources in investigating a connectivity between lower grades and higher grades in elementary mathematics in the future.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.251-278
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to obtain implications for mathematical education by analyzing how the multiplication and division of decimal numbers are presented in the elementary mathematics textbooks in Korea, Japan, Singapore, and Finland. Compared to the fact that students often have misconceptions about multiplication and division of decimal numbers, there have been not many comparative studies in recent elementary mathematics textbooks. For this study, we selected elementary mathematics textbooks those are widely used in Japan, Singapore, and Finland along with Korean elementary mathematics textbooks. We chose the textbooks because the students in the selected countries have scored high in international achievement studies such as TIMSS and PISA. The analysis was examined in terms of elementary mathematics curriculum related to multiplication and division of decimal numbers, introduction and content, real-life situations, use of visual models, and formalization methods of algorithms. As a result of the study, the mathematics curricula related to multiplication and division of decimal numbers includes estimation in Korea and Finland, while Japan and Singapore emphasize real-life connections more, and Finland completes the operations in secondary schools. The introduction and content are intensively provided in a short period of time or distributed in various grades and semesters. The real-life situations are presented in a simple sentence format in all countries, and the use of visual models or formalization of algorithms is linked to the operations of natural numbers in unit conversions. Suggestions were made for textbook development and teacher training programs.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.121-149
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• 2022

Descriptive assessment is a meaningful assessment method in relation to problem solving ability, reasoning ability, and communication ability as emphasized in mathematics curriculum. In Korea, as performance assessment has been emphasized since the 7th mathematics curriculum, descriptive assessment is being conducted as a method of performance assessment in schools. However, descriptive assessment has not been introduced in the university scholastic ability test for various reasons. Considering that descriptive assessment is emphasized in the mathematics classroom and has sufficient educational value, a serious discussion on the implementation of descriptive assessment in the university scholastic ability test will be necessary. In this study, we analyzed the descriptive assessment of Russia's unified state examination (USE) in the mathematics, which corresponds to Korea's university scholastic ability test. Through a literature review, we investigated how mathematics examination problems were structured in the USE and which mathematical abilities were required for the examination. In particular, the outer structure of the problems was analyzed focusing on the mathematics problems of the USE 2021, and the scoring method of the descriptive problems was also analyzed. The results of this study are expected to provide a variety of information on the possibility of introducing descriptive assessment in the Korean university scholastic ability tests.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.529-552
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• 2014

Recently, mathematical reasoning has been considered as one of the most important mathematical thinking abilities to be established in school mathematics. This study is to investigate the mathematical problems on the content of 'Set and Statement' and 'Sequences' in high school according to the four types of reasoning, namely Making Conjectures, Investigating Conjectures, Developing Arguments, and Evaluating Arguments. Those types of reasoning were reconstructed based on Johnson's six types of reasoning suggested in 2010. The content is dealt with in 'Mathematics II' textbook developed and published according to the mathematics curriculum revised in 2009. The subject of this study is nine types of textbooks and mathematical problems in the textbook are consisted of as two parts of 'general problem' and 'evaluation problem'. Finally, the results of this study can be summarized as follow: First, it is stated that students be establishing a logical justification activity, the highest reasoning activity through dealing with the 'Developing Arguments' type of problems affluently in both 'Set and Statement' and 'Sequence' chapters of Mathematics II textbook. Second, it is mentioned that students have an chance to investigate conjectures and develop logical arguments in 'Set and Statement' chapter of Mathematics II textbook. In particular, whereas they have an chance to investigate conjectures and also develop arguments in 'Statement', the 'Set' chapter is given only an opportunity of developing arguments. Third, students are offered on an opportunity of reasoning that can make conjectures and develop logical arguments in 'Sequences' chapter of Mathematics II textbook. Fourth, Mathematics II textbook are geared to do activities that could evaluate arguments while dealing with the problems relevant to 'mathematical process' included in 'general problem'.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.137-154
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• 2012

Approximation' is one of central conceptions in calculus. A basic conception for explaining 'approximation' is 'tangent', and 'tangent' is a 'line' with special condition. In this study, we will study pedagogically these mathematical knowledge on the ground of a viewpoint on the teaching of secondary geometry, and in connection with these we will suggest the teaching program and the chief end for the probable teaching. For this, we will examine point, line, circle, straight line, tangent line, approximation, and drive meaningfully mathematical knowledge for algebraic operation through the process translating from the above into analytic geometry. And we will construct the stream line of mathematical knowledge for approximation from a view of modern mathematics. This study help mathematics teachers to promote the pedagogical content knowledge, and to provide the basis for development of teaching model guiding the mathematical knowledge. Moreover, this study help students to recognize that mathematics is a systematic discipline and school mathematics are activities constructed under a fixed purpose.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.105-129
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• 2016

