ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Proportional Reasoning as a Threshold to Numeracy at University: A Framework for Analysis
Author: Lloyd, Pam
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Mathematical Concepts,Thinking Skills,Mathematical Logic,Numeracy,Foreign Countries,Statistics,College Mathematics,College Students

There is a generally acknowledged need for students to be quantitatively literate in an increasingly quantitative world. This includes the ability to reason critically about data in context. We have noted that students experience difficulty with the application of certain mathematical and statistical concepts, which in turn impedes progress in the development of students' critical reasoning ability. One such concept, which has the characteristics of a threshold concept, is that of proportional reasoning. The main focus of this article is a description of the development of a framework using an adapted phenomenographic approach that can be used to describe students' experiences in the acquisition of the concept of comparing quantities in relative terms. The framework has also helped to make explicit the elements that constitute a full understanding of the requirements for the proportional comparison of quantities. Preliminary results from using the framework to analyse students' responses to assessment questions showed that many students were challenged by proportional reasoning. When considering the notion of the liminal space that is occupied en route to a full understanding of a threshold concept, about half of the students in the study were at the preliminal stage of understanding the concept and very few were at the threshold.
The Ability of Second Graders to Identify Solids in Different Positions and to Justify Their Answer
Author: Sarfaty, Yael
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grade 2,Mathematics Instruction,Geometric Concepts,Geometry,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Students

From a young age children feel the need to identify two-dimensional geometric figures (shapes) and three-dimensional geometric figures (solids). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics indicates the importance of being able to identify and name various geometric figures by kindergarten age. One of the objectives of this study was to learn the ability of second graders to identify examples and non-examples of three generally known solids: cylinder, cone and pyramid, and to justify their identification based on the attributes (critical and non-critical) of those solids. Another objective was to find out whether changing the position of the solids would result in those children maintaining their decisions regarding the name or changing their identification of the solids, giving arguments accordingly. Findings of this study illustrate that children can identify and characterise solids presented to them in a typical position. However, they find it difficult to correctly identify the same solids in another position. An interesting finding was that most of the arguments given to justify their identification were based on the specific attributes of the solid rather than on the perception of the solids in general. Findings of the present study suggest that it is highly important for learners to be acquainted with a variety of both non-examples and examples of solids. Moreover, it is recommended that solids are presented to learners not only in the typical position, in order to improve their ability to identify them and understand that the name of the figure does not change when its position changes.
Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge in South African Mathematics Classrooms: A Secondary Analysis of SITES 2006 Data
Author: Leendertz, Verona
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Technological Literacy,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Mathematics Education,Mathematics Teachers,Information Technology,Technology Uses in Education,Mathematics Instruction,Grade 8,Barriers,Outcomes of Education,Instructional Effectiveness

This article reports on a secondary data analysis conducted on the South African mathematics teachers' dataset of the Second Information Technology in Education Study (SITES 2006). The sample consisted of a stratified sample of 640 mathematics teachers from 504 randomly selected computer-using and non-computer-using schools that completed the SITES 2006 teachers' questionnaire, which investigated their pedagogical use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). The purpose of the current investigation was to investigate the level of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) of mathematics teachers, and how TPACK attributes contribute towards more effective Grade 8 mathematics teaching in South African schools, using the TPACK conceptual framework. The findings are presented according to the three clusters identified through the association between the main variables of the TPACK model and other variables on the SITES 2006 teachers' questionnaire: (1) impact of ICT use, (2) teacher practices and (3) barriers. A Cramér V of between 0.3 and 0.4 was considered to signal a medium effect that tended towards practically significant association, and a Cramér V of 0.4 or larger was considered to signal a large effect with practically significant association. The results indicate that the TPACK of mathematics teachers contributes towards more effective Grade 8 mathematics teaching in South African schools.
Assessing Medical Students&apos; Competence in Calculating Drug Doses
Author: Harries, Catherine
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Medical Students,Competence,Computation,Drug Therapy,Pharmacology,Problem Based Learning,Undergraduate Students,Medical Education,Foreign Countries

Evidence suggests that healthcare professionals are not optimally able to calculate medicine doses and various strategies have been employed to improve these skills. In this study, the performance of third and fourth year medical students was assessed and the success of various educational interventions investigated. Students were given four types of dosing calculations typical of those required in an emergency setting. Full competence (at the 100% level) was defined as correctly answering all four categories of calculation at any one time. Three categories correct meant competence at the 75% level. Interventions comprised an assignment with a model answer for self-assessment in the third year and a small group tutorial in the fourth year. The small groups provided opportunities for peer-assisted learning. A subgroup of 23 students received individual tuition from the lecturer prior to the start of the fourth year. Amongst the 364 eligible students, full competence rose from 23% at the beginning of the third year to 66% by the end of the fourth year. More students succeeded during the fourth than the third year of study. Success of small group tuition was assessed in a sample of 200 students who had formal assessments both before and after the fourth year tuition. Competence at the 75% level improved by 10% in attendees and decreased by 3% in non-attendees, providing evidence of the value of students receiving assistance from more able same-language peers. Good results were achieved with one-on-one tuition where individualised assistance allowed even struggling students to improve.
Teachers&apos; Knowledge for Teaching Compound Interest
Author: Pournara, Craig
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Money Management,Error Patterns,Banking,Secondary School Teachers,Preservice Teachers,Foreign Countries,Mathematical Formulas

