• The Mathematical Education
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.285-308
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• 2011

The objective of this study is to review how researches on mathematics education are being conducted currently in Korea and overseas and to examine the current state of domestic researches on mathematics education from a broader view. Although many efforts have been made to understand trends in researches on mathematics education, there have been few in depth studies on research trends in overseas or for comparison between domestic and overseas trends. Thus, this study classified and analyzed 181 domestic articles between 2005 and 2009 in the journals and and 201 overseas articles in the journals and according to year, research area, research contents, school level, research method, and key words using the PME classification system with some modification. Through these analysis, we examined research trends on secondary mathematics education in Korea and overseas. The research findings are as follows. First, 'teaching learning process' was a spotlight area both at home and overseas, and 'realistic mathematics' and 'social cultural subjects' were not covered much either at home or overseas. 'Mathematical communication' occupied a very small portion in Korea but was a highly interesting area in overseas research. Second, research contents of interest were different between Korea and overseas. Research on general area was the mainstream. But geometry and statistics were mainly studied in Korea and algebra and analysis in overseas. Third, research related to middle school was twice more than that related to high school in Korea, But, research related to middle school was the same as high school in overseas. Fourth, qualitative research was the absolute majority both at home and overseas, and philosophical didactical analysis was used only in Korea. Fifth, the order of key words were problem solving - teacher - curriculum - creativity - textbook in Korea, but teacher - teaching - semiotic - affective factor - proo f- problem solving - technology in overseas.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.505-522
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• 2005

In this article we studied the role of spreadsheet in teaching function and modeling activity by some examples and students' activity performed by the six 10th graders. We especially focused the role of spreadsheet in understanding of various kinds of functions and the families of functions, and in the explanation of the given modeling problem situations. The functions of automatic copy, graphic and the cell reference of spreadsheet can be used to make students observe the causes and effects of changes of the various kind of mathematical representations of functions such as algebraic formulas, tables and graphs. Especially those functions give students a chance to identify family of functions by changing the parameters and this may lead them to the discovery of mathematical facts. In modeling activities they play a key role in the stages of the analysis of the model, explanation of the results of model and conjecture of the real world situations. As well as they make students find the rules underlying in the real world by making spreadsheet as simulation environments, which are almost impossible to make in paper and pencil environments, and give them a chance to justify their findings using mathematics.

• 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.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.363-384
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• 2001

The purpose of this thesis is, through analysing the characteristics of the definitions in Korean school mathematics textbooks, to explore the levels of them and to make suggestions for definition - teaching as a mathematising activity, Definitions used in academic mathematics are rigorous. But they should be transformed into various types, which are presented in school mathematics textbooks, with didactical purposes. In this thesis we investigated such types of transformation. With the result of this investigation we tried to identify the levels of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. And in school mathematics textbooks there are definitions which carry out special functions in mathematical contexts or situations. We can say that we understand those definitions, only if we also understand the functions of definitions in those contexts or situations. In this thesis we investigated the cases in school mathematics textbooks, when such functions of definition are accompanied. With the result of this investigation we tried to make suggestions for definition-teaching as an intellectual activity. To begin with we considered definition from two aspects, methods of definition and functions of definition. We tried to construct, with consideration about methods of definition, frame for analysing the types of the definitions in school mathematics and search for a method for definition-teaching through mathematization. Methods of definition are classified as connotative method, denotative method, and synonymous method. Especially we identified that connotative method contains logical definition, genetic definition, relational definition, operational definition, and axiomatic definition. Functions of definition are classified as, description-function, stipulation-function, discrimination-function, analysis-function, demonstration-function, improvement-function. With these analyses we made a frame for investigating the characteristics of the definitions in school mathematics textbooks. With this frame we identified concrete types of transformations of methods of definition. We tried to analyse this result with van Hieles' theory about levels of geometry learning and the mathematical language levels described by Freudenthal, and identify the levels of definitions in school mathematics. We showed the levels of definitions in the geometry area of the Korean school mathematics. And as a result of analysing functions of definition we found that functions of definition appear more often in geometry than in algebra or analysis and that improvement-function, demonstration-function appear regularly after demonstrative geometry while other functions appear before demonstrative geometry. Also, we found that generally speaking, the functions of definition are not explained adequately in school mathematics textbooks. So it is required that the textbook authors should be careful not to miss an opportunity for the functional understanding. And the mathematics teachers should be aware of the functions of definitions. As mentioned above, in this thesis we analysed definitions in school mathematics, identified various types of didactical transformations of definitions, and presented a basis for future researches on definition teaching in school mathematics.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.49-70
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• 2002

