• Title/Summary/Keyword: learning mathematics

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Analysis on Students' Abilities of Proof in Middle School (중학교 학생의 증명 능력 분석)

  • 서동엽
    • Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.183-203
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    • 1999
  • In this study, we analysed the constituents of proof and examined into the reasons why the students have trouble in learning the proof, and proposed directions for improving the teaming and teaching of proof. Through the reviews of the related literatures and the analyses of textbooks, the constituents of proof in the level of middle grades in our country are divided into two major categories 'Constituents related to the construction of reasoning' and 'Constituents related to the meaning of proof. 'The former includes the inference rules(simplification, conjunction, modus ponens, and hypothetical syllogism), symbolization, distinguishing between definition and property, use of the appropriate diagrams, application of the basic principles, variety and completeness in checking, reading and using the basic components of geometric figures to prove, translating symbols into literary compositions, disproof using counter example, and proof of equations. The latter includes the inferences, implication, separation of assumption and conclusion, distinguishing implication from equivalence, a theorem has no exceptions, necessity for proof of obvious propositions, and generality of proof. The results from three types of examinations; analysis of the textbooks, interview, writing test, are summarized as following. The hypothetical syllogism that builds the main structure of proofs is not taught in middle grades explicitly, so students have more difficulty in understanding other types of syllogisms than the AAA type of categorical syllogisms. Most of students do not distinguish definition from property well, so they find difficulty in symbolizing, separating assumption from conclusion, or use of the appropriate diagrams. The basic symbols and principles are taught in the first year of the middle school and students use them in proving theorems after about one year. That could be a cause that the students do not allow the exact names of the principles and can not apply correct principles. Textbooks do not describe clearly about counter example, but they contain some problems to solve only by using counter examples. Students have thought that one counter example is sufficient to disprove a false proposition, but in fact, they do not prefer to use it. Textbooks contain some problems to prove equations, A=B. Proving those equations, however, students do not perceive that writing equation A=B, the conclusion of the proof, in the first line and deforming the both sides of it are incorrect. Furthermore, students prefer it to developing A to B. Most of constituents related to the meaning of proof are mentioned very simply or never in textbooks, so many students do not know them. Especially, they accept the result of experiments or measurements as proof and prefer them to logical proof stated in textbooks.

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A Study on Elementary School Students' Understanding of Fractions (초등학생의 분수이해에 관한 연구)

  • 권성룡
    • 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.

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Recognition of Assessment Strategies of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers (예비초등교사들의 평가전략에 대한 인식 조사)

  • Ko, Eun-Sung;Park, Mimi;Lee, Eun Jung;Park, Min-Sun
    • Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.291-312
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    • 2017
  • According to the current research of educational assessment, formative assessment which focuses on improving students' learning has been emphasized. Consequently, integration between instruction and assessment is crucial and various assessment strategies are required. In order to use different assessment strategies in classrooms, teachers should experience strategies and reflect their strengths and weaknesses. In this study, pre-service elementary teachers experienced six assessment strategies (feedback, providing assessment standard, providing exemplary cases, self assessment, peer assessment, and written assessment), and their perceptions toward each strategy were investigated. During one semester, pre-service teachers experienced each of them and they answered questionnaire at the end of the semester. From the results, it is found that pre-service teachers presented different strategies that were most helpful in their cognitive and affective domain according to their perception of assessment. The results imply that different assessment strategies should be applied in instruction and teachers should extend their perception of assessment purposes.

The Sociodynamical Function of Meta-affect in Mathematical Problem-Solving Procedure (수학 문제해결 과정에 작용하는 메타정의의 사회역학적 기능)

  • Do, Joowon;Paik, Suckyoon
    • 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.

An Analysis on Levels of the Arithmetical Thinking and Development of the Arithmetical Thinking Level Test (산술적 사고 수준의 분석 및 검사 도구 개발)

  • Lim, Miin;Chang, Hyewon
    • Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.575-598
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    • 2017
  • This study aims to explore the level-specific characteristics of arithmetical thinking based on the arithmetical thinking factors and develop an arithmetical thinking level test that can identify students' arithmetical thinking levels by specifying the levels of arithmetical thinking based on the factors. In order to solve the research problems, we categorized the arithmetical thinking factors into 1~4 levels based on the literature review and constructed items of the arithmetical thinking level test considering both content and process based on the arithmetical thinking factors and the level-specific characteristics of the arithmetical thinking which conformed to the Guttman scale. To investigate the adequacy of the analysis of the arithmetical thinking levels, we reanalyzed the level-specific characteristics of the arithmetical thinking by checking that it matched the factors classified to the test developed by the Guttman scale. From the results of this research, the following conclusions were drawn. First, the arithmetical thinking factors are categorized into four levels which have different characteristics. Second, the arithmetical thinking level test of this study was developed satisfying the Guttman scale and it reflects the level-specific characteristics of the arithmetical thinking levels from 1 to 4. It is possible to determine the students' arithmetical thinking level using this test. Third, according to the results of the final application of the arithmetical thinking level test for 5th and 6th graders, teachers should provide more abundant learning experiences related to the relation level (the level 3) and the application level (the level 4) to increase students' arithmetical thinking level.

