• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.63 no.3
• /
• pp.451-466
• /
• 2024

This study investigated elementary preservice teachers' conceptions of a generating line, an ambiguous concept in school mathematics. The preservice teachers' conceptions of a generating line can be classified into four types: (a) only cones have generating lines, (b) only cones and cylinders have generating lines, (c) solids of revolution have generating lines, (d) straight lines on the lateral surface are generating lines. 22.1% of all preservice teachers believed that only cones have generating lines, and most of them followed the definition of a generating line presented in elementary mathematics textbooks. The conception that only cones and cylinders have generating lines was the least investigated. However, since there were instances where generating lines were defined with the use of a director curve, it became important to explore topics more thoroughly, such as generating lines of a truncated cone. 27.9% of all preservice teachers believed that solids of revolution have generating lines. This conception was marked by differing opinions on whether spheres also have generating lines. The conception that straight lines on the lateral surface are generating lines was the most frequently investigated. This conception differs from the traditional view in school mathematics because it suggests using a director curve to define generating lines. Based on these analysis results, the researcher developed specific teaching methods that considered both subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge for preservice teachers. In addition, the researcher proposed a consensus definition of a generating line in mathematics education.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.15-37
• /
• 2010

In this study, we investigated the application of oriental history of mathematics in school mathematics teaching. We set up three study problems to achieve this purpose. First, we analyze the middle and high school mathematics textbooks and auxiliary books. Second, we survey the mathematics teacher's knowledge and degree of application on history of mathematics. Third, we develop the teaching and learning materials on oriental history of mathematics. We performed three study-methods to settle above study problem. First, we analyzed 24 textbooks and auxiliary books for study problem 1. There were 6 middle school mathematics textbooks and 6 auxiliary books and also 6 high school mathematics textbooks and 6 auxiliary books. We categorized the contents into "anecdote", "systematization", "application of problem", "expansibility of thought", and "comparative of the contents". Second, we surveyed the 78 mathematics teachers's knowledge and degree of application using questionnaire about knowledge and application on history of mathematics. The questionnaire was made up of four types of question; the effect of material about history of mathematics, the understanding of western history of mathematics, the understanding of oriental history of mathematics; the direction of development of teaching material. Third, we exemplified the teaching and learning materials about three categories: "anecdote", "comparative of the contents".

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.135-148
• /
• 2011

We can say that the history of mathematics is the history on the development of the number system. The number starts from Natural number and is constructed to Integer number and Rational number. The Rational number is not the complete number analytically so that Real number is completed by the idea of the nested interval method. Real number is completed analytically, however, is not by algebra, so the algebraically completed type of the rational number, through the way that similar to the process of completing real number, is Complex number. The purpose of this study is to show the most appropriate way for the development of the human being thinking about the teaching and leaning of Complex number. To do this, We have to consider the proof of the existence of Complex number, the background of the introduction of Complex number and the background knowledge that the teachers to teach Complex number should have. Also, this study analyzes the knowledge to be taught of Complex number based on the anthropological theory of didactics and finally presents the teaching method of Complex number based on this theory.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.137-154
• /
• 2012

Approximation' is one of central conceptions in calculus. A basic conception for explaining 'approximation' is 'tangent', and 'tangent' is a 'line' with special condition. In this study, we will study pedagogically these mathematical knowledge on the ground of a viewpoint on the teaching of secondary geometry, and in connection with these we will suggest the teaching program and the chief end for the probable teaching. For this, we will examine point, line, circle, straight line, tangent line, approximation, and drive meaningfully mathematical knowledge for algebraic operation through the process translating from the above into analytic geometry. And we will construct the stream line of mathematical knowledge for approximation from a view of modern mathematics. This study help mathematics teachers to promote the pedagogical content knowledge, and to provide the basis for development of teaching model guiding the mathematical knowledge. Moreover, this study help students to recognize that mathematics is a systematic discipline and school mathematics are activities constructed under a fixed purpose.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2005

