• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.529-552
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• 2014

Recently, mathematical reasoning has been considered as one of the most important mathematical thinking abilities to be established in school mathematics. This study is to investigate the mathematical problems on the content of 'Set and Statement' and 'Sequences' in high school according to the four types of reasoning, namely Making Conjectures, Investigating Conjectures, Developing Arguments, and Evaluating Arguments. Those types of reasoning were reconstructed based on Johnson's six types of reasoning suggested in 2010. The content is dealt with in 'Mathematics II' textbook developed and published according to the mathematics curriculum revised in 2009. The subject of this study is nine types of textbooks and mathematical problems in the textbook are consisted of as two parts of 'general problem' and 'evaluation problem'. Finally, the results of this study can be summarized as follow: First, it is stated that students be establishing a logical justification activity, the highest reasoning activity through dealing with the 'Developing Arguments' type of problems affluently in both 'Set and Statement' and 'Sequence' chapters of Mathematics II textbook. Second, it is mentioned that students have an chance to investigate conjectures and develop logical arguments in 'Set and Statement' chapter of Mathematics II textbook. In particular, whereas they have an chance to investigate conjectures and also develop arguments in 'Statement', the 'Set' chapter is given only an opportunity of developing arguments. Third, students are offered on an opportunity of reasoning that can make conjectures and develop logical arguments in 'Sequences' chapter of Mathematics II textbook. Fourth, Mathematics II textbook are geared to do activities that could evaluate arguments while dealing with the problems relevant to 'mathematical process' included in 'general problem'.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.483-492
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• 2011

'Learning with a robot' is now considered as one of the best candidates for STEAM education, which is recently growing its importance. Most of the 'learning with a robot' programs in elementary schools serve as afterschool classes. The students participating in the afterschool classes are mostly boys who are interested in science and robots. This paper mainly concerns that a robot can be helpful for improving students' interest in STEAM education. We divided the robot utilizable aspects into 5 areas with educational points of view; abstract concept understanding type, structure-oriented type, athletics-oriented type, intelligence-oriented type and value-orientated type. We extracted all robot utilizable subjects and units from elementary school curriculum, and developed lesson plans which can be applicable to regular classes. And we also verified them by applying into an elementary school for 5 months. As the result of the analysis, we can conclude that 'learning with a robot' can encourage students' interest in STEAM, and it is more effective for girls than boys. Finally, we discuss problems that teachers may face in using a robot for regular classes, and make suggestions about the use of a robot for STEAM education.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-38
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze the responses and the behavioral characteristics between mathematically promising students and normal students in solving open-ended problems. For this study, 55 mathematically promising students were selected from the Science Education Institute for the Gifted at Seoul National University of Education as well as 100 normal students from three 6th grade classes of a regular elementary school. The students were given 50 minutes to complete a written test consisting of five open-ended problems. A post-test interview was also conducted and added to the results of the written test. The conclusions of this study were summarized as follows: First, analysis and grouping problems are the most suitable in an open-ended problem study to stimulate the creativity of mathematically promising students. Second, open-ended problems are helpful for mathematically promising students' generative learning. The mathematically promising students had a tendency to find a variety of creative methods when solving open-ended problems. Third, mathematically promising students need to improve their ability to make-up new conditions and change the conditions to solve the problems. Fourth, various topics and subjects can be integrated into the classes for mathematically promising students. Fifth, the quality of students' former education and its effect on their ability to solve open-ended problems must be taken into consideration. Finally, a creative thinking class can be introduce to the general class. A number of normal students had creativity score similar to those of the mathematically promising students, suggesting that the introduction of a more challenging mathematics curriculum similar to that of the mathematically promising students into the general curriculum may be needed and possible.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.439-447
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• 2011

In this paper, we developed the application for measure an area that it compute a space coordinate of real object to represent through a camera by using the Orientation sensor of smart devices. The application will help to solve a problems of an epistemological obstacles in an area learning. We conducted an expert evaluation for the application of educative usability, educative effect and etc.. The expert group was comprised of elementary school teacher who teach curriculum of an area in mathematics. In result, it was positively evaluated in terms of educative usability.

• School Mathematics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.65-88
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• 2011

Epistemological development process of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus is considered in a history of mathematical notions and the genetic process of the Fundamental Theorem is arranged by the order of geometric, algebraic and formalization steps. Based on this, we studied students' episte- mological obstacles and error and analyzed the content of textbooks related the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. Then, We developed the "Folding Back Model" of the fundamental theorem of calculus for students to lead meaningful faithfully. The Folding Back Model consists of "the Framework of thou- ght"(figure V-1) and "the Model of genetic understanding of concept"(figure V-2). The framework of thought in the Folding Back Model is included steps of pedagogical intervention which is used "the Monitoring working questions"(table V-3) by the mathematics teacher. The Folding Back Model is applied the Pirie-Kieren Theory(1991), history of mathematical notions and students' epistemological obstacles to practical use of instructional design. The Folding Back Model will contribute the professional development of mathematics teachers and improvement of thinking skills of students when they learn the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.403-430
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• 2011

The purpose of the study was to investigate how the use of graphing calculators influence on forming students' mathematical concept of algebra, students' mathematical connection, and attitude toward mathematics. First, graphing calculators give instant feedback to students as they make students compare their written answers with the results, which helps students learn equations and linear inequalities for themselves. In respect of quadratic inequalities they help students to correct wrong concepts and understand fundamental concepts, and with regard to functions students can draw graphs more easily using graphing calculators, which means that the difficulty of drawing graphs can not be hindrance to student's learning functions. Moreover students could understand functions intuitively by using graphing calculators and explored math problems volunteerly. As a result, students were able to perceive faster the concepts of functions that they considered difficult and remain the concepts in their mind for a long time. Second, most of students could not think of connection among equations, equalities and functions. However, they could understand the connection among equations, equalities and functions more easily. Additionally students could focus on changing the real life into the algebraic expression by modeling without the fear of calculating, which made students relieve the burden of calculating and realize the usefulness of mathematics through the experience of solving the real-life problems. Third, we identified the change of six students' attitude through preliminary and an ex post facto attitude test. Five of six students came to have positive attitude toward mathematics, but only one student came to have negative attitude. However, all of the students showed positive attitude toward using graphing calculators in math class. That's because they could have more interest in mathematics by the strengthened and visualization of graphing calculators which helped them understand difficult algebraic concepts, which gave them a sense of achievement. Also, students could relieve the burden of calculating and have confidence. In a conclusion, using graphing calculators in algebra and function class has many advantages : formulating mathematics concepts, mathematical connection, and enhancing positive attitude toward mathematics. Therefore we need more research of the effect of using calculators, practical classroom materials, instruction models and assessment tools for graphing calculators. Lastly We need to make the classroom environment more adequate for using graphing calculators in math classes.