• Title/Summary/Keyword: perceiving mathematics

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Changing Students' Conceptions of Mathematics through the Introduction of Variation

  • Wong, Ngai-Ying;Kong, Chit-Kwong;Lam, Chi-Chung;Wong, Ka-Ming Patrick
    • Research in Mathematical Education
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    • v.14 no.4
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    • pp.361-380
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    • 2010
  • Some 400 Secondary One (i.e. seventh-grade) students from 10 schools were provided with non-routine mathematical problems in their normal mathematics classes as exercises for one academic year. Their attitudes toward mathematics, their conceptions of mathematics and their problem-solving performance were measured both in the beginning and at the end of the year. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the introduction of an appropriate dose of non-routine problems would generate some effects on the students' conceptions of mathematics. A medium dose of non-routine problems (as reported by the teachers) would result in a change of the students' conception of mathematics to perceiving mathematics as less of "a subject of calculables." On the other hand, a high dose would lead students to perceive mathematics as more useful and more as a discipline involving thinking. However, with a low dose of non-routine problems, students found mathematics more "friendly" (free from fear). It is therefore proposed that the use of non-routine mathematical problems to an appropriate extent can induce changes in students' "lived space" of mathematics learning and broaden their conceptions of mathematics and mathematics learning.

Principles of Learning and the Mathematics Curriculum

  • Ediger, Marlow
    • The Mathematical Education
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    • v.23 no.2
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    • pp.13-15
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    • 1985
  • There are selected principles of learning which need adequate emphasis in the mathematics curriculum. These include: 1. Pupils perceiving purpose in learning. 2. Learners being involved in the solving of problems. 3. Meaningful learning experiences being inherent in the mathematics curriculum. 4. Provision being made to guide each learner in achieving optimal gains in ongoing study.

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A study on the rectangular coordinate system via comparing the interrelated influence between mathematical knowledge evolution and historical development of Cartography in Europe (서양의 역사적인 지도제작법의 발달 과정과 수학적 지식의 상호 영향 관계를 통해 본 직교좌표계)

  • Lee, Dong Won
    • Journal for History of Mathematics
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    • v.25 no.4
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    • pp.37-51
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    • 2012
  • By comparing the development history of rectangular coordinate system in Cartography and Mathematics, we assert in this manuscript that the rectangular coordinate system is not so much related to analytic geometry but comes from the space perceiving ability inherent in human beings. We arrived at this conclusion by the followings: First, although the Cartography have much influenced to various area of Mathematics such as trigonometry, logarithm, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics, and so on, which were developed or progressed around the advent of analytic geometry, the mathematical coordinate system itself had not been completely developed in using the origin or negative axis until 100 years and more had passed since Descartes' publication. Second, almost mathematicians who contributed to the invention of rectangular coordinate system had not focused their studying on rectangular coordinate system instead they used it freely on solving mathematical problem.

The Influences of Teaching Mathematics for Social Justice on Students' Interest towards Mathematics and Perceptions of Mathematical Values (사회정의를 위한 수학 수업이 학생들의 수학에 대한 흥미와 가치 인식에 미치는 영향)

  • Kim, Jusook;Park, Mangoo
    • Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.409-434
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    • 2015
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of teaching mathematics for social justice on students'interest towards mathematics and perceptions of mathematical values. Eighteen 6th grade students, at B elementary school in Seocho-gu, Seoul, who wished to involved in the study participated in the 10 hour lessons. During the lessons for social justice, the researchers analyzed the students' reactions in the lessons according to the three categories: Perceiving given problematic situations of social conflicts, searching for problem-solving methods based on mathematical analysis, and changing social behaviors to solve life issues through mathematics. They also examined changes of students' interest towards mathematics and perceptions of mathematical values through the activities and reactions using the preliminary questionnaires, observations of lessons, and students' activity sheets. The research results showed that the students perceived mathematics as a tool for social justice in mathematics lessons, tried to find problem-solving methods based on mathematical analysis, and expressed their active social behaviors by cultivating the will of practice to solve life issues through mathematics. Based on those findings, the study reached the following conclusions. First, the students recognize many of the social problems in their societies as social justice regardless of their economic levels. Second, learning activities need to design in a way that students can accept the social problems as realistic situations in teaching mathematics for social justice. Third, students look at the world from a mathematical perspective, have interest in mathematics, and recognize the values of mathematics in teaching mathematics for social justice.

