• 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.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.241-255
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• 2017

The 4th industrial revolution is coming. In order to prepare for the new learning environment with it, we may need digital mathematics textbooks that fully utilize all possible technologies. So various attempts have been made in elementary and middle school mathematics education. However, despite the importance of higher mathematics, we haven't seen a best possible math digital textbooks yet in Korea. In this paper, we introduce our new model of interactive math digital textbook about Linear Algebra/ Calculus/ Differential Equations/ Statistics/ Engineering Math. Especially, this manuscript focuses on our experience of using digital contents and interactive labs for developing a new model for linear algebra digital textbook. We introduce our works on linear algebra digital textbooks which include pdf e-book, web contents, video clips of lectures, interactive lab. Using this linear algebra digital textbook, students can freely use any mobile devices to access diverse learning materials, lessons, and hands-on exercises without any limitations. Also, times saved in the computation, coding, and typing process can be used to have more discussions for deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. This type of linear algebra digital textbook, which contains all interactive free cyber-lab with codes and all lectures for each sections, can be considered as a new model for the next generation of math digital textbook.

• Journal of Science Education
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.331-344
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• 2020

This study aims to find meaningful implications for the development of Korean elementary school math education courses and textbooks by comparing and analyzing the number and arithmetic areas of Korean and Canadian math textbooks in fifth and sixth grades. To this end, the textbook composition system of Korean and Canadian elementary schools was compared and analyzed, and the number and timing of introduction of math textbooks and math textbooks by grade, and the number in fifth and sixth grade and the learning contents of math textbooks were compared and analyzed. The following conclusions were obtained from this study: First, it is necessary to organize a textbook that can solve the problem in an integrated way by introducing the learned mathematical concepts and computations naturally in the context of problems closely related to real life, regardless of the type of private calculation or mathematics area. Second, it is necessary to organize questions using materials such as real photography and mathematics, science, technology, engineering, art, etc. and to organize textbooks that make people feel the necessity and usefulness of mathematics. Third, sufficient learning of the principles of mathematics through the use of various actual teaching aids and mathematical models, and the construction of textbooks focusing on problem-solving strategies using engineering tools are needed. Fourth, in-depth discussions are needed on the timing of learning guidance for fractions and minority learning or how to organize and develop learning content.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.85-104
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the types of mathematics journals of elementary school students and to understand how they change in mathematics journals as the grade goes up, and to obtain implications in mathematics education. To this end, 170 of the 222 parish mathematics data submitted to the "Math Journal Contest" were analyzed with the consent of both minors and their parents. As for the framework for analyzing math journal types, 12 types were derived through independent analysis between three researchers. The research results showed that first, the type of math journal written by elementary school students is a variety of journals, such as observation, problem making, concept organization, and review. In addition, as a learning area, it was found that math journal showed a noticeable increase in experimental observation, problem making, and concept journal as the grades progressed, while a small number of idea journal and explanatory journals appeared. However, game (winning) strategy building and types declined. It can be seen that this is evolving from a type that requires activity-oriented or simple descriptions to a type that actively applies mathematical concepts. As such, there are 12-type of math journals, but it is necessary to actively use the teaching materials in writing that can be freely expressed in the school setting.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.31-62
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• 2006

In this article, the theoretical basis of applying mathematical his tory in lessons is inquired in various educational aspects. It also covers the psychological genetic principle, mainly concerning the childish development and states that it has to be compatible with the historico-genetic principle, which is suggested mainly concerning the development of data. In addition, it evolves the arguments about the meaning of mathematical history in math lessons based on the mentioned aspects besides that in ordinary math lessons. Next, the link between the apply of mathematical history and education for gifted children is examined. Last, cases of mathematic history applied to mathematic education is suggested mainly concerning the understanding of differential concepts.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.489-503
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• 2008