The elements of mathematical processes include mathematical reasoning, mathematical problem-solving, and mathematical communications. Proportion reasoning is a kind of mathematical reasoning which is closely related to the ratio and percent concepts. Proportion reasoning is the essence of primary mathematics, and a basic mathematical concept required for the following more-complicated concepts. Therefore, the study aims to analyze the proportion reasoning ability of sixth graders of primary school who have already learned the ratio and percent concepts. To allow teachers to quickly recognize and help students who have difficulty solving a proportion reasoning problem, this study analyzed the characteristics and patterns of proportion reasoning of sixth graders of primary school. The purpose of this study is to provide implications for learning and teaching of future proportion reasoning of higher levels. In order to solve these study tasks, proportion reasoning problems were developed, and a total of 22 sixth graders of primary school were asked to solve these questions for a total of twice, once before and after they learned the ratio and percent concepts included in the 2009 revised mathematical curricula. Students' strategies and levels of proportional reasoning were analyzed by setting up the four different sections and classifying and analyzing the patterns of correct and wrong answers to the questions of each section. The results are followings; First, the 6th graders of primary school were able to utilize various proportion reasoning strategies depending on the conditions and patterns of mathematical assignments given to them. Second, most of the sixth graders of primary school remained at three levels of multiplicative reasoning. The most frequently adopted strategies by these sixth graders were the fraction strategy, the between-comparison strategy, and the within-comparison strategy. Third, the sixth graders of primary school often showed difficulty doing relative comparison. Fourth, the sixth graders of primary school placed the greatest concentration on the numbers given in the mathematical questions.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.241-255
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• 2017

The 4th industrial revolution is coming. In order to prepare for the new learning environment with it, we may need digital mathematics textbooks that fully utilize all possible technologies. So various attempts have been made in elementary and middle school mathematics education. However, despite the importance of higher mathematics, we haven't seen a best possible math digital textbooks yet in Korea. In this paper, we introduce our new model of interactive math digital textbook about Linear Algebra/ Calculus/ Differential Equations/ Statistics/ Engineering Math. Especially, this manuscript focuses on our experience of using digital contents and interactive labs for developing a new model for linear algebra digital textbook. We introduce our works on linear algebra digital textbooks which include pdf e-book, web contents, video clips of lectures, interactive lab. Using this linear algebra digital textbook, students can freely use any mobile devices to access diverse learning materials, lessons, and hands-on exercises without any limitations. Also, times saved in the computation, coding, and typing process can be used to have more discussions for deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. This type of linear algebra digital textbook, which contains all interactive free cyber-lab with codes and all lectures for each sections, can be considered as a new model for the next generation of math digital textbook.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.177-203
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• 2012

The purpose of this research was to look at whether small group drawing activities can be applied to learning content that combine mathematics and art, by analyzing the changes in $10^{th}$ grade students' interests in mathematics and particular features of their strategic thinking that were reflected in small group drawing activities using graphs and inequations. The results of the study are as follows: 1. The small group drawing activity using graphs and inequations demonstrated that students interests in mathematics could experience positive changes. 2. The small group drawing activity using graphs and inequations was effective in stimulating the students' strategic thinking skills, which are higher level thinking activities necessary for creating problem solving. As the students went through the whole process of accomplishing a complete goal, the students engaged in integrated thinking activities that brought understandings of basic graphs and inequations together, and were also found to use such higher level thinking functions needed in achieving creative problem solving such as critical thinking, flexible thinking, development-oriented thinking, and inferential thinking. 3. The small group drawing activity using graphs and in equations could be expected to constitute learning content that integrate mathematics and art, and is an effective solution in boosting students' strengths in mathematics by way of activities that consider students' unique cognitive and qualitative peculiarities and through integration with art.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.509-523
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• 2005

This study empirically examines motivations of entering college of education and academic problems that pre-service teachers encounter under the curricular activities. We analyze the phenomena of professional development under the four categories: motivation toward entering college of education, pedagogical content knowledge, subject matter knowledge and future vision. We conducted survey for the S university students first and interviewed 3 selected participants. Almost 50 students from college of education participated answering to the surveys. Using SPSS package, there was no significant difference between freshmen, sophomore and junior students in any category Male students responded more positively than female students in all the categories. To explore survey results deeply, we selected 3 students from sophomore and junior levels and 2 extra senior students to conduct interviews. The interpretation of the data described how their academic problems unfold partly because they seek another major and how their professional development take place carrying out practicum activities. Most of the interviewees felt that their academic lives were affected motivations of entering college of education and difficulties of studying subject matter knowledge. At the end, several suggestions are added for future research.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.113-137
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• 2015

The objective of the present study is to systematically examine the effects of on the cognitive and affective domains of elementary, middle, and high school students by conducting a meta-analysis. To this end, this study selected 31 research papers that had analyzed the effects of applying, and performed a meta-analysis of the findings presented in each research paper. The results obtained from the meta-analysis are presented as follows. First, both the collaborative learning program and the peer tutoring program for underachieving students in math manifested an above average size of effect in the cognitive domain. In particular, the effect was the greatest at the elementary school level, and out of the two programs, peer tutoring was identified to have a sizable effect. Second, both programs displayed an above average size of effect in the affective domain, and peer tutoring was identified to have a higher effect than collaborative learning. In addition, when the programs were compared based on school levels, the size of effect was highest at the elementary school level followed by middle school and high school, in that order. When compared based on the criteria of the affective domain, self-efficacy in math, learners' attitude toward math, and learners' interest in math were identified to. Finally, this study presented suggestions for teaching underachieving students in math and conducting follow-up studies based on the analysis results.