• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.207-216
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• 2012

Through quantitative video analysis of four algebra classes and statistical analysis of various types of teacher evaluation behavior in the classroom teaching, we get: (1) Teacher evaluation behavior in classroom is close to take 1/5 of the total time of the classroom teaching, and it appears most frequently in class exercises and take the longest time; (2) There are many forms of teacher evaluation behavior in classroom, and most of the behaviors are positive assessment; (3) Recognition evaluation is relatively conservative in a single form without losing fairness; (4) Classroom assessments of teachers' behaviors are primarily concerned about students' knowledge and skills mastery, and it is less involved in student feelings, attitudes and behaviors; (5) The correct teacher evaluation behavior in classroom will inspire students to create internal motivations; and (6) The correct teacher evaluation behavior in classroom can stimulate the potential of students.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.197-208
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• 2011

By using the recording and quantitative analysis of two videos about "The multiplication and division of the Fractions" and the "Flanders Interaction Analysis System," we classified the teachers' language of instruction in algebra classroom and also analysis the language of instruction in the different teaching process. The results after the analysis as follows: (1) The proportion of time was taken in teachers' language of instruction is high and vary in types, most of the teachers' language is teachers' question; (2) In the different teaching process, the proportion of time was taken in teachers' language of instruction is different; (3) Teachers attached importance to explain the example and had the similar teaching strategy, but the teachers' language is different; (4) In the practice process, teachers placed importance on exploring the tough question and its teaching strategies are different. The teachers' questions are the main teachers' language of instruction.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2020

The effectiveness of mathematics classroom teaching is directly affected by the teaching language. Comparing the teaching language of a novice teacher in algebra instruction with an expert teacher from the perspective of pragmatics, it comes to a conclusion that: both teachers attach great importance to the use of the teaching language, with the proportion of the teaching language time more than 50%; the novice teacher uses the affirmative language frequently, twice as often as the expert teacher; the declarative language the novice teacher uses in the exploration is mostly to repeat students' answer, which takes up a short time; the novice teacher uses the teaching language too much in the consolidation, which causes fewer opportunities for students to think. Then we get the following revelations: streamline the teaching language and control the time of the teaching language reasonably; make good use of the affirmative language to provide students hints and necessary time for thinking; avoid simple restatement of the student's answer and use the declarative language ingeniously to improve the feedback quality; use the teaching language appropriately to help students accumulate basic experience in mathematics activities.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2014

Research shows that formative assessment has a more powerful effect on student learning than summative assessment. This case study of an 8th grade algebra classroom focuses on how the implementation of Formative Assessment Lessons (FALs) and the participation in teacher learning communities related to FALs changed in the teacher's instructional practices, over the course of a year, to promote students' mathematical reasoning and justification. Two classroom observations are analyzed to identify how the teacher elicited and built on students' mathematical reasoning, and how the teacher prompted students to respond to and develop one another's mathematical ideas. Findings show that the teacher solicited students' reasoning more often as the academic year progressed, and students also began developing mathematical reasoning in meaningful ways, such as articulating their mathematical thinking, responding to other students' reasoning, and building on those ideas leading by the teacher. However, findings also show that teacher change in teaching practices is complicated and intertwined with various dimensions of teacher development. This study contributes to the understanding of changes in teaching practices, which has significant implications for teacher professional development and frameworks for investigating teacher learning.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1131-1148
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• 2009

Algebra is one of the important subjects that not only mathematics but many science major students should know at least at the elementary level. Unfortunately abstract algebra, specially, is seen as an extremely difficult course to learn. One reason of difficulties is because of its very abstract nature, and the other is due to the lecture method that simply telling students about mathematical contents. In this paper we study about the teaching and learning abstract algebra in universities in corporation of a programming language such as ISETL. ISETL is a language whose syntax closely imitates that of mathematics. In asking students to read and write code in ISETL before they learn in class, we observe that students can much understand and construct formal statements that express a precise idea. We discuss about the classroom activities that may help students to construct and internalize mathematical ideas, and also discuss about some barriers we might overcome.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2001

