• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.171-193
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• 2009

Although Korea students have been showed the top academic achievement in the international evaluation test for mathematics academic achievement, they have the low confidence, low interest and unwelcome attention about mathematics. In order to change student's affective aspects about mathematics, we introduced the problem based learning(PBL) method which is based on constructivist learning theories. By applying PBL to the middle and high class students, we investigated the effect of PBL on the students' academic achievement and mathematical attitudes. The study shows that there are the statistically significant differences between a control group and a comparison group both in academic achievement and mathematical attitudes.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-75
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• 2011

This research aimed to explore the effects of collaborative writing activities in a mathematical context, specifically pertaining to areas such as numbers and operation, geometrical figure, and measurement in Mathematics: Level 5-b, on their mathematical achievement gain and disposition among Grade 5 students. To do this, out of a total of 62 students selected from two Grade 5 classes of J Elementary School in Dalseo-gu, Daegu City, who were found to be homogenic from the tests of math performance and dispositions, an experimental group(n=31) was designed and compared to a control group (n=31). Over a six week period from October to November in 2009, the experimental group was given collaborative writing lessons in math classes while the control group was given teacher-oriented regular lessons. The results were as follows. First, there was more or less considerable, though not significant, difference in overall mathematical achievement in the students experiencing collaborative writing activities when compared with the students in the control group. However, in terms of numbers and operation, a sub-category of mathematics, there was significant difference between the two groups. Second, the students experiencing collaborative writing activities were more positively affected in all sub-categories of mathematical disposition: confidence, flexibility, determination, curiosity, reflection, and value, than those in the control group. In summing up, the exposure of collaborative writing activities to mathematics learning was found to help students not only to have a concrete and proper grasp of the relevant problem solving process, which was observed from their mathematical achievement gain especially in the sphere of numbers and operation, but also to have their mathematical disposition set towards more positive direction, which was seen in all sub-categories of mathematical disposition measurement.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-50
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• 2007

Positive attitude toward mathematics is gaining bigger recognition as an important contributing factor to mathematical ability. As a strategy for strengthening affective domain and betterment of mathematics teaching and loaming, classifying students by their causes for liking or disliking mathematics can be an effective way In this study the author tried to devise methods to classify students by their types of math disliking and investigate correlations between mathematical achievements and these math-disliking types from a sample group of 8th graders. To identify the types of reasons why 8th graders dislike mathematics, a questionnaire with 30 items was made firstly. Then by applying the 'Factor analysis' of SPSS, the 30 items were divided into five partitions. Through abstraction of each partition, five math-disliking types, 'Competences', 'Basics', 'Confidences', 'Usefulness', and 'Teachers' were defined. They are expected to help teachers for describing each student's tendency of math-disliking. Further, correlation coefficients between mathematical achievements and each of the five math-disliking type were investigated against 4 groups which were made from sample group by the discrimination of gender and two levels (high and low) of mathematical achievements in cognitive area. As results, the following facts were found. (i) The trends of correlations between cognitive achievement and the five math disliking types were different across the 4 groups at statistically meaningful degrees. (ii) Most of the male students who had math-disliking types were proved to be in the low achievement level. But for the female students, only 50% of students who had math-disliking types were in the low achievement level. (iii) Compared to male students, higher portion of female students had math-disliking types despite their high achievement in cognitive area.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-106
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• 2012

Spatial ability has been valued as a talent domain and important skill in mathematics education because it enhanced an intuitive view and an understanding in many areas of mathematic. In addition, spatial ability highly correlates with mathematics achievement, indicating its crucial role in success in mathematics education. Some researchers founded gender differences in mathematics and spatial ability, and indicated that spatial ability served as a mediator of gender difference in mathematics. This study explored the spatial ability of 349 Korean middle school students (Grade 7-9), and investigated the association among students' spatial ability and their mathematics achievement, gender, and grade. The result of this study shows that spatial ability correlates positively with mathematics achievement. While gender difference did not exist in mathematics, significant gender difference existed in spatial ability favoring male students.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2009

