• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.9 no.1 s.17
• /
• pp.11-29
• /
• 2005

Discrete mathematics is as important as it was reformed as an optional subject in the middle school and high school in the 7th national curriculum. There are a lot of studies about discrete mathematics in the middle course but studies about it in elementary course has little performed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept of discrete mathematics, which is hidden in the mathematics textbook of elementary school and to develop the learning materials of discrete mathematics. Through this, it would make the students to have the sharp insight in their daily lift and mathematical experience by learning: the mathematical inquiry and adaptation.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.641-654
• /
• 2011

In order to grow students' rational and creative problem-solving ability which is one of the primary goals in mathematics education. students' proper understanding of mathematical concepts, principles, and rules must be backed up as its foundational basis. For the relevant teaching strategies. National Mathematics Curriculum advises that students should be allowed to discover and justify the concepts, principles, and rules by themselves not only through the concrete hands-on activities but also through inquiry-based activities based on the learning topics experienced from the diverse phenomena in their surroundings. Hereby, this paper, firstly, looks into both the meaning and the inductive reasoning process of mathematical principles and rules, secondly, suggest "learning through discovery teaching method" for the proper teaching of the mathematical principles and rules recommended by the National Curriculum, and, thirdly, examines the possible discovery-led teaching strategies using inductive methods with the related matters to be attended to.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
• /
• v.19 no.4 s.24
• /
• pp.733-767
• /
• 2005

During the past decades, there has been a fundamental change in the objectives and nature of mathematics education, as well as a shift in research paradigms. The changes in mathematics education emphasize learning mathematics from realistic situations, students' invention or construction solution procedures, and interaction with other students of the teacher. This shifted perspective has many similarities with the theoretical . perspective of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) developed by Freudental. The RME theory focused the guide reinvention through mathematizing and takes into account students' informal solution strategies and interpretation through experientially real context problems. The heart of this reinvention process involves mathematizing activities in problem situations that are experientially real to students. It is important to note that reinvention in a collective, as well as individual activity, in which whole-class discussions centering on conjecture, explanation, and justification play a crucial role. The overall purpose of this study is to examine the developmental research efforts to adpat the instructional design perspective of RME to the teaching and learning of differential equation is collegiate mathematics education. Informed by the instructional design theory of RME and capitalizes on the potential technology to incorporate qualitative and numerical approaches, this study offers as approach for conceptualizing the learning and teaching of differential equation that is different from the traditional approach. Data were collected through participatory observation in a differential equations course at a university through a fall semester in 2003. All class sessions were video recorded and transcribed for later detailed analysis. Interviews were conducted systematically to probe the students' conceptual understanding and problem solving of differential equations. All the interviews were video recorded. In addition, students' works such as exams, journals and worksheets were collected for supplement the analysis of data from class observation and interview. Informed by the instructional design theory of RME, theoretical perspectives on emerging analyses of student thinking, this paper outlines an approach for conceptualizing inquiry-oriented differential equations that is different from traditional approaches and current reform efforts. One way of the wars in which thus approach complements current reform-oriented approaches 10 differential equations centers on a particular principled approach to mathematization. The findings of this research will provide insights into the role of the mathematics teacher, instructional materials, and technology, which will provide mathematics educators and instructional designers with new ways of thinking about their educational practice and new ways to foster students' mathematical justifications and ultimately improvement of educational practice in mathematics classes.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.267-283
• /
• 2013

Mathematical justification is the process through which one's claim is validated to be true based on proper and trustworthy data. But it serves as a catalyst to facilitate mathematical discussions and communicative interactions among students in mathematics classrooms. This study is designed to investigate the effects of mathematical justification on students' problem-solving and communicative processes occurred in a mathematics classroom. In order to fulfill the purpose of this study, mathematical problem-solving classes were conducted. Mathematical justification processes and communicative interactions recorded in problem understanding activity, individual student inquiry, small and whole group discussions are analyzed. Based on the analysis outcomes, the students who participated in mathematical justification activities are more likely to find out various problem-solving strategies, to develop efficient communicative skills, and to use effective representations. In addition, mathematical justification can be used as an evaluation method to test a student's mathematical understanding as well as a teaching method to help develop constructive social interactions and positive classroom atmosphere among students. The results of this study would contribute to strengthening a body of research studying the importance of teaching students mathematical justification in mathematics classrooms.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.143-161
• /
• 2001

This paper explores how unequally successful mathematics practices were constructed in the two elementary mathematics classrooms. The interview data that pertain to the two teachers' personal reflections on the influences on their professional development were used as a source of inquiry to identify the underlying factors that might account for the differences and the similarities in implementing reform ideals in teaching mathematics. This affords not only exploration of the challenges of moving teaching practices toward student-centered approaches but also insight of the processes of developing mathematics teaching practices through teachers\`own career paths.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.405-423
• /
• 1998

This study aims to reflect the origin and the meaning of open education and to derive pedagogical principles for open mathematics education. Open education originates from Socrates who was the founder of discovery learning and has been developed by Locke, Rousseau, Froebel, Montessori, Dewey, Piaget, and so on. Thus open education is based on Humanism and Piaget's psychology. The aim of open education consists in developing potentials of children. The characteristics of open education can be summarized as follows: open curriculum, individualized instruction, diverse group organization and various instruction models, rich educational environment, and cooperative interaction based on open human relations. After considering the aims and the characteristics of open education, this study tries to suggest the aims and the directions for open mathematics education according to the philosophy of open education. The aim of open mathematics education is to develop mathematical potentials of children and to foster their mathematical appreciative view. In order to realize the aim, this study suggests five pedagogical principles. Firstly, the mathematical knowledge of children should be integrated by structurizing. Secondly, exploration activities for all kinds of real and concrete situations should be starting points of mathematics learning for the children. Thirdly, open-ended problem approach can facilitate children's diverse ways of thinking. Fourthly, the mathematics educators should emphasize the social interaction through small-group cooperation. Finally, rich educational environment should be provided by offering concrete and diverse material. In order to make open mathematics education effective, some considerations are required in terms of open mathematics curriculum, integrated construction of textbooks, autonomy of teachers and inquiry into children's mathematical capability.

