• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.309-327
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• 2003

In this paper, we deal with the teaching of algebra in the elementary school mathematics, and call this algebra teaching method as ‘early algebra’. Early algebra is appeared in the 1980's with the discussion of ‘algebraic thinking’. And many studies about early algebra is in progress since 1990's. These studies aims at reducing difficulties in the teaching of algebra and the development of algebra curriculum. We investigate the background of early algebra, and justify teaching of early algebra. Also we examine the projects and studies in progress around the world. Finally through these discussions, we compare our elementary textbooks with early algebra, and verify the characters of early algebra from our arithmetic curriculum.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.453-475
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• 2007

School algebra starts with introducing algebraic expressions which have been one of the cognitive obstacles to the students in the transfer from arithmetic to algebra. In the recent studies on the teaching school algebra, algebraic thinking is getting much more attention together with algebraic expressions. In this paper, we examined the processes of the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and ways for teaching early algebra through algebraic thinking factors. Issues about algebraic thinking have continued since 1980's. But the theoretic foundations for algebraic thinking have not been founded in the previous studies. In this paper, we analyzed the algebraic thinking in school algebra from historico-genetic, epistemological, and symbolic-linguistic points of view, and identified algebraic thinking factors, i.e. the principle of permanence of formal laws, the concept of variable, quantitative reasoning, algebraic interpretation - constructing algebraic expressions, trans formational reasoning - changing algebraic expressions, operational senses - operating algebraic expressions, substitution, etc. We also identified these algebraic thinking factors through analyzing mathematics textbooks of elementary and middle school, and showed the middle school students' low achievement relating to these factors through the algebraic thinking ability test. Based upon these analyses, we argued that the readiness for algebra learning should be made through the processes including algebraic thinking factors in the elementary school and that the transfer from arithmetic to algebra should be accomplished naturally through the pre-algebra course. And we searched for alternative ways to improve algebra curriculums, emphasizing algebraic thinking factors. In summary, we identified the problems of school algebra relating to the transfer from arithmetic to algebra with the problem of teaching algebraic thinking and analyzed the algebraic thinking factors of school algebra, and searched for alternative ways for improving the transfer from arithmetic to algebra and the teaching of early algebra.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.99-114
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• 2009

Although they are interested in Linear Algebra not only in science and engineering but also in humanities and sociology recently, a study of teaching linear algebra is not relatively abundant because linear algebra was taken as basic course in colleges just for 20-30 years. However, after establishing The Linear Algebra Curriculum Study Group in January, 1990, a variety of attempts to improve teaching linear algebra have been emerging. This article looks into series of studies related with teaching matrix. For this the method for teaching the concepts of matrix in relation to historico-genetic principle looking through the process of the conceptual development of matrix-determinants, matrix-systems of linear equations and linear transformation.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.129-148
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• 2014

In this study, we examined the relationships among years of teaching experience, professional rank, number of courses taken, and knowledge of algebra for teaching (KAT). 338 in-service and 376 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers in China completed a KAT questionnaire. Various statistical techniques were employed to examine these relationships. The pre-service participants teachers performed statistically significantly higher in advanced mathematics knowledge than their in-service counterparts. Among the inservice teachers, senior teachers had scored higher in school mathematics and teaching mathematics, compared with junior teachers. Yet participants' advanced mathematics knowledge decreased as their professional rank advanced or their teaching experience increased. The number of courses taken has significantly positive correlation with school mathematics knowledge and advanced mathematics knowledge. The implications of these findings for mathematics teacher education are discussed.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.353-369
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• 2002

In this paper, we deal with the teaching of the approaching to algebra based on patterns. The change of algebra curriculum has been undergoing in many countries including USA, England, Australia. The traditional algebra curriculum starts with letters(variables), algebraic expressions, and equations. But these formal approaching method has many difficulties in teaching school algebra. Therefore the new algebra curriculum has to be needed, and the approaching to algebra based on patterns has been focused. In this paper, we compare this new approaching to algebra based on patterns to the traditional algebra curriculum. Next we consider the NCTM algebra curriculums based on Standards (1989) and Standards 2000(2000), Britannica textbook series(1998) based on RME. Also we investigate our pattern approaching in our curriculum and discuss some problems from the perspective of the approaching to algebra based on patterns.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 2004

University teachers of linear algebra often feel annoyed and disarmed when faced with the inability of their students to cope with concepts that they consider to be very simple. Usually, they lay the blame on the impossibility for the students to use geometrical intuition or the lack of practice in basic logic and set theory. J.-L. Dorier [(2002): Teaching Linear Algebra at University. In: T. Li (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians (Beijing: August 20-28, 2002), Vol. III: Invited Lectures (pp. 875-884). Beijing: Higher Education Press] mentioned that the situation could not be improved substantially with the teaching of Cartesian geometry or/and logic and set theory prior to the linear algebra. In East Asian countries, science-orientated mathematics curricula of the high schools consist of calculus with many other materials. To understand differential and integral calculus efficiently or for other reasons, students have to learn a lot of content (and concepts) in linear algebra, such as ordered pairs, n-tuple numbers, planar and spatial coordinates, vectors, polynomials, matrices, etc., from an early age. The content of linear algebra is spread out from grades 7 to 12. When the high school teachers teach the content of linear algebra, however, they do not concern much about the concepts of content. With small effort, teachers can help the students to build concepts of vocabularies and languages of linear algebra.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2003

In linear algebra course, the theory of vector space is usually presented in a very formal setting, which causes severe difficulties to many students. In this study, the effect of teaching the theory of vector space in linear algebra from the geometrical point of view on students' learning was investigated. It was found that the teaching of the theory of vector space in linear algebra from the geometrical point of view increases the meaningful loaming since it increases the visualization.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.355-392
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• 2013

Generally school algebra is to start with introducing variables and algebraic expressions, which have major cognitive obstacles to students in the transfer from arithmetic to algebra. But the recent studies in the teaching school algebra argue the algebraic thinking from an early algebraic point of view. We compare the Korean elementary mathematics textbooks with Americans from this perspective. First, we discuss the history of school algebra in the school curriculum. And Second, we investigate the recent studies in relation to early algebra. We clarify the goals of this study(the importance of early algebra in the elementary school) through these discussions. Next we examine closely the number sense in the arithmetic and the symbol sense in the algebra. And we conclude that the operation sense can connect these senses within early algebra using the algebraic thinking. Finally, we compare the elementary mathematics books between Korean and American according to the components of the operation sense. In this comparative study, we identify a possibility of teaching algebraic thinking in the elementary mathematics and early algebra can be introduced to the elementary mathematics textbooks from aspects of the operation sense.

• 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.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.481-501
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• 2003

The main purpose of this work is to propose programs of algebra courses for the department of mathematics education of teacher training universities. Set Theory, Linear Algebra, Number Theory, Abstract Algebra I, Abstract Algebra II, and Philosophy of Mathematics for School Teachers are discussed in this article.