• The Mathematical Education
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.169-180
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to analyze the elementary students' mathematical thinking, which is found during mathematical problem solving processes based on mathematical knowledge, heuristics, control, and mathematical disposition. The participants were 8 fifth grade elementary students in Seoul. A qualitative case study was used for investigating the students' mathematical thinking. The data were coded according to the four components of the students' mathematical thinking. The results of the analyses concerning mathematical thinking of the elementary students were as follows: First, in terms of mathematical knowledge, the elementary students frequently used conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge and informal knowledge during problem solving processes. Second, students tended not to find new heuristics or apply new one, but they only used the heuristics acquired from the experiences of the class and prior experiences. Third, control was found while students were solving problems. Last, mathematical disposition influenced on the mathematical problem solving processes. Teachers need to in-depth observations on the problem solving processes of students, which leads to teachers'effective assistance on facilitating students' problem solving skills.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.565-584
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• 2009

This study is aimed at providing the theoretical framework of characteristics of mathematical thinking processes and structuring the thinking process patterns of the mathematical gifted students through the analysis of their cognitive thinking processes. For this purpose, this study is trying to analyze characteristics of mathematical thinking processes of the mathematical gifted students in an objective and a systematic way, by using think-aloud method. For comparative study, the analysis framework with the use of the thinking characteristic code as a content-oriented method and the problem-solving processes code as a process-oriented method was developed, and the differences of thinking characteristics between the two groups chosen by the coding system which represented the subjects' thinking processes in the form of the language protocol through thinking-aloud method were compared and analyzed.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.44 no.1 s.108
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• pp.87-101
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• 2005

The purpose of this paper is to propose a teaching method which is focused on the mathematical thinking skills such as the use of induction, counter example, analogy, and so on mathematicians use when they explore their research fields. Many have indicated that students have learned mathematics exploring to use very different methods mathematicians have done and suggested students explore as they do. In the first part of the paper, the plausible whole processes from the beginning time they get a rough idea to a refined mathematical truth. In the second part, an example with Euler characteristic of 1. In the third, explaining the same processes with ${\pi}$, a model modified from the processes is designed. It is hoped that the suggested model, focused on a variety of mathematical thinking, helps students learn mathematics with understanding and with the association of exploring entertainment.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.545-562
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• 2009

This study is trying to analyze characteristics of mathematical thinking processes of the mathematical gifted students in an objective and a systematic way, by using "Protocol Analysis Method"and "Problem Behavior Graph" which is suggested by Newell and Simon as a qualitative analysis. In this study, four middle school students with high achievement in math were selected as subjects-two students for mathematical gifted group and the other two for control group also with high scores in math. The thinking characteristics of the four subjects, shown in the course of solving problems, were elicited, analyzed and compared, through the use of the creative test questionnaires which were supposed to clearly reveal the characteristics of mathematical gifted students' thinking processes. The results showed that there were several differences between the two groups-the mathematical gifted student group and their control group in their mathematical talents. From these case studies, we could say that it is significant to find out the characteristics of mathematical thinking processes of the mathematical gifted students in a more scientific way, in the sense that this result can be very useful to provide them with the chances to get more proper education by making clear the nature of thinking processes of the mathematical gifted students.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.75-94
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• 2015

The main purpose of this study was to examine the various aspects of logico-mathematical thinking and its development by observing a block building activity undertaken by infants and toddlers. The subjects comprised 73 young children from between the ages of 12- to 41-months-old. The interviewee was individually asked to build "something tall", making use of 20 blocks. The results of this study were, first, a regular increase by age is seen in congruence, the vertical use of flat blocks, and innovative ways of using triangular blocks. Second, many types of logico-mathematical thinking processes, such as classification, seriation, spatial relationship and temporal relationship, were shown during the block building activities on the part of the 12- to 41-months-olds who took part in this study.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.35-53
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to analyze and confirm the effectiveness of two teacher-centered instruction methods in the context of linear functions: one with emphasis on mathematical thinking processes as an alternative to the more traditional method without such emphasis. The level of achievement of students under the teacher-centered instruction with explicit emphasis on mathematical thinking processes is consistently higher than that of students receiving the more traditional teacher-centered instruction. The alternative instruction method in the current study is expected to encourage and prompt students to better grasp and understand mathematical concepts, principles, as well as problem solving strategies. In contrast to other alternatives, the method offers the advantage of being readily incorporated into the actual teaching practices in the classroom, as the traditional frame of teacher-centered pedagogy familiar to teachers remains in tact.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.19-41
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• 2013

What is the foundation of mathematical thinking? Is it logic based symbolic language system? or does it rely more on mental imagery and visuo-spatial abilities? What kind of neural changes happen if someone's mathematical abilities improve through practice? To answer these questions, basic cognitive processes including long term memory, working memory, visuo-spatial perception, number processes are considered through neuropsychological outcomes. Neuronal changes following development and practices are inspected and we can show there are neural networks critical for the mathematical thinking and development: prefrontal-anterior cingulate-parietal network. Through these inquiry, we can infer the answer to our question.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-65
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• 2010

Open-ended problems can foster deeper understanding of mathematical ideas, generating creative thinking and communication in students. High-order thinking tasks such as open-ended problems involve more ambiguity and higher level of personal risks for students than they are normally exposed to in routine problems. To explore the classroom-based factors that could support or inhibit such higher-order processes, this paper also describes two cases of Singapore primary school teachers who have successfully or unsuccessfully implemented an open-ended problem in their mathematics lessons.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2013

It is the first time that there is a subject, advanced mathematics in the 2009 revised high school curriculum. Therefore it is posing a challenge to the teachers who are teaching it. At the advanced level, it is important for learners to reflect on their mental mathematical activities. This research analysed pre-service secondary teachers' reflective thinking in solving the tasks specific for the teaching and learning of polar coordinates. We report how and through what process mathematical tasks that can create disequilibrium for pre-service secondary teachers enable reflective thinking and expand preservice secondary teachers' thoughts and recognition of defining reflective thinking in looking back on one's problem solving and thinking processes.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.647-672
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• 2003

This study sought to determine the impact of the graphing calculator on prospective math-teachers' mathematical thinking while they engaged in the exploratory tasks. To understand students' thinking processes, two groups of three students enrolled in the college of education program participated in the study and their performances were audio-taped and described in the observers' notebooks. The results indicated that the prospective teachers got the clues in recalling the prior memory, adapting the algebraic knowledge to given problems, and finding the patterns related to data, to solve the tasks based on inductive, deductive, and creative thinking. The graphing calculator amplified the speed and accuracy of problem-solving strategies and resulted partly in students' progress to the creative thinking by their concept development.