For Whom Does the Educational Evaluation Exist? A Study for Improving Mathematic Educational Evaluation System in South Korea Based on Eisner's Evaluation Theory

  • KIM, Rina;ALBERT, Lillie R.
    • Research in Mathematical Education
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2016
  • An accurate evaluation of educational process is a promise for the progress of education, because evaluation provides a meticulous idea of what has actually been achieved as a result of education. However, for all its significance in the educational fields, there are not many discussions about evaluation in South Korea. We believe that in order to overcome this discrepancy, diverse evaluation theories along with a discussion about the merits or demerits or each theory should be introduced in South Korea. We propose that Eisner's educational evaluation model may suggest alternative ways of perceiving evaluation. Eisner's educational evaluation model, named educational connoisseurship and criticism, emerged as an approach to educational evaluation from the methods used in art and literary criticism.

Development and Implementation of the Program for the Free Learning Semester Focused on Career Exploration (진로탐색을 강화한 수학과 자유학기제 통계 프로그램 개발 및 적용)

  • Kang, Tae Kyung;Lee, Seo Bin;Choi-Koh, Sang Sook
    • The Mathematical Education
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    • v.56 no.2
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    • pp.177-191
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    • 2017
  • This study was to investigate the effect of the statistics education program for the test-free semester. Two tests of questionnaires were used after revising some items for the subjects and statistical contents covered according to the purpose of the study during the 2nd semester, 2016. one was for finding students' attitude toward statistics and the other for understanding my career exploration. The statistics education program was developed for 5 lesson units and was applied to two classes with 53 students of one middle school in Gyeonggi-province. The results showed that students' understanding on career exploration was improved especially, in self understanding, perceiving career world related to statistics, and economical & educational understanding in statistical career. Also, the three areas such as interest, value, and effort among five areas about students' statistical attitude which was measured by the attitude test revised from the previous study, were improved with statistical significance. Moreover, we analyzed the degree of students' satisfaction over the program. Most of students were satisfied with the program saying that "I could not believe it is over now. The time has gone so fast." or "My mentor(a pre-service teacher) helped me a lot." Therefore, the program for the test-free semester should include the contents for exploring future-career and relating to real life.

A Study on the Students' Cognition of Chemistry in Science High School by Factor Analysis of Mathematics and Science Achievement (수학·과학 성취도의 요인 분석으로 본 과학고등학교 학생들의 화학 교과에 대한 인식 연구)

  • Shin, Dong-Seon;Choi, Hojun;Kim, Bong Gon
    • Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.64 no.2
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    • pp.119-129
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    • 2020
  • For effective teaching-learning activities for students with diverse talents in science high schools, it is important for teachers to understand students' individual differences in perceiving and processing information in the natural world, depending on the students' various talents and subject characteristics. The purpose of this study is to examine the students' cognition of chemistry in science high school through correlations and factor analysis of mathematics/science achievement. In addition, this study attempted to examine the cognition of chemistry subject according to R&E classes. The main participants of the study were freshmen of G science high school (296 students) who entered after three times of curriculum reforms and new admission processes and the students in two other science high schools in Gyeongnam and Ulsan were included. The correlation and factor analysis were conducted by exploratory factor analysis by IBM SPSS Statistics 25 programs. The results of this study were as follows: First, in the correlation analysis between mathematics and science achievement, it was confirmed that the Pearson's coefficient of chemistry showed higher positive correlation coefficient than that of other science subjects. Second, in the factor analysis of mathematics and science achievements, it was found that the factor indicators were divided into two factors as logical-mathematical (mathematics and physics) and naturalistic (life science and earth science). Third, in the factor analysis, it was confirmed that the chemistry is recognized as the subject that requires both logical-mathematical and naturalistic intelligence. Finally, it was confirmed that students' cognitions of chemistry subject were found to differ according to the R&E classes. In other words, the participants of R&E chemistry class, unlike other students, were found to recognize chemistry as the subject that logical-mathematical intelligence is needed.

