• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.63-78
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• 2013

Trigonometric ratios are difficult concepts to teach and learn in middle school. One of the reasons is that the mathematical terms (sine, cosine, tangent) don't convey the idea literally. This paper deals with the understanding of a concept from the learner's standpoint, and searches the orientation of teaching that make students to have full understanding of trigonometric ratios. Such full understanding contains at least five constructs as follows: skill-algorithm, property-proof, use-application, representation-metaphor, history-culture understanding [Usiskin, Z. (2012). What does it mean to understand some mathematics? In: Proceedings of ICME12, COEX, Seoul Korea; July 8-15,2012 (pp. 502-521). Seoul, Korea: ICME-12]. Despite multi-aspects of understanding, especially, the history-culture aspect is not yet a part of the mathematics class on the trigonometric ratios. In this respect this study investigated the effect of history approach on students' understanding when the history approach focused on the mathematical terms is used to teach the concept of trigonometric ratios in Grade 9 mathematics class. As results, the experimental group obtained help in more full understanding on the trigonometric ratios through such teaching than the control group. This implies that the historical derivation of mathematical terms as well as the context of mathematical concepts should be dealt in the math class for the more full understanding of some mathematical concepts.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.143-157
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• 2003

This paper is to make strides toward an enriched understanding of mathematics teacher learning and professional development. Different theoretical frameworks in understanding mathematics teacher learning are reviewed, followed by a discussion of the relationships of knowledge and teaching practice. This paper then analyses contemporary conceptions about effective professional development and, in particular, deals with teacher learning in inquiry communities. This paper introduces a research project describing transition processes from teacher- centered mathematics classroom culture to student-centered culture and analyzing teacher learning in communities and its concomitant change in teaching practice. On the basis of the emerging problems in doing the project, this paper finally addresses some crucial issues on teacher learning and professional development, including the management of an inquiry community, the description of teaching practice from the researcher's perspective, and the analysis of teacher learning in communities.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.169-182
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• 2009

This study deals with the postmodern perspectives in mathematics classroom. Today, mathematics and mathematics education can be explored through postmodernism because they have very different practices, pluralism, and anti-authoritarianism. Thus practices and researches of mathematics classroom are coherent to postmodern perspectives such as situated theory, anthropological approach, and interactionism. In these socio-cultural views, learners' milieu and participation, language of classroom activities, and culture of mathematics classroom are considered very important. Therefore, it is required that both mathematics educators and researchers make a change toward postmodernism in attitude and subject of mathematics classroom research.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.10 no.1 s.19
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• pp.29-39
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• 2007

This paper is to give a brief introduction to a new discipline called 'conceptual metaphor' and 'mathematical metaphor(Lakoff & Nunez, 2000) from the viewpoint of mathematics education and to analyze the metaphors at 4th graders' mathematics classroom as a case of conceptual metaphors. First, contemporary conception on metaphors is reviewed. Second, it is discussed on the effects and defaults of metaphors in teaching and learning mathematics. Finally, as a case study of mathematical metaphors, conceptual metaphors on the concepts of triangles at 4th graders' mathematics classrooms are analyzed. Students may reason metaphorically to understand mathematical concepts. Conceptual metaphor makes mathematics enormously rich, but it also brings confusion and paradox. Digging out the metaphors may lighten both our spontaneous everyday conceptions and scientific theorizing(Sfard, 1998). Studies of metaphors give us the power of understanding the culture of mathematics classroom and also generate it.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.31-47
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• 2015

School Math Field Trips(SMFT) for School Mathematics can be defined as teaching and learning activity of mathematics going into the field of Korean history, culture, science and technology. This is a literature analysis study to systemize teaching and learning method of mathematics based on literature analysis and real SMFT activity. First, SMFT was introduced to improve cognitive affective and cultural-mathematical teaching and learning method of mathematics. Second, SMFT has three purposes of cognitive, affective and cultural-mathematical. Third, to conduct mathematical education activity the direction of teaching was set. Forth, the progressing way of developing material and SMFT was researched. Fifth, developing the evaluation standard of SMFT and evaluation method was suggested.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.93-111
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine mathematics teachers' perceptions of multicultural education. To achieve this goal, the study explored how 10 elementary mathematics teachers noticed multicultural content in a mathematics textbook. Building upon noticing framework (Jacobs, Lamb, & Philipp, 2010), we first examined teachers' attention toward multicultural content in a mathematics textbook. Then, we examined teachers' interpretation of the content. We employed a content analysis approach to examine the collected data. The results indicated that most mathematics teachers held a content integration perspective. Their view was that "multicultural education" referred to learning about the diverse cultures of different countries. Moreover, although they noticed some multicultural content in the textbook, they wanted to discuss them in superficially descriptive ways and avoid talking about social justice issues. Additionally, some teachers believed that mathematics is a culture-free subject. They argued that multicultural content should not be presented in mathematics textbooks. We also discussed uncommon themes, which were reported by only a few mathematics teachers.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.229-250
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• 2011

The Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument is one of the most popular instruments used to measure elementary preservice teachers' efficacy beliefs in mathematics teaching. The instrument was, however, developed in the United States and is perhaps not appropriate for other cultures. In this study, the instrument was translated into Korean and carefully reviewed by Korean mathematics teacher education professors. Analysis of the review indicated that eight out of the 21 items were appropriate while the others needed to be revised. Items were identified as inappropriate due to awkwardness, multiple meanings, tense disagreements, and vagueness. These items were modified to better fit the Korean context. The instrument was revised with two versions: one for elementary and the other for secondary pre service teachers.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.45-61
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• 2011

The starting point of education is the ancient Greek philosophy. In this paper, we research the Hellenism culture: two famous poleis such as Sparta and Athens. Moreover, we investigate prominent philosopher Plato and Aristotle. In particular, we notice early childhood and female education through Hellenism culture. Finally, we study culture, politics and educations of the ancient Roman in order to compare those of our society.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2010

The gender differences of mathematics achievement exists in many counties in the world. Some Chinese scholars think that the differences also exist in China. The researchers explain the gender differences of mathematics learning mainly from the individual psychology and education. This paper, firstly, introduces an investigation of the gender differences of mathematics achievement in grade 1-9 in three areas (Hefei urban area, Cuozhen area, and Chenji area) of Hefei in China. The investigation found that the gender differences of mathematics achievement exist but are different in these areas. Then, the results are explained from the theory of the gender socialization.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.131-146
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• 2022

This study is to find out how to use the materials of East Asian history in mathematics classroom. Although the use of the history of mathematics in classroom is gradually considered advantageous, the usage is mainly limited to Western mathematics history. As a result, students tend to misunderstand mathematics as a preexisting thing in Western Europe. To fix this trend, it is necessary to deal with more East Asian history of mathematics in mathematics classrooms. These activities will be more effective if they are organized in the context of students' real life or include experiential activities and discussions. Here, the study suggests a way to utilize the mathematical ideas of Bāguà and Liùshísìguà, which are easily encountered in everyday life, and some concepts presented in 『Nine Chapter』 of China and 『GuSuRyak』 of Joseon. Through this activity, it is also important for students to understand mathematics in a more everyday context, and to recognize that the modern mathematics culture has been formed by interacting and influencing each other, not by the east and the west.