• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.57-72
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• 2007

Recently, dissection puzzles such as pentominoes have been used in mathematics education. But they are not actively applicable as a tool of problem solving or introducing mathematical concepts since researches about the historical background and developments of mathematical applications of such puzzles have not been effectively accomplished. In this article, in order to use pentominoes in mathematical teaming effectively, we first investigate geometric problems related to dissection puzzles and the historic background of development of pentominoes. And then we collect and classify data related to pentomino activities which can be applicable to mathematics classes based on the 7th elementary school national curriculum. Finally, we suggest several basic materials and directions to develop more systematic learning materials about pentominoes.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.283-291
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• 2008

The extension to a wide population of secondary education in many advanced countries seems to have led to a weakening of the mathematics curriculum. In response, many students have been classified as "gifted" so that they can access a stronger program. Apart from the difficulties that might arise in actually determining which students are gifted (Is it always clear what the term means?), there are dangers inherent in programs that might be devised even for those that are truly talented. Sometimes students are moved ahead to more advanced mathematics. Elementary students might be taught algebra or even subjects like trigonometry and vectors, and secondary students might be taught calculus, differential equations and linear algebra. It is my experience over thirty-five years of contact with bright students that acceleration to higher level mathematics is often not a good idea. In this paper, I will articulate some of the factors that have led me to this opinion and suggest alternatives. First, I would like to emphasize that in matters of education, almost every statement that can be made to admit counterexamples; my opinion on acceleration is no exception. Occasionally, a young Gauss or Euler walks in the door, and one has no choice but to offer the maximum encouragement and allow the student to go to the limit of his capabilities. A young genius can demonstrate an incredible amount of mathematical insight, maturity and mastery of technique. A classical example is probably the teen-age Euler, who in the 1720s was allowed regular audiences with Jean Bernoulli, the foremost mathematician of his day.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2013

'Sentence posing' is newly given in the third through sixth grade mathematics textbooks of the revised 2007 curriculum to confirm students' understanding on mathematical concepts of definitions. In this paper, we discuss the role of the sentence posing in the third grade mathematics textbooks on the basis of the problems occurred in third graders' sentence posing activities. Overall, it turned out that the role of the sentence posing was somewhat restrictive. Hence the sentence posing needs to be applied to check whether students can properly use the definitions in real life situations. In addition, it is necessary to employ the present role of the sentence posing to confirm students' understanding on mathematical concepts of definitions selectively according to the concepts of definitions.

• School Mathematics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-43
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• 2010

In this article the conceptual meaning of expression, equation and identity used in Korean mathematics textbooks and American mathematics textbooks is compared and discussed. For this purpose definitions and examples in several mathematics textbooks which are used in Korean elementary school, the 1st grade of middle school and American middle school are investigated. It is founded out that at first there are some parts that give rise to misunderstanding and then there are differences between the Korean terminologies and their corresponding English counterparts. The definitions of expression, equation and identity are advised to examine in the view of middle mathematics curriculum.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.65-84
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the contents and designs of the developed 22 teaching and programs for the gifted students in elementary mathematics. The focus of the analysis were the participants and the characteristics of the contents, and were to reflect them on the areas of the 7th elementary mathematics curriculum and Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model. The results of the study as follows: First, the programs for the low grade gifted students are very few compared to those of the high grade students. For earlier development of the young gifted students, we need to develop more programs for the young gifted students. Second, there are many programs in the area of geometry, whereas few programs are developed in the area of measurement. We need to develop programs in the various areas such as measurement, probability and statistics, and patterns and representations. Third, most programs do not follow the steps of the Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model, and the frequency of appearance of the steps are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd enrichments, sequentially. We need to develop hierarchical programs in which the sequency and relations are well orchestrated. Fourth, the frequency of appearance is as follows as sequentially: types of exploration of topics, creative problem solving, using materials, project types, and types of games and puzzles. In the development of structure of the program, the following factors should be considered: name of the chapter, overview of the chapter, objectives, contents by steps, evaluation, reading materials, and extra materials.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.285-295
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• 2013

In this study I examine the definitions of terms related to ratio and rate from 5, 6, 7th revised elementary school math textbooks to discuss the improvements and the remained problems in 2007 curriculum textbook. Next, I make the alternative definitions of the terms, 'biyoul', the value of 'bi', and 'baekboonyul' by re-establishing the relations between them. Finally, I point out that those problems are intrinsic to the attempt of the textbook to introduce the terms related to ratio with little consideration for the mathematical meaning of ratio as a equivalence class.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.165-180
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• 2014

This study analyzed in what ways the instructional materials have been dealing with the fraction as quotient, since the seventh national mathematics curriculum. An analysis of this study urged us to re-consider the content related to the fraction as quotient. First, the fraction as quotient has weakened in the current mathematics textbooks and workbooks in comparison to those developed under the previous curriculum. Second, the contexts of whole number division taught in grades 3 and 4 were not naturally connected to those of the fraction as quotient taught in grade 5. Third, the types of word problems, visual models, and partitioning strategies in the textbooks and the workbooks were partial, and the process of formalization was limited. Building on these results, this study is expected to suggest specific implications which may be taken into account in developing new instructional materials in process.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

Though science and technology are evolving rapidly in recent years, the traditional science education has limits for students to be satisfied their interests and needs because they couldn't follow these speeds. STEAM as a education integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics has strengths of increasing interests and understandings in science and technology and improving integrated thinking and problem solving ability for leaners. In this study we analyze the elementary school curriculum and construct physics learning based on STEAM and develop a android application to increase interests in science and improve problem solving ability. In the future, we need to analyze and develop the curriculum and contents for the STEAM education.

• Journal of Korea Game Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2006

This study is aimed to develop adventure-game style learning program for offering different levels curriculum in mathematics and figure areas in elementary schools. The 7th mathematics curriculum introduced different levels curriculum considering learners' ability, aptitude, requirement, interest so that it could improve learners' growth potential and educational efficiency. But in reality, it is quite difficult to increase educational efficiency by conducting individual learning classes according to students' ability due to the big differences among students' levels in addition to high population in each classroom. The purpose of this study is to offer different levels curriculum based on van Hiele theory and develop adventure-game style learning program to increase interests of the learners. This program can improve students' academic achievement by offering differentiated curriculums to learners who need advanced or supplementary learning materials. And it also enhances leaners' spatial-perceptual ability by offering various operating activities in figures learning.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.471-489
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• 2012

2007 Curriculum Revision adopted new Inquiry Activities in mathematical textbooks. So it is critical to analyze the problems of actual application of Inquiry activities in the classrooms. For this purpose, we analyzed the Inquiry activities of Measurement Area of the textbooks and find the appropriate solutions. Secondly, we develop the reorganization materials to fix and solve the existing problems found in the previous problem analysis, and apply the development materials and examine the effects afterwards. The results of the survey indicated that most of teachers are well aware of the importance of Inquiry Activities. However, many teachers answered that Inquiry activities does contain neither diverse strategic approaches nor solutions accommodating with various learning levels of students. The most difficult points to educate Inquiry Activities are that it is difficult to teach students based on individual learning level and that activities consist of mainly short answers that makes it difficult to do in-depth Inquiry Activities. Analyzing Inquiry Activities in the textbook shows that Inquiry Activities in some chapters were constructed as simple sentence questions or presented with the solving process in the questions themselves. The following application classes were implemented by partially taking advantage of the newly developed reorganization materials. Then, the effects were measured by before and after questionnaires, the survey to teachers, and the results of activities. The reorganization materials were effective at arousing the curiosity from students as well as enabling the natural ability-level driven classes.