competency of teachers
S. Rekabslamizadeh; F. Nowroozi larky; S. Nasry
Abstract
This investigation studies teaching via problem solving with emphasis on Scheonfeld's problem solving theory. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of training via problem solving based on Schoenfeld's mathematical problem solving theory on improving the student's beliefs in problem ...
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This investigation studies teaching via problem solving with emphasis on Scheonfeld's problem solving theory. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of training via problem solving based on Schoenfeld's mathematical problem solving theory on improving the student's beliefs in problem solving and increasing the group's activities and student's mathematical problem solving skills. This research has been studied at high school level with two randomly chosen groups of subject one control and one experimental group. The experimental group's teacher had been trained in a period of mathematical problem solving based on Schoenfeld's theory and the control group's teacher had not received any instruction. Pre and post-test was used to measure the progress of students in problem solving. A questionnaire was used to measure their beliefs and group activity before and after the training. The results of a t-test show significant differences between teaching via problem solving based on Schoenfeld's theory and student's group activity (t=3.595, p ) and problem solving ability (t=3.567 , p ). The analysis of u test shows there were significant relationships between teaching via problem solving based on Schoenfeld's theory and student's beliefs (z=-4.349 , p 0.01).
Curriculum Planning
F. Nowroozi; Sh. Bakhshalizadeh; Z. Ghorbani Sisakht
Abstract
A relatively large number of 4th-grade public primary school students in Iran did not perform at acceptable levels in the national and international assessment of mathematics (such as, TIMSS, 2003, 2007). One concept that poses significant difficulty for these students and negatively affects their overall ...
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A relatively large number of 4th-grade public primary school students in Iran did not perform at acceptable levels in the national and international assessment of mathematics (such as, TIMSS, 2003, 2007). One concept that poses significant difficulty for these students and negatively affects their overall mathematics achievement is fractions. Many researchers have attributed these difficulties primarily to traditional instruction of fraction that emphasizes on procedural rather than conceptual knowledge. Therefore this study was designed to investigate the effect of a multi-representational instruction on student conceptual understanding of fraction concepts. The participants of the study were 40 students at two primary schools. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design in which students at one school (control) learn fraction concepts with a traditional instructional approach while students at the other school (treatment) learn these concepts with an instructional approach simultaneously introducing multiple representations. The effect of a multi-representational instruction on students’ understanding was assessed with a pretest and posttest. For deeper investigation of the process of understanding and thinking of students, qualitative interviews were also conducted with three participants from each school. The findings of the study indicated that students in treatment group scored significantly higher, and develop of the conceptual understanding of the concept of fractions, and therefore they have less misconception when learning fraction concepts. Besides the findings of the study, indicated that students in treatment group have resistant learning of concept of fractions.