There have recently been increasing exchanges between South and North Korea in many areas of society, involving politics, economics, culture, education. In response to these developments, research activities are more strongly demanded in each of these areas to help prepare for the final unification of the two parts of the nation. In the area of mathematics education, scholars have started to conduct comparative studies of mathematics education in South and North Korea. As a response to the growing demand of the time, in this thesis we compared the secondary mathematics education in South Korea with that in North Korea. To begin with, we examined the background of education, in North Korea, particularly predominant ideological, epistemological and teaching theoretical aspects of education in North Korea. Thereafter, we compared the mathematics curriculum of South Korea with that of North Korea. On the basis of these examinations, we compared the secondary school mathematics textbooks of South and North Korea, and we attempted to suggest a guideline for researches preparing for the unification of the mathematics curriculum of South and North Korea. As a communist society, North Korea awards the socialist ideology the supreme rank and treats all school subjects as instrumental tools that are subordinated to the dominant communist ideology. On the other hand, under the socialist ideology North Korea also emphasizes the achievement of the objective of socialist economic development by expanding the production of material wealth. As such, mathematics in North Korea is seen as a tool subject for training skilled technical hands and fostering science and technology, hence promoting the socialist material production and economic development. Hence, the mathematics education of North Korea adopts a so-called "awakening teaching method," and emphasizes the approaches that combine intuition with logical explanation using materials related with the ideology or actual life. These basic viewpoints of North Korea on mathematics education are different from those of South Korea, which emphasize the problem-solving ability and acquisition of academic mathematical knowledge, and which focus on organizing as well as discovering knowledge of learners' own accord. In comparison of the secondary school mathematics textbooks used in South and North Korea, we looked through external forms, contents, quantity of each area of school mathematics, viewpoints of teaching, and term. We have identified similarities in algebra area and differences in geometry area especially in teaching sequence and approaching method. Many differences are also found in mathematical terms. Especially, it is found that North Korea uses mathematical terms in Hangul more actively than South Korea. We examined the specific topics that are treated in both South and North Korea, "outer-center & inner-center of triangle" and "mathematical induction", and identified such differences more concretely. Through this comparison, it was found that the concrete heterogeneity in the textbooks largely derive from the differences in the basic ideological viewpoints between South and North Korea. On the basis of the above findings, we attempted to make some suggestions for the researches preparing for the unification in the area of secondary mathematics education.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.105-126
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• 2007

The present paper considers how to teach mathematical concepts. In particular, we aim to a balanced, unified achievement for three elements of concept loaming such as concept understanding, computation and application through one's mathematical intuition. In order to do this, we classify concepts into three patterns, that is, intuitive concepts, logical concepts and formal concepts. Such classification is based on three kinds of philosophy of mathematics : intuitionism, logicism, fomalism. We provide a concrete, practical investigation with important nine concepts in theory of vectors from the viewpoint of three patterns of concepts. As a consequence, we suggest certain solutions for an effective concept learning in teaching theory of vectors.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.145-165
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to suggest how to go about teaching and learning secondary school algebra by analyzing problem-solving ability and problem-solving process through algebraic reasoning. In doing this, 393 students' data were thoroughly analyzed after setting up the exam questions and analytic standards. As with the test conducted with technical school students, the students scored low achievement in the algebraic reasoning test and even worse the majority tried to answer the questions by substituting arbitrary numbers. The students with high problem-solving abilities tended to utilize conceptual strategies as well as procedural strategies, whereas those with low problem-solving abilities were more keen on utilizing procedural strategies. All the subject groups mentioned above frequently utilized equations in solving the questions, and when that utilization failed they were left with the unanswered questions. When solving algebraic reasoning questions, students need to be guided to utilize both strategies based on the questions.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2016

Patterns are of great significance to develop algebraic thinking of elementary students. This study analyzed teaching methods of patterns in current elementary mathematics textbook series in terms of three main activities related to pattern generalization (i.e., analyzing the structure of patterns, investigating the relationship between two variables, and reasoning and representing the generalized rules). The results of this study showed that such activities to analyze the structure of patterns are not explicitly considered in the textbooks, whereas those to explore the relationship between two variables in a pattern are emphasized throughout all grade levels using function table. The activities to reason and represent the generalized rules of patterns are dealt in a way both for lower grade students to use informal representations and for upper grade students to employ formal representations with expressions or symbols. The results of this study also illustrated that patterns in the textbooks are treated rather as a separate strand than as something connected to other content strands. This paper closes with several implications to teach patterns in a way to foster early algebraic thinking of elementary school students.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.203-219
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• 2010

Several studies have reported on how and what mathematically gifted students develop superior ability or creativity in geometry and algebra. However, there are lack of studies in probability area, though there are a few trials of probability education for mathematically gifted students. Moreover, less attention has paid to the strategies to develop gifted students' creativity. This study has drawn three teaching strategies for creativity development based on literature review embedding: cognitive conflict, multiple representations, and social interaction. We designed a series of tasks via reconstructing, so called Simpson's paradox to meet these strategies. The findings showed that the gifted students made Quite a bit of improvement in creativity while participating in reflective thinking and active discussion, doing internal and external connection, translating representations, and investigating basic assumption.