It is not an easy matter to develop problems which help students understand mathematical concepts correctly and precisely. The aim of this paper is to review the merits and demerits of three problem types (i.e. one answer problems, multiple choice problems and proof problems) and to suggest some points that should be taken into consideration in problem making. First, we presented the merits and demerits of three types of problems by examining actual examples. Second, we discussed some examples of misleading problems and the ways to make desirable ones. Finally, on the basis of our examination and discussion, we suggested some points that should be kept in mind in problem making. The major suggestions are as follows; i) In making one answer problems, we should consider the possibility of sitting a solution by wrong precesses, ii) In formulating multiple choice tests which are layered for their easiness of grading, we should take into account the importance of checking whether the students are fully understanding the concepts, iii) We may depend on the previous research result that multiple choice tests for proof problems can be helpful for the students who have insufficient math background. Besides those suggestions, we made an overall proposal that we should endeavor to find ways to implement the demerits of each problem type and to develop instructive problems that can help students understanding of math.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.511-533
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• 2012

In order to determine whether there is a significant correlation between relational understanding and creative math. problem finding ability, this study performed relational understanding and problem finding ability tests on a sample of 186 8th grade middle school students. According to the study results, we found a very significant positive correlation between relational understanding and the creativity of the mathematising ability and the combining ability of mathematical concepts in the problem finding ability. Although there was no statistically significant correlation between relational understanding and the extension ability of mathematical facts, the results from analyzing the students response rate and actual scores in each test showed that students with high relational understanding scores also had high response rate and high scores in analogical reasoning and inductive reasoning. Through this study, therefore, relational understanding is found to have a positive impact on the creative mathematics problem finding ability.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-40
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• 2002

Historically, the use of algorithms has been emphasized in the mathematics curriculum at the elementary school mathematics. The current reform movement in our country are seemed to emphasize the importance of algorithms in favor of problem-solving approaches, the conceptualization of mathematical processes and applications of mathematics in real world situations. Recently, children may come to school with a fairly well-developed attitude about mathematics and mathematical ideas. That is, they do not come to school and to learning mathematics with a clean slate. Because they have already formed some partial mathematical concepts in a wide variety of contexts. Many kindergarten children have attended pre-school programs where they played with blocks, made patterns, and started adding and subtracting. It seems that there are psychological change attitudes of the children in upper grades toward learning mathematics. In our elementary school mathematics, almost every student are still math anxious or have developed math anxiety because of paper-pencil test. In these views, this paper is devoted to introduce and apply to second grade students in ND-elementary school in Taegu City the new method for learning addition and subtraction so called ‘Mrs Weill's Hill’, which is believed as a suitable method for children with mathematical teaming disabilities and Math anxiety.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.371-394
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to understand the public education system in Korea, that features many pre-taught students, and to figure out how elementary school teachers teach them. To accomplish this study, 204 elementary school teachers in Seoul participated in a survey and the frequency and percentage were made. In addition, to add more depth to this study 5 elementary school teachers had several interviews. We obtained the following results. First, elementary school teachers generally think that the situation with many pre-taught students have had a bad effect on public education and pre-taught students are drilled but cannot understand what they have learnt. They also answered that they have low morale when teaching pre-taught students. Second, a large number of elementary school teachers think the situation with many of the pre-taught students does not help the public math education system, which influences the teachers' teaching style. Teachers who answered negative on pre-taught students are running their math classes focusing on understanding math concepts and activities. On the other hand, few teachers who answered positive on pre-taught students did not care about the situation with many pre-taught students.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.233-249
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• 2022

Measurement plays an important role in both school mathematics and real life. Among the measurement areas, length is the first to learn and is the basis for measurement. Time is measured in its own way and is characterized by being the most abstract. This study attempted to analyze elementary mathematics textbooks and representations in real life to examine how the length and time of learning in school mathematics differ from those represented in real life. Based on this, we tried to derive implications for the direction of measurement education and elementary math textbooks. As a result of the analysis, the concept of length was used the same in real life and school mathematics. However, terms such as distance, depth, and height were not defined, and the representation of the approximate value was presented in a fragmentary form. In addition, there were parts where students were likely to feel confused in school mathematics and real life, such as the same units such as 'minutes and seconds' were used in time. Therefore, considering these differences, it is necessary to consider the direction of composition of math textbooks and teaching and learning so that students can connect school mathematics and real life and understand widely about measurement concepts.