• The Mathematical Education
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• v.46 no.1 s.116
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• pp.19-31
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• 2007

This study is to explore the ways in which the affective characteristics of Korean middle school students have been developed and the ways in which they have an effect on their mathematics achievements by using TIMSS (the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) data of 1995, 1999, and 2003. In addition, this study investigates the differences in affective variables between boys and girls toward mathematics. The result of the study indicates that the affective characteristics of Korean middle school students have changed a little, but that its effect on mathematics achievement increased a lot from 1995 to 2003. This study also shows that the Korean students study mathematics to get a job than to enter a university. However, girls have come to study it harder before going to college and it seems to have an impact on their mathematics scores; this happened in 1999. So we can infer from it that the decreasing in the difference between boys and girls in mathematics achievement may have been influenced by the girls' learning motivation to go to college. Lastly, it should be said that another analysis is needed to find out the reason for the devaluation of the importance of mathematics among the Korean middle school students.

• School Mathematics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.307-321
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• 2011

Recognizing the importance of affective factors in mathematical learning and achievement, international comparative assessment as PISA and TIMSS survey affective achievement as well as scholastic achievement. On the affective survey those items of PISA are categorized by 5 factors ; interest of mathematics, instrumental motivation, Mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety, mathematics self-concept) and those of TIMSS are categorized by 3 factors; Positive affect toward mathematics (PATM), Students' Self-Confidence in Learning Mathematics(SCM), and Students' Valuing Mathematics(SVM). In this study we carried out Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Measurement Equivalence/Invariance to find whether the constructs are well defined and divided. As a result of our analysis, some factors were overlapped in PISA whereas the items of TIMSS were categorized as intended in TIMSS study. Based on these results, it is confirmed that the questionnaire items need to be developed to understand our students affective characteristics. Also, how questionnaire of large-scaled international assessment can give implication to the development of the questionnaire of Korean specific.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-170
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• 2012

Many obstacles have been found in the learning of ratio and rate. The types of epistemological obstacles concern 'terms', 'calculations' and 'symbols'. It is important to identify the epistemological obstacles that students must overcome to understand the learning of ratio and rate. In this respect, the present study attempts to figure out what types of epistemological obstacles emerge in the area of learning ratio and rate and where these obstacles are generated from and to search for the teaching implications to correct them. The research questions were to analyze this concepts as follow; A. How do elementary students show the epistemological obstacles in ratio and rate? B. What is the reason for epistemological obstacles of elementary students in the learning of ratio and rate? C. What are the teaching implications to correct epistemological obstacles of elementary students in the learning of ratio and rate? In order to analyze the epistemological obstacles of elementary students in the learning of ratio and rate, the present study was conducted in five different elementary schools in Seoul. The test was administered to 138 fifth grade students who learned ratio and rate. The test was performed three times during six weeks. In case of necessity, additional interviews were carried out for thorough examination. The final results of the study are summarized as follows. The epistemological obstacles in the learning of ratio and rate can be categorized into three types. The first type concerns 'terms'. The reason is that realistic context is not sufficient, a definition is too formal. The second type of epistemological obstacle concerns 'calculations'. This second obstacle is caused by the lack of multiplication thought in mathematical problems. As a result of this study, the following conclusions have been made. The epistemological obstacles cannot be helped. They are part of the natural learning process. It is necessary to understand the reasons and search for the teaching implications. Every teacher must try to develop the teaching method.