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An Analysis on the Error According to Academic Achievement Level in the Fractional Computation Error of Elementary Sixth Graders (초등학교 6학년 학생이 분수 계산문제에서 보이는 오류의 학업성취수준별 분석)

  • Park, Miyeon;Park, Younghee
    • Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.23-47
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    • 2017
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze the types of errors that may occur in the four arithmetic operations of the fractions after classified according to the level of academic achievement for sixth-grade elementary school student who Learning of the four arithmetic operations of the fountain has been completed. The study was proceed to get the information how change teaching content and method in accordance with the level of academic achievement by looking at the types of errors that can occur in the four arithmetic operations of the fractions. The test paper for checking the type of errors caused by calculation of fractional was developed and gave it to students to test. And we saw the result by error rate and correct rate of fraction that is displayed in accordance with the level of academic achievement. We investigated the characteristics of the type of error in the calculation of the arithmetic operations of fractional that is displayed in accordance with the level of academic achievement. First, in the addition of the fractions, all levels of students showing the highest error rate in the calculation error. Specially, error rate in the calculation of different denominator was higher than the error rate in the calculation of same denominator Second, in the subtraction of the fractions, the high level of students have the highest rate in the calculation error and middle and low level of students have the highest rate in the conceptual error. Third, in the multiplication of the fractions, the high and middle level of students have the highest rate in the calculation error and low level of students have the highest rate in the a reciprocal error. Fourth, in the division of the fractions, all levels of students have the highest r rate in the calculation error.

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The Effects of the FOCUS Problem Solving Steps on Mathematical Problem Solving Ability and Mathematical Attitudes (FOCUS 문제해결과정이 수학 문제해결력 및 수학적 태도에 미치는 영향)

  • Lee, Yeon Joo;Ryu, Sung Rim
    • Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.243-262
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    • 2017
  • This study has its purpose on improving mathematic education by analyzing the effects of the teaching and learning process which adopted 'FOCUS Problem Solving Steps' on student's mathematical problem solving ability and their mathematical attitude. The result is as follows. First, activities through FOCUS Problem Solving Steps showed positive effect on students' problem solving ability. Second, among mathematical attitudes, mathematical curiosity, reflection and value are proved to have statistically meaningful effect and from the result that analyzed changes of subject students, we could suppose that all 6 elements of mathematical attitude had positive effect. Third, by solving questions through FOCUS steps, students felt satisfaction when they success by themselves. If projects which adopted FOCUS Problem Solving Steps take effect continuously by happiness from the process of reviewing and reflecting their own fallacy and solving that, we might expect meaningful effect on students' problem solving ability. Through this study, FOCUS Problem Solving Steps had positive effect not only on students' mathematical problem solving ability but also on formation of mathematical attitude. As a result, it implies that FOCUS Problem Solving Steps need to be applied to other grades and fields and then studied more.

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Analysis on High School Students' Recognitions and Expressions of Changes in Concentration as a Rate of Change (변화율 관점에서 농도 변화에 대한 인식과 표현의 변화 과정에 대한 분석)

  • Lee, Dong Gun;Kim, Suk Hui;Ahn, Sang Jin;Shin, Jae Hong
    • Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.333-354
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    • 2016
  • The aim of the present study is twofold. One is to confirm a hypothesis that a student's rate concept influences her conceiving change of a function in the view of rate of change and the other is to build up foundations for understanding the transition process from her rate concept to the concept of rate of change when she investigates the change of concentration as an intensive quantity. We explored how three participating high school students recognized and expressed change of given functions by using their rate concept as a conceptual tool. The result indicates that a change in students' rate concept might have an effect on understanding how function values change in term of rate of change. We also expect that it could be a catalyst for further research for clarifying the relationship between students' rate concept and their development of a concept of rate of change as a foundation for learning calculus.

An Analysis on Behavior Characteristics between Gifted Students and Talented Students in Open-end Mathematical Problem Solving (개방형 문제 해결과정에서 수학 영재아와 수학 우수아의 행동특성 분석)

  • Shin In-Sun;Kim See-Myung
    • Communications of Mathematical Education
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    • v.20 no.1 s.25
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    • pp.33-59
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    • 2006
  • This study is intended to reconsider the meaning of the education for gifted/talented children, the foundation object of science high school by examining the behavior characteristics between gifted students and talented students in open-end mathematical problem solving and to provide the basis for realization of 'meaningful teaming' tailored to the learner's level, the essential of school education. For the study, 8 students (4 gifted students and 4 talented students) were selected out of the 1 st grade students in science high school through the distinction procedure of 3 steps and the behavior characteristics between these two groups were analyzed according to the basis established through the literature survey. As the results of this study, the following were founded. (1) It must be recognized that the constituent members of science high school were not the same excellent group and divided into the two groups, gifted students who showed excellence in overall field of mathematical behavior characteristics and talented students who had excellence in learning ability of mathematics. (2) The behavior characteristics between gifted students and talented students, members of science high school is understood and a curriculum of science high school must include a lesson for improving the creativity as the educational institutions for gifted/talented students, unlike general high school. Based on these results, it is necessary to try to find a support plan that it reduces the case which gifted students are generalized with common talented students by the same curriculum and induces the meaningful loaming to learners, the essential of school education.

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The Effects of Visual Representations on Learning Proportional Expressions and Distributions (시각적 표현이 비례식과 비례배분 학습에 미치는 효과)

  • Son, Kyunghoon
    • Education of Primary School Mathematics
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    • v.21 no.4
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    • pp.445-459
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    • 2018
  • The purpose of this study is to provide a method to help elementary school students learn ratio-related concepts effectively through visual representations. This study was conducted to identify the differences in the composition of ratio-related concepts between Korean and Singaporean textbooks, reconstruct a unit of proportional expressions and distributions by using visual representations and confirm the differences in performance between an experimental and a comparison group of 6th grade students. While the experimental group mathematics lessons is from the reconstructed textbook, the comparison group lessons is from an existing textbook that does not include any reconstructive representations. A t-test of mean was applied to determine the differences between the experimental and comparison group. Analysis revealed significant differences in the mean between the experimental group and the comparison group, and the intermediate level group showed more improvement compared to the higher and lower level groups. An implication of this study is that the application of visual representations can assist students' understanding of ratio-related concepts.