The world we live in is called the age of information. Thus communication and computers are doing the central role in it. When one studies the mathematical problem, the use of tools such as computers, calculators and technology is available for all students, and then students are actively engaged in reasoning, communicating, problem solving, and making connections with mathematics, between mathematics and other disciplines. The use of technology extends to include computer algebra systems, spreadsheets, dynamic geometry software and the Internet and help active learning of students by analyzing data and realizing mathematical models visually. In this paper, we explain concepts of transformation, linear transformation, congruence transformation and homothety, and introduce interesting, meaningful and visual models for teaching of a plane transformation geomeoy which are obtained by using Mathematica. Moreover, this study will show how to visualize linear transformation for student's better understanding in teaching a plane transformation geometry in classroom. New development of these kinds of teaching-learning methods can simulate student's curiosity about mathematics and their interest. Therefore these models will give teachers the active teaching and also give students the successful loaming for obtaining the concept of linear transformation.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.249-262
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• 2010

Large Midwest university faculty members proposed the Science and Technology Enhancement Program Project (STEP) to improve students' learning in the secondary mathematics classroom using modules of inquiry-based teaching. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the STEP Project on students' attitude toward mathematics. Hierarchical linear models (HLM) were used to evaluate the impact of the STEP Project. The sample group for the study was 130 ninth grade students enrolled in Integrated Algebra I in a large urban school district. The school was one of eight secondary schools that participated in the STEP Project. The classes in the treatment group were three of five classes ordered in terms of the highest, middle, and lowest mean GPA. The control group consisted of two other middle GPA classes. The classes had an average of 25 students. Teachers who previously had been involved in the STEP Project taught all treatment and control classes. The inquiry-based teaching activities provided by the project were confined to the treatment classes. The survey measuring students' attitudes toward mathematics were obtained for both groups of students. The inquiry-based teaching affected students' attitudes toward mathematics (p < 0.07, ES = 3.07). Especially, students who had preexisting low attitudes toward mathematics were significantly affected by treatment (p < 0.02, ES = 0.02), while the treatment positively affected African American students overall at p < 0.08 (ES = 0.58).

• School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.139-154
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• 2008

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate how sixth grade elementary school students react to the types of letters use, what levels of understanding letters students are in and what difficulties are in understanding letters, and to raise issues about instructional methods of algebra. A descriptive study through pencil-and- paper tests was conducted. The test instruments consisted of 18 questions with 6 types of letters use. According to the results of testing, students' types of letter use and the levels of understanding letters were classified. The conclusions from the results of this study were as follows: First, the higher the types of letters use, the more sixth grade elementary school students had low scores on the types. Therefore, teaching methodologies of letters and expressions in the classroom need to encourage for students to improve their ability of using and understanding letter. Second, approximately 40% of students were categorized in level 3. Accordingly it is necessary to have a program of teaching and learning to improve their understanding levels of letters. Third, approximately 15% of students were categorized in level 0. In order to develop understanding of letters, it is important that students use letter evaluated and letter used as an object. Fourth, students had the difficulties in understanding letters. It is informative for teachers to understand these students' difficulties and thinking processes. Finally, we must treat the different uses of letters and introduce them successively according to the student's understanding levels of letters.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.177-193
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to explore normal distribution in probability distributions of the area of statistics in high school mathematics. To do this these contents such as approximation of normal distribution from binomial distribution, investigation of normal distribution curve and the area under its curve through the method of Monte Carlo, linear transformations of normal distribution curve, and various types of normal distribution curves are explored with CAS calculator. It will not be ablt to be attained for the objectives suggested the area of probability distribution in a paper-and-pencil classroom environment from the perspectives of tools of CAS calculator such as trivialization, experimentation, visualization, and concentration. Thus, this study is to explore various properties of normal distribution curve with CAS calculator and derive from pedagogical implications of teaching and learning normal distribution curve.