• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.67-90
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to understand students' thinking process in the algebra problem solving, on the base of the works of Vinner(1997a, 1997b). Thus, two middle school students were evaluated in this case study to examine how they think to solve algebra word problems. The following question was considered to analyze the thinking process from the similarity-based perspective by focusing on the process of solving algebra word problems; What is the relationship between similarity and the characteristics of thinking process at the time of successful and unsuccessful problem solving? The following results were obtained by analyzing the success or failure in problem solving based on the characteristics of thinking process and similarity composition. Successful problem solving can be based on pseudo-analytical thought and analytical thought. The former is the rule applied in the process of applying closed formulas that is constructed structural similarity not related with the situations described in the text. The latter means that control and correction occurred in all stages of problem solution. The knowledge needed for solutions was applied with the formulation of open-end formulas that is constructed structural similarity in which memory and modification with the related principles or concepts. In conclusion, the student's perception on the principles involved in a solution is very important in solving algebraic word problems.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.179-201
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze tasks reflected in Korean and US textbooks according to the mathematical modeling perspectives, and then to compare the diversity of learning opportunities given to students from both countries. For this, we analyzed mathematical modeling tasks of textbooks based on three aspects: mathematical modeling process, data, and expression. Results are as follows. First, with respect to modeling process, Korean textbook provides a high percentage of the task at all stages of modeling than US textbook. Second, with respect to data, both countries' textbooks have the highest percentage of matching task. Korean textbooks have a large gap in data characteristics by textbook. Third, with respect to expression, both countries' textbooks have the highest percentage of text and picture. Korean textbooks have a large gap in the type of expression than US textbooks, and some textbooks have no other expression except for text and picture. Fourth, tasks were analyzed by integrating the three features. The three features were not combined in various ways. It is necessary to diversify the integration of the three features.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.797-820
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• 2013

This study intended on analyzing the error patterns of mathematic problem posing sentences by the 100 elementary pre-teachers and discussing about the solutions. The results showed that the problem posing sentences have five error patterns: phonological error patterns, word error patterns, sentence error patterns, meaning error patterns, and notation error patterns. Divided into fourteen specific error patterns, they are as in the following. 1) Phonological error patterns are consisted of the 'ㄹ' addition error pattern and the abbreviated word error pattern. 2) Words error patterns are divided with the inappropriate usage of word error pattern and the inadequate abbreviation error pattern, which are formulized four subgroups such as the case maker, ending of the word, inappropriate usage of word, and inadequate abbreviation of article or word error pattern in detail. 3) Sentence error patterns are assumed four kinds of forms: the reference, ellipsis of sentence component, word order, and incomplete sentence error pattern. 4) Meaning error patterns are composed the logical contradiction and the ambiguous meaning. 5) Notation error patterns are formed four patterns as the spacing, punctuation, orthography of Hangul, and spelling rules of foreign words in Korean. Furthermore, the solutions for these error patterns were discussed: First, it has to be perceived the differences between spoken and written language. Second, it has to be rejected the spoken expressions in written contexts. Third, it should be focused on the learning of the basic sentence patterns during the class. Forth, it is suggested that the word meaning should have the logical development perception based on what it means. Finally, it is proposed that the system of spelling of Korean has to be learned. In addition to these suggestions, a new understanding is necessary regarding writing education for college students.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.113-139
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to provide informations about cause of failures when students solve word problems by analyzing what errors students made in solving word problems and types of error and features of error according to problem solving strategy. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: First, $5^{th}$ grade students preferred the expressions, estimate and verify, finding rules in order when solving word problems. But the majority of students couldn't use simplifying. Second, the types of error encountered according to the problem solving strategy on problem based learning are as follows; In the case of 'expression', the most common error when using expression was the error of question understanding. The second most common was the error of concept principle, followed by the error of solving procedure. In 'estimate and verify' strategy, there was a low proportion of errors and students understood estimate and verify well. When students use 'drawing diagram', they made errors because they misunderstood the problems, made mistakes in calculations and in transforming key-words of data into expressions. In 'making table' strategy, there were a lot of errors in question understanding because students misunderstood the relationship between information. Finally, we suggest that problem solving ability can be developed through an analysis of error types according to the problem strategy and a correct teaching about these error types.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.135-156
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of average unit learning on the knowledge of the representative value of 5th grade elementary school students. In the information-oriented society, the ability to organize and summarize the data has become an essential resource. In the process of correctly analyzing statistical data and making reasonable decisions, the summary of the data plays an important role, and it is necessary to learn the concept of representative values in order to describe the center of the data in a series of numbers. For research, an informal knowledge type possessed by a fifth grade elementary school student with respect to a representative value before learning an average unit is examined and compared with the representative value after learning the average unit. A suggestion point for representative value guidance in school mathematics is provided while examining the change in knowledge with respect to the representative value. Seeing the informal types of elementary school students' representative values will help them learn how to formalize the concept of representative values in middle and high schools. It will give suggestions about the concept of representative values and the method of instruction that should be dealt with in elementary schools. The informal knowledge about the representative value can help with formal representative value that will be learned later. Therefore, This study's discussions on statistical learning of elementary school students are expected to present meaningful implications for statistical education.

