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RHAPSODE
Eurasian Society of Educational Research
College House, 2nd Floor 17 King Edwards Road, Ruislip, London, HA4 7AE, UK
RHAPSODE
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College House, 2nd Floor 17 King Edwards Road, Ruislip, London, HA4 7AE, UK

' mathematical connection' Search Results



An Analysis of Errors and Misconceptions in the Study of Quadratic Equations

error misconception quadratic equation

Jane Tendere , Lillias H. N. Mutambara


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This study attempts to investigate the errors and misconception that form three students reveal using symbolic equation and word-problem representations. The participants were thirty form three students, from a high school in Zimbabwe. Three mathematics teachers from the same school also took part. Data was collected from the students through a questionnaire, a test, follow up interviews and semi-structured interviews. Semi structured interviews were also conducted with the three mathematics teachers. In data analysis, the students’ written responses and data from questionnaire were qualitatively analysed to determine the nature of the students’ errors when solving quadratic equations. The results revealed that the students had difficulties in solving symbolic quadratic equations by the factorisation method as well as the use of the quadratic formula such that many misconceptions were exposed. The following types of errors were revealed: conceptual, procedural and technical. It was found out that it is an advantage for teachers to teach students with the knowledge of these errors in an effort to eliminate them.

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10.12973/ejmse.1.2.81
Pages: 81-90
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Mathematical connection ability is very important to be mastered by prospective mathematics teacher students as competency to teach in secondary schools. However, the facts show that there are still many students who have weak mathematical connection abilities. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore how the process, and product of the mathematical connection made by prospective mathematics teacher students when solving the integral calculus problems based on their prior knowledge. The research subjects were 58 students who were prospective high school mathematics teachers at the University of Jember, Indonesia. Data were collected using documentation, questionnaire, test, and interview methods. After the test results of all subjects were analyzed, six students were interviewed. To find the match between the results of the written test and the results of the interview, a triangulation method was carried out. Data analysis used descriptive qualitative analysis with steps of data categorization, data presentation, interpretation, and making conclusions. The results show that the research subjects have connected and used mathematical ideas in the form of procedures, facts, concepts/principles, and representations in solving integral calculus problems. Students with high prior knowledge abilities can make better mathematical connections than students with moderate and low prior abilities. From these results, it is recommended that lecturers need to improve students' prior knowledge and train the students more intensely to solve integral calculus problems so all students can develop their mathematical connection abilities into very strong categories.

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10.12973/ejmse.3.2.105
Pages: 105-116
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A mathematics instructor with limited knowledge of content and pedagogy has little room for improvement or novelty in the classroom or the ability to arouse students' interest in learning mathematics. This case study was conducted in a foundation center of one of the public universities in Malaysia. The target of current research was to investigate the influence of lesson study (LS) on lecturers’ pedagogical content and content knowledge. The LS group comprises of seven lecturers of the mathematics group and the researcher. The group collaboratively prepared a research lesson on the subject of even and odd functions. Data gathered through interviews and observations on the lecturers’ activities in discussion meetings. Data from observations and interviews were analyzed descriptively and through thematic analysis method respectively. The results of this study show lecturers improved their knowledge in content and pedagogy considerably about even and odd functions. They enhanced their teaching knowledge through collaborative work and sharing of experiences. It seems the findings of this research not only help lecturers to have better performance in teaching the even and odd functions but also encourage them to experience the LS approach in teaching other mathematical concepts.

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10.12973/ejmse.3.2.119
Pages: 119-133
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The ability of students to build problem-solving models using procedural knowledge can be viewed from several aspects, including Mastery of Mathematical Problem Solving (MPS), understanding concepts and application of concepts, the relationship between learning outcomes of mathematics and interest in learning, and examine the contribution of the ability to understand concept problems, the application of concepts to the ability of MPS, as well as student difficulties and some of the advantages of students in solving problems. This experimental study aims to explain the effect of the MPS model using procedural knowledge on solving mathematical problems for Junior High School Students (JHSS). The findings showed that 1) The MPS method using procedural knowledge significantly improved learning outcomes, but the mastery of MPS for JHSS was still unsatisfactory. 2) MPS teaching could still not improve meaningful learning outcomes. However, when JHSS applied the concepts, calculations, and problem-solving aspects, MPS teaching improved meaningful learning outcomes. 3) Students' interest in learning mathematics in the two sample classes was classified as positive. Shortly, MPS teaching accustoms students to think systematically and creatively and not just give up on the problems they face.

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10.12973/ejmse.4.2.95
Pages: 95-109
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