• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.655-676
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of teaching on functional thinking, one of the algebraic thinking in sixth grade students level. For this study, we developed functional thinking based-teaching through analyzing mathematical curriculum and preceding research, which consisted of 12 classes, and we investigated the effects of teaching through quantitative and qualitative analysis. In the results of this study, functional thinking based-teaching was statistically proven to be more effective in improving algebraic reasoning skills and lower elements which is an algebraic reasoning as generalized arithmetic and functional thinking, compared to traditional textbook-centered lessons. In addition, the functional thinking based-teaching gave a positive impact on the functional thinking level. Thus functional thinking based-teaching provides guidance on the implications for teaching and learning methods and study of the functional thinking in the future, because of the significant impact on the mathematics learning in six grade students.

• School Mathematics
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.651-674
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• 2011

Functional thinking is a central topic in school mathematics and the purpose of teaching functional thinking is to develop student's functional thinking ability. Functional thinking which has to be taught in elementary school must be the thinking in terms of phenomenon which has attributes of 'connection'- assignment and dependence. The qualitative methods for evaluation of development of functional thinking can be based on students' activities which are related to functional thinking. With this purpose, teachers have to provide students with paradigm of the functional situation connected to the other subjects which have attributes of 'connection' and guide them by proper questions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find teaching method for functional thinking by situation posing connected with other subject. We suggest the following ways for functional situation posing though the process of three steps : preparation, adaption and reflection of functional situation posing. At the first stage of preparation for functional situation, teacher should investigate student's environment, mathematical knowledge and level of functional thinking. With this purpose, teachers analyze various curriculum which can be used for teaching functional thinking, extract functional situation among them and investigate the utilization of functional situation as follows : ${\cdot}$ Using meta-plan, ${\cdot}$ Using mathematical journal, ${\cdot}$ Using problem posing ${\cdot}$ Designing teacher's questions which can activate students' functional thinking. For this, teachers should be experts on functional thinking. At the second stage of adaption, teacher may suggest the following steps : free exploration ${\longrightarrow}$ guided exploration ${\longrightarrow}$ expression of formalization ${\longrightarrow}$ application and feedback. Because we demand new teaching model which can apply the contents of other subjects to the mathematic class. At the third stage of reflection, teacher should prepare analysis framework of functional situation during and after students' products as follows : meta-plan, mathematical journal, problem solving. Also teacher should prepare the analysis framework analyzing student's respondence.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.199-210
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• 2004

This study investigates 55 preservice secondary mathematics teachers' situational understanding of functional relationship. Functional thinking is fundamental and useful because it develops students' quantitative thinking about the world and analytical thinking about complex situations through examination of the relations between interdependent factors. Functional thinking is indispensable for understanding natural phenomena, for investigation by science, and for the technological inventions in engineering and navigation. Therefore, it goes without saying that teachers should be able to represent and communicate about various functional situations in the course of teaching and learning functional relationships to develop students' functional thinking. The result of this study illustrates that many preservice teachers were not able to appropriately represent and communicate about various functional situations. Additionally, it shows that most preservice teachers have limited understanding of the value of teaching function.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.105-119
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• 2008

Functional thinking, which focuses on the relationship between two or more varying quantities, is one of the key strands of algebraic thinking. This article is a case study that aimed to investigate how 3rd grade elementary students might make their functional thinking. The results showed that students not only understood the functional situation well but also created a record of the corresponding values of quantities, typically using descriptive writings and pictures. But when they tried to find a pattern and make a generalization, the students showed various difficulties. This paper concludes with implications on how to promote students' functional thinking from early grades in the elementary school.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.343-364
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• 2017

Despite the significance of functional thinking at the elementary school level there has been lack of research on teachers who play a major role in making students be engaged in functional thinking. This study surveyed 119 elementary school teachers to investigate their knowledge of functional thinking for teaching. A written assessment for this study was developed with a focus on the knowledge of mathematical tasks and instructional strategies to teach functional thinking. The results of this study showed that many teachers were able to design tasks corresponding to both the additive relationship and the multiplicative relationship, and to justify some strategies to promote functional thinking. However, some teachers had lack of understanding with regard to the core ideas of functional thinking. Based on these results this study is expected to suggest implications on what aspects of knowledge are further needed for elementary school teachers to promote students' functional thinking.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.75-96
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• 2014

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the functional changes of local educational authority policy based on the systems thinking perspective using causal loop diagrams. In the past, the main function of the local educational authority was to manage and supervise schools. Through this policy, local educational authority would be transformed into a support agency. However, this policy did not achieve the goal, was to cause confusion and require improvement. This study shows structured causes of the problem based on systems thinking. These diagrams make it possible for educational policy makers to provide ideas, although they have some complicated environment. The findings indicate that based on systems thinking in this policy can help those who related to policy decision than existing diagnosis method.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.57-76
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• 2015

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderate effects of self monitoring and the ways of thinking on the relationships and the moderate effects of brand credibility and brand attachment on the relationships between the negative information about a brand and the customer attitude holistic and analytic on the relationships between the negative information about a brand and customer attitude. To accomplish these purposes, this research divided negative information about a brand into corporate ability and corporate social responsibility. In addition, research also divided product type into functional product and symbolic product. participants are classified as having Low or High self monitoring. and the ways of thinking divided into holistic and analytic on the relationships between the negative information about a brand and customer attitude. The following are the summary of hypothesis test: (1)the consumers with low(high) level of self monitering are more likely to reveal high level of preference for negative information of corporate ability. (2)the consumers with analytic(holistic) ways of thinking are more likely to reveal high level of preference for negative information of corporate ability. (3)the consumers with low(high) level of self monitering are more likely to reveal high level of preference for functional product. (4)the consumers with analytic(holistic) ways of thinking aren't more likely to reveal high level of preference for functional(symbolic) product.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.179-189
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• 2012

The purpose of this study examines the influence of brand concepts(symbolic vs. functional) and thinking styles(holistic vs. analytic) on the attitude toward extension ads.(rational/emotional) and product. The moderating effect of thinking styles was also tested. The results of this study are as follows: I) Brand concepts of parent brand had a significant effect on the attitude toward extension ads.(symbolic: no differences between rational and emotional ads., functional: rational ads. > emotional ads.) and extension product. 2) Thinking styles of consumers also did.(holistic: no differences between rational and emotional ads., analytic: rational > emotional ads.) and extension product. 3) The moderating effect of thinking styles was(rational ads.: symbolicfunctional).

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.769-789
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• 2016

Pattern activities are useful to develop functional thinking of young students, but there has been lack of research on how to teach patterns. This study explored teaching methods of geometric patterns for developing functional thinking of elementary school students, and then analyzed the lessons in which such methods were implemented. For this, three classrooms of fourth grades in elementary schools were selected and three teachers taught geometric patterns on the basis of the same lesson plan. The lessons emphasized noticing the commonality of a given pattern, expanding the noti ce for the commonality, and representing the commonality. The results of this study showed that experience of analyzing the structure of a geometric pattern had a significant impact on how the fourth graders reasoned about the generalized rules of the given pattern and represented them in various methods. This paper closes with several implications to teach geometric patterns in a way to foster functional thinking.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.205-225
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• 2014

This study analyzed how two sixth graders recognized, generalized, and represented functional relationships in exploring geometric growing patterns. The results showed that at first the students had a tendency to solve the given problem using the picture in it, but later attempted to generalize the functional relationships in exploring subsequent items. The students also represented the patterns with their own methods, which in turn had an impact on the process of generalizing and applying the patterns to a related context. Given these results, this paper includes issues and implications on how to foster functional thinking ability at the elementary school.