The fractional knowledge and algebraic reasoning of students with the first multiplicative concept

To understand relationships between students’ quantitative reasoning with fractions and their algebraic reasoning, a clinical interview study was conducted with 18 middle and high school students. Six students with each of three different multiplicative concepts participated. This paper reports on the fractional knowledge and algebraic reasoning of six students with the most basic multiplicative concept. The fractional knowledge of these students was found to be consistent with prior research, in that the students had constructed partitioning and iteration operations but not disembedding operations, and that the students conceived of fractions as parts within wholes. The students’ iterating operations facilitated their work on algebra problems, but the lack of disembedding operations was a significant constraint in writing algebraic equations and expressions, as well as in generalizing relationships. Implications for teaching these students are discussed.     

The effect of project-based learning on students’ statistical literacy levels for data representation

The point of this study is to define the effect of project-based learning approach on 8th Grade secondary-school students’ statistical literacy levels for data representation. To achieve this goal, a test which consists of 12 open-ended questions in accordance with the views of experts was developed. Seventy 8th grade secondary-school students, 35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group, took this test twice, one before the application and one after the application. All the raw scores were turned into linear points by using the Winsteps 3.72 modelling program that makes the Rasch analysis and t-tests, and an ANCOVA analysis was carried out with the linear points. Depending on the findings, it was concluded that the project-based learning approach increases students’ level of statistical literacy for data representation. Students’ levels of statistical literacy before and after the application were shown through the obtained person-item maps.     

Mexican high school students' social representations of mathematics,its teaching and learning

This paper reports a qualitative research that identifies Mexican high school students’ social representations of mathematics. For this purpose, the social representations of ‘mathematics’, ‘learning mathematics’ and ‘teaching mathematics’ were identified in a group of 50 students. Focus group interviews were carried out in order to obtain the data. The constant comparative style was the strategy used for the data analysis because it allowed the categories to emerge from the data. The students’ social representations are: (A) Mathematics is…(1) important for daily life, (2) important for careers and for life, (3) important because it is in everything that surrounds us, (4) a way to solve problems of daily life, (5) calculations and operations with numbers, (6) complex and difficult, (7) exact and (6) a subject that develops thinking skills; (B) To learn mathematics is…(1) to possess knowledge to solve problems, (2) to be able to solve everyday problems, (3) to be able to make calculations and operations, and (4) to think logically to be able to solve problems; and (C) To teach mathematics is…(1) to transmit knowledge, (2) to know to share it, (3) to transmit the reasoning ability, and (4) to show how to solve problems.     

Approach to mathematics in textbooks at tertiary level – exploring authors’ views about their texts

The aim of this article is to present and discuss some results from an inquiry into mathematics textbooks authors’ visions about their texts and approaches they choose when new concepts are introduced. Authors’ responses are discussed in relation to results about students’ difficulties with approaching calculus reported by previous research. A questionnaire has been designed and sent to seven authors of the most used calculus textbooks in Norway and four authors have responded. The responses show that the authors mainly view teaching in terms of transmission so they focus mainly on getting the mathematical content correct and ‘clear’. The dominant view is that the textbook is intended to help the students to learn by explaining and clarifying. The authors prefer the approach to introduce new concepts based on the traditional way of perceiving mathematics as a system of definitions, examples and exercises. The results of this study may enhance our understanding of the role of the textbook at tertiary level. They may also form a foundation for further research.     

The effect of activity-based instruction on conceptual development of seventh grade students in probability

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the effects of activity-based and traditional instructions on students’ conceptual development of certain probability concepts. The study was conducted using a pretest–posttest control group design with 80 seventh graders. A developed ‘Conceptual Development Test’ comprising 12 open-ended questions was administered on both groups of students before and after the intervention. The data were analysed using analysis of covariance, with the pretest as covariate. The results revealed that activity-based instruction (ABI) outperformed the traditional counterpart in the development of probability concepts. Furthermore, ABI was found to contribute students’ conceptual development of the concept of ‘Probability of an Event’ the most, whereas to the concept of ‘Sample Space’ the least. As a consequence, it can be deduced that the designed instructional process was effective in the instruction of probability concepts.     

小学生穿暴走鞋的步行行为研究

通过小学生群体穿运动鞋与暴走鞋的步态,研究运动鞋、无轮暴走鞋、有轮暴走鞋在步行过程中的步行行为特点.用高速摄像机从侧面拍摄小学生穿运动鞋与暴走鞋时的步态过程,分析正常步行时的步长、步频、步速与落地角的步行行为指标特征,检验鞋跟高度差异对步行的影响.结果表明:小学生步行时的最长步长是运动鞋,有轮暴走鞋最短;运动鞋、无轮暴走鞋、有轮暴走鞋的步频、步速与落地角呈现递减趋势;运动鞋与有轮暴走鞋、无轮暴走鞋与有轮暴走鞋的步长、步速与落地角的平均值差异非常显著(P0.01),运动鞋与有轮暴走鞋、无轮暴走鞋与有轮暴走鞋的步频平均值差异显著(P0.05).     

提高护理专业文科生医用化学教学效果的探索

医用化学是高职护理专业学生必修的一门基础课程,课程要求学生应具有一定的化学基础。由于文科生化学基础较差,学好医用化学存在很大困难。为提高教学效果,任课教师对课程内容、教学方法、教学手段等方面进行了改革,教学效果显著。     

不同科学史设计对高一学生科学本质观发展的影响——以原子结构发现史为例

科学史是促进学生科学本质观发展的重要策略。本研究以181名高一学生为研究对象,采用准实验设计,探讨了在原子结构教学中,不同科学史设计对学生科学本质观发展的影响。结果表明：无论何种教学设计对学生科学本质观发展都有影响,但影响的方面和程度不同;采用“认识型”、“反思型”的科学史设计效果要明显优于“知识型”。     

对设计性物理实验教学意义的研究和探讨

对设计性物理实验教学特点及意义进行了研究和论证。     

高等院校民族班有机化学教学现状调查分析

以问卷和个别访谈的形式对民族班少数民族学生在有机化学课程教学手段、学生学习态度和学习方法等方面进行调查。结果显示部分学生对学习有机化学缺乏热情,学习方法落后;多数学生希望将多媒体教学与板书教学结合,减少教学内容,增加课后辅导。提出改进有机化学教学的具体建议和措施,以推进教学质量的提高。