Preferences and Beliefs on Multiple Representations of Functions of Two Variables with Two Unknowns
Author(s):
Emmanuel Adu-tutu Bofah (presenting / submitting)
Conference:
ECER 2011
Format:
Paper

Session Information

ERG SES F 04, Parallel Session F 04

Paper Session

Time:
2011-09-13
09:00-10:30
Room:
JK 26/101,G, 36
Chair:
Wolfgang Lauterbach

Contribution

The study aims at throwing light on the nature and the contribution of systems of representations, and students‟ preferences, beliefs about the use of representations in the learning of mathematics. The participants will be second year senior secondary school student age 17 to 19 and Simultaneous Linear Equations in Two Variables as described in the school curriculum and textbook use for this level will be the focus.
A Representation Preference Test based on the curriculum and the textbooks use in the school will be administered to students. Furthermore insights into selected students/teachers responses and experiences will be gathered through task-based interviews. A Likert-type questionnaire will be use in measuring students ‟ beliefs about the use of different types of representations. Selected Students will be interviewed on which factors they will consider in selecting a particular representation in case they are to solve the given problems. To determine whether these representation variables worked together in forming a broader understanding of student‟s choice of specific method. Data will be analyzed using descriptive methods, regression methods, and factor analysis.The research will try specifically to address the following issues;

  • Whether students have preferences for particular representations and the degree to which these preferences are related.
  • The extent to which preferences for particular representations are affected by the availability of other representations.
  •  How students‟ self-efficacy beliefs about different representations affect their ability to use a multiple representations.
  • Are students‟ beliefs about mathematics and mathematics learning correlated with their belief about and the preference for specific representation?
  •  How teachers‟ beliefs about different representations affect their ability to implement and encourage students to use a variety of representations in their problem solving

Method

The participants will be second year senior secondary school student age 17 to 19 and Simultaneous Linear Equations in Two Variables as described in the school curriculum and textbook use for this level will be the focus. A Representation Preference Test based on the curriculum and the textbooks use in the school will be administered to students. The study will be using the selected scales from questionnaire developed by Roesken, Hannula & Pehkonen, (submitted) for measuring students‟ view of themselves as mathematics learners and questionnaire developed by the researcher for measuring students‟ views and perceptions of mathematics representation. Insights into selected students and teachers responses and experiences will be gathered through task-based interviews and surveys. These interviews will be based on the student’s preferences test and their beliefs on mathematics representations.Selected Students will be interviewed on which factors they will consider in selecting a particular representation in case they are to solve the given problems. To determine whether these representation variables worked together in forming a broader understanding of student's choice of specific method. Data will be analyzed using descriptive methods, regression methods, and factor analysis.

Expected Outcomes

Data is now being imputed and preliminary results will be ready for the conference.

References

Kloosterman, P., & Cougan, M. C. (1994). Students' beliefs about learning school mathematics. The Elementary School Journal, 94(4), 375-388. Kloosterman, P., & Stage, F. K. (1992). Measuring beliefs about mathematical problem solving. School Science and Mathematics, 92(3), 109-115. Op‟t Eynde, P. & De Corte, E. (2003). Students’ mathematics-related belief systems : Design and analysis of a questionnaire. Paper presented at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, April 21-25, Chicago. Op‟t Eynde, P., De Corte, E., & Verschaffel, L. (2002). Framing students' mathematics-related beliefs: A quest for conceptual clarity and a comprehensive categorization. In G.C. Leder, E. Pehkonen, & G. Törner (Eds.), Beliefs: A hidden variable in mathematics education? (pp. 13-37). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Op‟t Eynde, P., De Corte, E., & Verschaffel, L. (2004). Junior High Students‟ mathematics-related belied systems: Their internal structure and external relations. Paper presented in TSG 24 at ICME-10 Copenhagen, Denmark. Roesken, B., Hannula, M., &Pehkonen, E. (in print). Dimensions of students‟ view of themselves as learners of mathematics. Schoenfeld, A. H. (1983). Beyond the purely cognitive: Belief systems, social cognitions, and metacognitions as driving forces in intellectual performance. Cognitive Science, 7,329-363 Van Streun, A. (2000). Representations in applying functions. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 31(5), 703-725. Vinner, S. (1989). The avoidance of visual considerations in calculus students. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, 11,149-156.

Author Information

Emmanuel Adu-tutu Bofah (presenting / submitting)
University of Helsinki
Dep of Teacher Education
Helsinki

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