The aims of the study were to analyze the contents of elementary mathematics curriculum in order to help students to have ideas about the history of mathematics and to apply the ideas to develop their knowledge of mathematicians or mathematical history into the lesson ideas for preservice elementary teachers and elementary students. As a result, many ideas of mathematical connection into the history of mathematics are reviewed, and posters about Pythagoras and Pascal are designed to help students to reinvent the idea of triangular numbers and square numbers.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.199-214
• /
• 2000

The constructivism is an important stream of the recent trends of mathematics education. In order for students to construct their knowledge for themselves, above all, it should be a prerequisite that they participate in actively, Using games helps students to participate in learning mathematics actively. I think, up to now, mathematics teachers use games mainly for motivation and it does not connect to true learning mathematics through using games. So, the purposes of this study are developing the mathematical games connecting to mathematical contents closely, designing the teaching models to connect game activities to learning mathematics, and developing several teaching plans using games to mathematics class. In this study, I propose what conditions 'good' game should have, classify games as practice game, concept learning game, and strategy game, and develop 43 games from 1 to 6 grade. And I design the teaching models depending on the game types and develop the teaching plans.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.195-206
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of teacher on fourth-grade students' attitudes toward mathematics using data from TIMSS 2011. Students' attitudes toward mathematics included interest in learning mathematics, interest in mathematics lessons, and confidence in their mathematics ability. Teacher factors included mathematics professional development, confidence in teaching mathematics, teacher-centered mathematics instruction, and enhancing student mathematical thinking. The two level Hierarchical Linear Model was employed to analyze the relationship between teacher factors and student attitudes. Results showed that teacher-centered mathematics instruction significantly and positively predicted students' confidence about their mathematics ability. The findings suggest that school systems and mathematics educators need to provide teachers with the curriculum, assessment, and research-based practices and knowledge to overcome the obstacles to change their mathematics classroom.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.75-94
• /
• 2005

This study is intended to develop the criterion for evaluating the creative products that mathematically gifted students produce in their education program to enhance the development of creative productive ability. 1 distinguish the mathematical creativity with the creativity in the general domain, and make the production model of the creative mathematical product grounded on the mathematicians' work through the mathematical history. The model has the following components; the mathematical knowledge, the mathematical thinking and the mathematical inquiry skill, surrounding the resultive creative product. The students products are focused on one component of the model. Thus the criterion for the creative products is grounded on the each component of the model. According to it, teachers could evaluate the students'work, which got the validity and the reliability.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.403-428
• /
• 2011

The direction of recent education literature points to the importance of creativity and creative practices, which also plays an important role in character education and has been recognized as being invaluable for the educational goals of the 21st century. As such, the goal of mathematics educators and researchers has also been on emphasizing the importance of building character and promoting creative practices. In this research, we study the pedagogical measures that can be easily implemented in classrooms to foster creative mathematical thinking and practices in students. In particular, the mathematical topic of interest is three-dimensional geometry, and especially polygons, and processes in which mathematical knowledge and creative practices play out in classrooms. For example, we explore how these creative lessons can be organized as the target internalization lessons, concepts definition lessons, regularity and relationship lessons, question posing lessons, and narrative story lessons. All of these lessons share three commonalities: 1) they require specific planning and execution challenges in order to achieve creative tasks, 2) they take advantage of open-ended problems, and 3) they are activity-oriented. Through this study, we hope to further our understanding on successful creative mathematical educational practices in the field of mathematics education, and help establish model lessons and materials for teachers and educators to use towards such goals.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2001

The purpose of the study is to introduce how tessellation can be used and integrated to connect geometry to pattern in elementary mathematics educations. Tessellation examples include transformations such as translational symmetry, rotational symmetry, reflection symmetry, and glide reflection symmetry. In addition, many examples of tessellation using softwares such as Escher, TesselMania!, and LOGO programs. Further, future study will continue to foster students and teachers to try to construct their alive mathematics knowledge. The study of geometry and patterns require a rich teaching and learning environment provided by in-depth understanding of thinking connections to objects in real world.