• The Mathematical Education
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.173-187
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• 2002

The purpose of this study through ethnographic inquiry is to describe how an elementary teacher teaches mathematics with understanding. The ways that teachers'beliefs affect instructional activities, what means understanding from the view of cognitive psychology, and ethnographic research tradition were reviewed to anchor theoretical background of this study. A third-grade teacher and his 45 students were selected in order to capture vivid and thick descriptions of the teaching and learning activities of mathematics. Three major sources of data, that is, participant-observation with video taping, formal and informal interviews with the teacher and his students, and a variety of official documents were collected. These data were analyzed through two phases: data analysis in the field and after the fieldwork. According to data analysis, ‘teaching mathematics with understanding’ was identified as the teachers central belief of teaching mathematics. In order to implement his belief in teaching practices, the teacher made use of three strategies: ⑴ valuing individual student's own way of understanding, ⑵ bring students' everyday experiences into mathematics classroom, and ⑶ lesson objectivies stated by students. It is suggested for future research that concrete and specific norms of mathematics classroom for the improvement of mathematics understanding are needed to be identified and that experienced and skillful teachers' practical knowledge should be incorporated with theories of teaching mathematics and necessarily paid more attention by mathematics educators.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.267-286
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to understand the structures underlying Korean elementary teachers' attitudinal beliefs toward reform-oriented mathematics instruction and predict their intentions to change traditionally-oriented teaching practice. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) developed by Fishbein and Ajzen provided a conceptual framework for the examination of factors that influence Korean teachers' beliefs, attitudes, subjective norms and perceptions of control factors. Data were gathered through a survey instrument from 281 teachers who teach mathematics in a metropolitan city of Korea. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were conducted to analyze the data. Findings indicate that Korean elementary teachers' change in Instructional practice is based primarily on their judgements regarding the likelihood of occurrences of certain consequences if they engage in teaching mathematics in a reform-oriented way. Teachers' perceptions of important others regarding the reform-oriented mathematics instruction seem to play a minor role in teachers' instructional change. Teachers' perceptions about control factors that prohibit or help teach mathematics in a reform-oriented way do not seem to make significant improvement in predicting their intentions to change traditionally-oriented teaching practice.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.67-87
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• 2001

Variable concept plays a crucial role in understanding not only algebra itself but also school mathematics which is algebra-oriented. It solves as an essential means in applying mathematics to the real world because il enables us to describe varying phenomena in the real world. In this study, we examined some matters related to the learning of variable concept in school mathematics. In Particular, we discussed on the teaching of variable concept in the [7-first] stage of the 7th Mathematics Curriculum. We analysed the textbooks in the [7-first] stage and attempted to explain concretely the contents and teaching methods of variable concept which be taught in school mathematics. After reconsidering the practices on variable concept teaching, we pointed out the problems of formalistic teaching method and then proposed the direction in which variable concept teaching should go.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.27-51
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• 2012

This paper analyzed the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) presented in three novice teachers' mathematics instruction. PCK was analyzed in terms of the knowledge of mathematics content, the knowledge of students' understanding, and the knowledge of teaching methods. Teacher A executed a concept-oriented instruction with manipulative materials because she had difficulties in learning mathematics during her childhood. Teacher B attempted to implement an inquiry-centered instruction in the lesson of looking for the area of a trapezoid. Teacher C focused on the real-life connection to mathematics instruction. There were substantial differences among the teachers' PCK revealed in mathematics teaching, depending on their instructional goals. The detailed analyses of three teachers' teaching in terms of their PCK will give rise to the issues and suggestions of professional development for beginning elementary school teachers in mathematics teaching.

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

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.283-304
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• 2004

This study is to make strides toward an enriched understanding of changing a prevailing teacher-centered mathematics classroom culture to a student-centered culture by analyzing six reform-oriented classrooms of three elementary school teachers throughout a year This study provided a detailed description of important classroom episodes to explore how the participants in each class established a reform-oriented mathematics microculture. Despite the exemplary form of student-centered instruction, the content and qualities of the teaching practices are somewhat different in the extent to which students' ideas become the center of mathematical discourse and activity. Given the similarities in terms of general social norms and the differences in terms of socio-mathematical norms and mathematical practice, this study addresses some crucial issues on understanding the culture of elementary mathematics classroom in transition.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-74
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• 2014

