• School Mathematics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.353-370
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to select the components of spatial ability that could be associated with the implementation of a polycube task, embody the selected components of spatial ability as learning elements and develop the prototype of polycube teaching-learning materials applicable to gifted education, (2) to make a close analysis of the development process of the teaching-learning materials to ensure the applicability of the prototype, (3) to give some suggestions on the development of teaching-learning materials geared toward mathematically gifted classes. The findings of the study were as follows: As for the first purpose of the study, relevant literature was reviewed to make an accurate definition of spatial ability, on which there wasn't yet any clear-cut explanation, and to find out what made up spatial ability. After 13 components of spatial ability that were linked to a polycube task were selected, the prototype of teaching-learning materials for gifted education in mathematics was developed by including nine components in consideration of children's grade and level. Concerning the second purpose of the study, materials for teachers and students were separately developed based on the prototype, and the materials were modified and finalized in light of when selected students exerted their spatial ability well or didn't in case of utilizing the developed materials in class. And then the materials were finalized after being finetuned two times by regulating the learning type, sequence and degree of learning difficulty. Regarding the third purpose of the study, the polycube task performed in this study might not be generalizable, but there are seven suggestions on the development process of teaching-learning materials.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.247-265
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• 2009

In the 21C information-based society, there is an increasing demand for emphasizing communication in mathematics education. Therefore the purpose of this study was to research how properties of communication among small group members varied by mathematical problem types. 8 fourth-graders with different academic achievements in a classroom were divided into two heterogenous small groups, four children in each group, in order to carry out a descriptive and interpretive case study. 4 types of problems were developed in the concepts and the operations of fractions and decimals. Each group solved four types of problems five times, the process of which was recorded and copied by a camcorder for analysis, among with personal and group activity journals and the researcher's observations. The following results have been drawn from this study. First, students showed simple mathematical communication in conceptual or procedural problems which require the low level of cognitive demand. However, they made high participation in mathematical communication for atypical problems. Second, even participation by group members was found for all of types of problems. However, there was active communication in the form of error revision and complementation in atypical problems. Third, natural or receptive agreement types with the mathematical agreement process were mainly found for conceptual or procedural problems. But there were various types of agreement, including receptive, disputable, and refined agreement in atypical problems.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.8
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• pp.215-224
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cases of verbal interactions occurring during the mathematics lessons taught in middle school special classes in order to examine the elements and types of verbal interactions that occur between the teachers and students. Data were collected and analyzed for the sessions on geometric units that formed part of the mathematics lessons routinely implemented in the special classes. The analysis showed that the teachers initiated 237 (84.1%) of the 291 instances of verbal linguistic interactions. A total of 240 teachers' questions were analyzed, and questions in the area of knowledge occurred the most frequently, at 160 times (66.7%). A total of 617 student responses were analyzed, and short answers occurred the most frequently, at 367 times (59.5%). Teacher feedback occurred 581 times in total, and correct/incorrect (simple) feedback occurred the most frequently, at 234 times (40.3%). A total of 237 verbal interactions were observed between the teachers and children, and the I (RF) type (one teacher question, one student response, and one instance of teacher feedback) occurred most frequently, at 83 times (35.0%).