• School Mathematics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.181-199
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• 2014

This study set out to analyze and compare gifted elementary students and non-gifted students in emotional intelligence and creative nature. To understand the characteristics of the former, and provide assistance for career education for both groups. For this purpose, the three following research questions were set: First, what kind of difference is there in emotional intelligence between gifted elementary students and non-gifted students? Second, what kind of difference is there in creative nature between gifted elementary students and non-gifted students? Third, what is the connection between emotional intelligence and creative nature in gifted elementary students and non-gifted students? For this study, 102 students from the gifted class and 132 students from non-gifted classes were selected. In total 234 questionnaires were distributed, and the results were analyzed. The results of this study were as follows. First, as a result of the independent sample T-test, there were noticeable differences in giftedness. Gifted students scored significantly higher than non-gifted students in creative nature. Second, as a result of the independent sample T-test, there were noticeable differences in the creative nature of gifted and non-gifted students. Gifted students scored significantly higher than non-gifted students in creative nature. Third, by analyzing the results found for emotional intelligence and creative nature with Pearson's product-moment correlation, there was a positive correlation between both emotional intelligence and creative nature in both groups of results.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.221-249
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• 2006

The object of this study is to understand the characteristics of mathematical knowledge that elementary 5th graders have regarding the statistical variation concept and the changes after taking lessons. This study includes a pretest to examine the characteristics of mathematical knowledge that elementary 5th graders have regarding the statistical variation concept. And It was followed by a lesson on statistical variation concept to be able to correct error which was revealed by the inspection, and to improve good points. It turned out that after five lessons on the statistical variation concept, the insufficient aspects were properly improved, and as for the points they already understand, they came to understand better than before. They came to consider the statical variation concept instead of the frequency, preponderance, average, stable traits for the optimum value. Also, through the lesson on drawing tables and graphs, they came to better understand them, analyzing correctly the exercises in which tables and graphs were combined. When comparing data sets whose general distributions and extents were similar, students came up with the right answers in a stable way by considering averages combining statistical variation too. Since they tended to interpret a situation with their own subjective views adding conditions, teachers need to examine the proper situation and conditions prior to the lessons on the statistical variation concept.

• School Mathematics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.259-273
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• 2003

A fraction is one of the most important concepts that students have to learn in elementary school. But it is a challenge for students to understand fraction concept because of its conceptual complexity. The focus of fraction learning is understanding the concept. Then the problem is how we can facilitate the conceptual understanding and estimate it. In this study, Moore's concept understanding scheme(concept definition, concept image, concept usage) was adopted as an theoretical framework to investigate students' fraction understanding. The questions of this study were a) what concept image do students have\ulcorner b) How well do students solve fraction problems\ulcorner c) How do students use fraction concept to generate fraction word problem\ulcorner By analyzing the data gathered from three elementary school, several conclusion was drawn. 1) The students' concept image of fraction is restricted to part-whole sub-construct. So is students' fraction understanding. 2) Students can solve part-whole fraction problems well but others less. This also imply that students' fraction understanding is partial. 3) Half of the subject(N=98) cannot pose problems that involve fraction and fraction operation. And some succeeded applied the concept mistakenly. To understand fraction, various fraction subconstructs have to be integrated as whole one. To facilitate this integration, fraction program should focus on unit, partitioning and quantity. This may be achieved by following activities: * Building on informal knowledge of fraction * Focusing on meaning other than symbol * Various partitioning activities * Facing various representation * Emphasizing quantitative aspects of fraction * Understanding the meanings of fraction operation Through these activities, teacher must help students construct various faction concept image and apply it to meaningful situation. Especially, to help students to construct various concept image and to use fraction meaningfully to pose problems, much time should be spent to problem posing using fraction.

• School Mathematics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.317-333
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the thinking characteristics of mathematically gifted elementary school students in the process of modified prize-sharing problem solving and each student's thinking changes in the middle of discussion. To determine the relevance of the research task, 19 sixth graders enrolled in a local joint gifted class received instruction, and then 49 students took lessons. Out of them, 19 students attended a gifted education institution affiliated to local educational authorities, and 15 were in their fourth to sixth grades at a beginner's class in a science gifted education center affiliated to a university. 15 were in their fifth and sixth grades at an enrichment class in the same center. Two or three students who seemed to be highly attentive and express themselves clearly were selected from each group. Their behavioral and teaming characteristics were checked, and then an intensive observational case study was conducted with the help of an assistant researcher by videotaping their classes and having an interview. As a result of analyzing their thinking in the course of solving the modified prize-sharing problem, there were common denominators and differences among the student groups investigated, and each student was very distinctive in terms of problem-solving process and thinking level as well.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.85-99
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• 2017

In order to improve mathematical problem-solving ability, there has been a need for research on practical application of meta-affect which is found to play an important role in problem-solving procedure. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of the sociodynamical aspects of the meta-affective factor of the successful problem-solving procedure of small groups in the context of collaboration, which is known that it overcomes difficulties in research methods for meta-affect and activates positive meta-affect, and works effectively in actual problem-solving activities. For this purpose, meta-functional type of meta-affect and transact elements of collaboration were identified as the criterion for analysis. This study grasps the characteristics about sociodynamical function of meta-affect that results in successful problem solving by observing and analyzing the case of the transact structure associated with the meta-functional type of meta-affect appearing in actual episode unit of the collaborative mathematical problem-solving activity of elementary school students. The results of this study suggest that it provides practical implications for the implementation of teaching and learning methods of successful mathematical problem solving in the aspect of affective-sociodynamics.