This study examined the potential teaching strategies of prospective elementary teachers and their perceptions of the procedural/conceptual nature of examples. Fifty-four prospective teachers participated in this study, engaging in two-phase tasks. Analysis of data indicated that: (a) Overall, the participants' perceptions were geared toward putting emphasis on conceptual understanding rather than procedural understanding; but (b) Generally, procedure-oriented strategies were more frequently incorporated in participants' potential teaching plans. This implied that participants' preconceived ideas regarding math examples were not always reliable indicators of their potential teaching strategies. Implications and suggestions for mathematics teacher preparation are discussed.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.215-241
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• 2017

This study analyzed teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) regarding the pedagogical aspect of the instruction of ratio and rate in order to look into teachers' problems during the process of teaching ratio and rate. This study aims to clarify problems in teachers' PCK and promote the consideration of the materialization of an effective and practical class in teaching ratio and rate by identifying the improvements based on problems indicated in PCK. We subdivided teachers' PCK into four areas: mathematical content knowledge, teaching method and evaluation knowledge, understanding knowledge about students' learning, and class situation knowledge. The conclusion of this study based on analysis of the results is as follows. First, in the 'mathematical content knowledge' aspect of PCK, teachers need to understand the concept of ratio from the perspective of multiplicative comparison of two quantities, and the concept of rate based on understanding of two quantities that are related proportionally. Also, teachers need to introduce ratio and rate by providing students with real-life context, differentiate ratios from fractions, and teach the usefulness of percentage in real life. Second, in the 'teaching method and evaluation knowledge' aspect of PCK, teachers need to establish teaching goals about the students' comprehension of the concept of ratio and rate and need to operate performance evaluation of the students' understanding of ratio and rate. Also, teachers need to improve their teaching methods such as discovery learning, research study and activity oriented methods. Third, in the 'understanding knowledge about students' learning' aspect of PCK, teachers need to diversify their teaching methods for correcting errors by suggesting activities to explore students' own errors rather than using explanation oriented correction. Also, teachers need to reflect students' affective aspects in mathematics class. Fourth, in the 'class situation knowledge' aspect of PCK, teachers need to supplement textbook activities with independent consciousness and need to diversify the form of class groups according to the character of the activities.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.251-272
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• 2006

The purpose of the present study is to explore the process of teacher change as elementary school teachers participated in a community focused on improving mathematics teaching. To do so, a professional community lot improving instructional practice consisted of a group of voluntary elementary school teachers. The professional community provides participating teachers with great opportunities to share their understanding of practical knowledge related to mathematics teaching and learning and change mathematical beliefs as well as to learn pedagogical content knowledge. This study approached to teacher professionality in terms of mathematical beliefs and teaching practice. The change of teaching practice was measured coherently both with a questionnaire and with a mathematics teaching standard developed for this study. The findings of this study point out that techers' beliefs about how students learn mathematics have chantged. This study also indicated that after participating in the professional community focused on improving mathematics teaching, teachers' mathematical teaching is changed toward the more students' oriented way. Especially, it is observed that the meaningful change in participating teachers' teaching practice took place with respect to the role of teachers, students' interaction, mathematical tasks, and problem solving. Finally, this study implies that teachers can have an opportunity to change their beliefs and deepen their professionality about elementary mathematics teaching and learning through participating in the community of practice, through which participating teachers can share their practical knowledge and their understandings about teaching and learning of elementary mathematics.

• School Mathematics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.585-611
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to understand the decision-making behavior of a mathematics teacher in science academy of Korea by applying the framework of class analysis through the theory of goal-oriented decision-making. To this end, we selected as the participant a mathematics teacher in charge of the class of basic calculus of science high school for the gifted in the metropolitan area, and observed the teacher's lesson. Based on a questionnaire derived from previous studies, we analyzed goals, orientations and resources of the teacher. Research results show that there are certain teaching routines by analyzing the behavior patterns that appear repeatedly in the teacher's lesson. Also we understand that it can be used on goals, orientations and resources of the teacher to adequately explain his teaching routine. In the present study, in particular, it was found to have a similar but partially different routines to the teaching routines shown in the study of Schoenfeld. From these findings, We can derive the implications that the theory of goal-oriented decision making can be suitably used as analytical tool for understanding the behavior of the teacher who pursue a productive interaction in mathematics lesson in Korea.