This study investigates relationships between 7th and 8th grade students' achievements in forming and solving equations of. Study was conducted on randomly selected 7th and 8th grade students of elementary schools in Konya City, Turkey. 145 students (99 female, 46 male) participated in the research. Data were collected by an 'Equation Test'. The test which is suitable for equation types in 7th Grade Elementary Mathematics Curriculum. It was developed by the researchers. The relationships between achievements in forming and solving equations were examined by dependent samples t-test. The t-test results show that there is a significant difference. This difference is in the favor of equation solving (p>0.05). In other word, students are more successful in equation solving. In addition, students' achievements about different types of equations were investigated. The results show that the students have the highest achievement in ax=b type and the lowest achievement in (ax+b)/c=(dx+e)/f type of equations.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.153-163
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• 2007

Utilizing the quantitative analysis methodology of questionnaire, the study explores the differences in the factors of achievement motivation, learning mathematics attitude and learning mathematics self-confidence and also the relationship between mathematics academic achievement and these factors in three areas in China. The following conclusions are drawn: 1. The subjects from different development level areas have significant differences in motivation, attitude and self-confidence in mathematics; 2. The subjects from different areas who possess the same ethnic group have significant differences. But the subjects from same area who possess different nationalities have little difference. It can be concluded that that the differences in these factors can be contributed to regional differences, rather than to ethnic differences; 3. The subjects from undeveloped areas have significant gender differences, and the levels of males are higher than those of female.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.385-413
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to set appropriate targets for school-year levels and types of mathematical communication. First, I classify mathematical communication into four types as Discourse, Representation, Operation and Complex and refer to them collectively as the 'D.R.O.C pattern'. I have listed achievement factors based on the D.R.O.C pattern hearing opinions from specialists to set a target, then set a final target after a 2nd survey with specialists and teachers. I have set targets for mathematical communication in elementary schools suitable to its status and students' levels in our country. In NCTM(2000), standards of communication were presented only from kindergarten to 12th grade students, and, for four separate grade bands(prekindergarten through grade 2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, grades 9-12), they presented characteristics of the same age group through analysis of classes where communication was active and the stated roles of teachers were suitable to the characteristics of each school year. In this study, in order to make the findings accessible to teachers in the field, I have classified types into Discourse, Representation, Operation and Complex (D.R.O.C Pattern) according to method of delivery, and presented achievement factors in detail for low, middle and high grades within each type. Though it may be premature to set firm targets and achievement factors for each school year group, we hope to raise the possibility of applying them in the field by presenting targets and achievement factors in detail for mathematical communication.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.21 no.2 s.30
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• pp.321-330
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to develop a tool which can be used in factor analysis of inequality on mathematics education. The objectives for study are develop an index that can be used to find a deviation of objects on mathematics scholastic achievement. The results of this study are deviation index of objects on mathematics scholastic achievement which development can be applications to Gini coefficient.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.9 no.1 s.21
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• pp.69-96
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• 2005

Motivation for learning is important for positive learning outcomes as well as for measured achievement levels. When students come to our classes, they bring with them learning histories in which we as individual teachers, most likely, did not have an input. Our students do not only bring with them different levels of prerequisite leanings but also different levels of affect for what they will be learning. If we leave their final learning at the mercy of these entry characteristics, a test given the first day before the course will have almost isomorphic results with their achievement levels on the last day. The ones who had 'it' on the first day will be the ones who in the future will also have 'it', not too different from what the present situation is all over the world. These circumstances will tend to be the case ad infinitum, unless of course, we want to change the situation. This research clearly shows that effective instructional methodologies coupled with cooperative peer interactions not only have an impact on achievement but also on positive attitudes toward one's learning.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.263-274
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• 2014

The purposes of the study are to investigate the effects on academic achievement and satisfaction of the reciprocal peer tutoring in university calculus. First, we classified the test group and the control group and then applied the reciprocal peer tutoring to the test group. According to results, the reciprocal peer tutoring is very effective in improving academic achievement. Second, the pre-survey and the post-survey were conducted to the test group. The survey contains five categories including 1) background of the participants, 2) learning objectives and expectation, 3) the intention of the continual learning Mathematics, 4) the individual self-efficacy, and 5) general Mathematics learning satisfaction. We found some facts from the difference between the pre and post surveys. The learning satisfaction has improved after the reciprocal peer tutoring in the test group. Even though this trend has not changed regardless of sex, high school levels and teaching understanding.