A Study on the Change Process of Students' Perception and Expression About Distance and Speed in Distance Function and Speed Function (거리함수와 속력함수에서, 거리와 속력의 관계에 대한 학생들의 인식과 표현의 변화과정에 대한 연구)

  • Lee, Dong Gun;Ahn, Sang Jin;Kim, Suk Hui;Shin, Jae Hong
    • School Mathematics
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.881-901
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    • 2016
  • This study is about investigating students' recognition and expression on relationship of 'time, distance, speed' via teaching experiment. In this process, students showed not only a change in perception of the relationship of 'time, distance, speed' but also recognizing the average speed as a viewpoint of the slope of the line connecting the end points of the interval in the distance function as well as another way of perceiving average speed of a height of a rectangle. In this process, the study shows the scene of expanding the relation of 'distance = time ${\times}$ speed' to 'distance = time ${\times}$ average speed', and also the student who makes the continuous reasoning shows the possibility of constructing a new function that can explain the change of the primitive function by allocating the average rate of change to the interval. Although this study was conducted with a limited number of students, this study suggests some implications through the observation of relationship of 'time, distance, speed' the students'. We hope that these results will be the starting point for various studies for constructing the integral learning model in the future.

Discrepancy between Reading and Writing Equality Number Sentences in Korean Language (등호 해석의 두 시간적 차원인 읽기.쓰기의 불일치와 그 해소)

  • Yim, Jaehoon
    • Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.207-223
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    • 2013
  • Teachers unfold a series of timeless mathematical symbols such as 5+2=7 in time by verbalizing the symbols in classrooms. A number sentence 5+2=7 is read in Korean as '5 더하기 2는(five plus two) 7과(seven) 같다(equals). Unlike in English, 5+2 and 7 are read first before the equal sign in Korean. This sequence of reading in Korean conflicts with the conventional linguistic sequence of writing from left to right. Ways of resolving the discrepancy between reading and writing sequences can make a difference students' understanding of the equal sign. Students would be in danger of perceiving the equal sign as an operational symbol, if a teacher resolves the discrepancy by subordinating reading sequence to linguistic convention of writing. This way of resolving results in the undesired phenomenon of changing the reading expressions in Korean elementary math textbook which represent relational notion of the equal sign into other reading expressions that represent operational notion of it. For understanding of relational notion of the equal sign, the discrepancy should be resolved by changing writing sequence in accordance with reading sequence. In addition, teaching of verbalizing the equal sign should be integrated with teaching of verbalizing inequality signs.

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과학고등학교 학생들의 수학불안감소와 수학성취도 향상을 위한 인지/행동 훈련의 효과

  • 김보경;조성희;이군현
    • Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.31-50
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    • 1997
  • 'I'his study investigated students' attitude toward mathematics. and how behavior/cognitive training affects level of math anxietv and level of math achievement. Subjects were all the freshmen attending Taejon Science High School, and they were given Mathematics Attitudes Scale and Attributional Style Questionnaire prior to and post training sessions. Twenty out of 84 freshmen voluntarily participated in nine sessions of training program. Participants were asked to do self-evaluation. Math achievement was measured prior to and post training. and was compared between two groups. Training program utilized behavior/cognitive approach. such as understanding one's feeling through muscle relaxation, breathing and meditation; modifying negative attributional style; imitating effective cognitive strategies for math problem solving, and so on. 'I'he result shows that students' math confidence in general was relatively low out of expectation, a nd they perceived teachers not supporting their math abilities :IS much as expected. On the other hand, students in general had strong math achievelment needs, and considered math utility very high. Sex difference was seen in the attitude toward female math abilities, to result that female students had more positive perception than male students. Female students of 'I'aejon Science High School seem free from conventional idea about female abilities including theirs. Participants' ~attitude change was compared with non-participants. and participants showed statistically significant change in their math confidence, and also in their math achievement. Participants had much higher math confidence and ~achievement than non-participants. And, they showed increased level of perceiving teachers' expectation. more realistic in needs, and more involvement in math. Math achievement was found positively related to math confidence, and participants' math achievement change was explained by their belief in math utility. Not only training program effect hut also participants' voluntary involvement and teacher\ulcorner' support of the program and participation seem to increase their math achievement. Based upon the result of study it was suggested that behavior-/cognitive training program be provided along with academic curricula for gifted students of Korea to help their emotional and psychological development enhance the efficacy of their cognitive learning.

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