• School Mathematics
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.203-241
• /
• 2000

This study aims to suggest a model of task development for mathematics performance assessment and to develop performance tasks for the fifth graders in the primary school on the basis of this model. In order to achieve these aims, the following inquiry questions were set up: (1) to develop open-ended tasks and projects for the fifth graders, (2) to develop checklists for measuring the abilities of mathematical reasoning, problem solving, connection, communication of the fifth graders more deeply when performance assessment tasks are implemented and (3) to examine the appropriateness of performance tasks and checklists and to modify them when is needed through applying these tasks to pupils. The consequences of applying some tasks and analysing some work samples of pupils are as follows. Firstly, pupils need more diverse thinking ability. Secondly, pupils want in the ability of analysing the meaning of mathematical concepts in relation to real world. Thirdly, pupils can calculate precisely but they want in the ability of explaining their ideas and strategies. Fourthly, pupils can find patterns in sequences of numbers or figures but they have difficulty in generalizing these patterns, predicting and demonstrating. Fifthly, pupils are familiar with procedural knowledge more than conceptual knowledge. From these analyses, it is concluded that performance tasks and checklists developed in this study are improved assessment tools for measuring mathematical abilities of pupils, and that we should improve mathematics instruction for pupils to understand mathematical concepts deeply, solve problems, reason mathematically, connect mathematics to real world and other disciplines, and communicate about mathematics.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.63-78
• /
• 2014

Integrative STEM education is an engineering design-based learning approach that purposefully integrates the content and process of STEM disciplines and can extend its concept to integration with other school subjects. This study was part of fundamental research to develop an integrative STEM education program based on the science inquiry process. The specific objectives of this study were to review relevant literature related to STEM education, analyze the key elements and value of STEM education, develop an integrative STEM education model based on the science inquiry process, and suggest an exemplary program. This study conducted a systematic literature review to confirm key elements for integrative STEM education and finally constructed the integrative STEM education model through analyzing key inquiry processes extracted from prior studies. This model turned out to be valid because the average CVR value obtained from expert group was 0.78. The integrative STEM education model based on the science inquiry process consisted of two perspectives of the content and inquiry process. The content can contain science, technology, engineering, and liberal arts/artistic topics that students can learn in a real world context/problem. Also, the inquiry process is a problem-solving process that contains design and construction and is based on the science inquiry. It could integrate the technological/engineering problem solving process and/or mathematical problem solving process. Students can improve their interest in STEM subjects by analyzing real world problems, designing possible solutions, and implementing the best design as well as acquire knowledge, inquiry methods, and skills systematically. In addition, the developed programs could be utilized in schools to enhance students' understanding of STEM disciplines and interest in mathematics and science. The programs could be used as a basis for fostering convergence literacy and cultivating integrated and design-based problem-solving ability.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.49-64
• /
• 2019

The purpose of the study was to examine the current status of prospective elementary school teachers' mathematical beliefs. 339 future elementary school teachers majoring in mathematics education from 4 universities participated in the study. The questionnaire used in the TEDS-M(Tatto et al., 2008) was translated into Korean for the purpose of the study. The researchers analyzed the pre-service elementary teachers' beliefs about the nature of mathematics and about mathematics learning. Also, the results of the survey was analyzed by various aspects. To determine differences between the groups, one-way analysis of variance was used. To check the relationship between beliefs about the nature of mathematics and about the mathematics learning, correlation analysis was used. The results of the study revealed that the pre-service elementary teachers tends to believe that the nature of mathematics as 'process of inquiry' rather than 'rules and procedures' which is a view that mathematics as ready-made knowledge. In addition, the pre-service elementary teachers tend to consider 'active learning' as desirable aspects in mathematics teaching-learning practice, while 'teacher's direction' was not. We found that there were statistically significant correlation between 'process of inquiry' and 'active learning' and between 'rules and procedures' and 'teacher direction'. On the basis of these results, more extensive and multifaced research on mathematical beliefs should be needed to design curriculum and plan lessons for future teachers.

• East Asian mathematical journal
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.251-264
• /
• 2012

The revised mathematics education curriculum in 2007 decided to introduce mathematics workbooks to the textbook system, which were supplemental textbooks to support mathematics teachers' teaching and students' learning in level-based classroom. This study is to find the field status whether the middle school mathematics workbooks are currently used in the school to be in line with the original intention and purpose and to discuss the improvement direction and effective utilization idea which modification and amendment shall be made for the effective utilization in the field. To achieve the goal of this study, the inquiry survey was made from 75 middle school teachers of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade in the middle schools where the moving classing for each level(or class in each level)has been performed with provision of the questionnaire sheet for the understanding of the teachers for the utilization status of the mathematics workbook to solve such study task.