There is increasing acknowledgement that teachers' knowledge for teaching mathematics is multifaceted and topic specific. Given the paucity of research on the teaching and learning of financial mathematics in general, little can be known about teachers' knowledge for teaching compound interest. However, since financial mathematics is a component of the school curriculum in South Africa, and an important element of financial literacy more broadly, attention needs to be given to knowledge for teaching financial mathematics, and compound interest in particular. Drawing from a larger study in which the author taught a financial mathematics course to pre-service secondary mathematics teachers, a theoretical elaboration is provided of the underlying mathematics of compound interest, and connections with the world of banking. Based on findings from the study, two key student errors are identified: the over-generalisation of linear thinking in multiplicative scenarios, and the over-generalisation of reversible operations in percentage-change scenarios. Taken together, teachers' knowledge of relevant mathematics, of the banking context and of learners' conceptions will contribute to building a knowledge-base for teachers' knowledge for teaching compound interest.
Mapping onto the Mathematics Curriculum -- An Opportunity for Teachers to Learn
Author: Shalem, Yael
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Concept Mapping,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Curriculum,Mathematics Teachers,Test Items,Foreign Countries,Faculty Development,Elementary School Teachers,Middle School Teachers,Elementary School Mathematics,Middle School Mathematics

Curriculum mapping is a common practice amongst test designers but not amongst teachers. As part of the Data Informed Practice Improvement Project's (DIPIP) attempt to de-fetishise accountability assessment, teachers were tasked to investigate the alignment of a largescale assessment with the South African mathematics curriculum. About 50 mathematics teachers from Grade 3--9 worked in groups together with subject facilitators from the Gauteng Department of Education and a university postgraduate student or lecturer who acted as group leader. The first project activity, curriculum mapping, provided a professional development opportunity in which groups mapped mathematical assessment items to the assessment standards of the curriculum. The items were taken from three sources: the 2006 and 2007 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools tests and from 'own tests' developed by the groups in the last term of the project. Groups were required to analyse the knowledge base underlying test items and to reflect on what they teach in relation to what the curriculum intends them to teach. They used a protocol (mapping template) to record their responses. This article deals with the question of how to transform data collected from largescale learner assessments into structured learning opportunities for teachers. The findings were that through the curriculum mapping activity, groups became more aware of what is intended by the curriculum and how this differs from what is enacted in their classes. The findings were also that the capacity of groups to align content was better when they worked with leaders and that with more experience they gained confidence in mapping test items against the curriculum and made better judgments in relation to curriculum alignment. Involving teachers in the interpretation of both public assessment data and data from their own classroom activities can build their own understanding of the knowledge base of test items and of the curriculum.
The Dialectical Relationship between Theory and Practice in the Design of an After-School Mathematics Club
Author: Stott, Debbie
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Theory Practice Relationship,Mathematics Instruction,Clubs,After School Programs,Design,Foreign Countries,Numeracy,Problem Solving,Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Grade 3,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Mathematics

In this article we describe the design process for an after-school Grade 3 mathematics club, based on our experiences running a pilot club in a 2011 research and development project. Working from a sociocultural perspective, we show the progression from an initial multifaceted design to a much simpler, more learner-centred design that speaks directly to our research foci and one which is based on empirical evidence. Our experiences have brought to light the entwined and dialectical nature of the data collection and design processes and the significance of the post-club reflection sessions as a powerful data collection instrument for planning the club sessions. Furthermore, we identify and shape the zone of proximal development for the purposes of our club as the critical design concept for each club session for each learner.
Teachers&apos; Reasoning in a Repeated Sampling Context
Author: Wessels, Helena
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematical Concepts,Statistics,Mathematics Teachers,Foreign Countries,Faculty Development,Thinking Skills,Secondary School Mathematics,Secondary School Teachers

The concepts of variability and uncertainty are regarded as cornerstones in statistics. Proportional reasoning plays an important connecting role in reasoning about variability and therefore teachers need to develop students' statistical reasoning skills about variability, including intuitions for the outcomes of repeated sampling situations. Many teachers however lack the necessary knowledge and skills themselves and need to be exposed to hands-on activities to develop their reasoning skills about variability in a sampling environment. The research reported in this article aimed to determine and develop teachers' understanding of variability in a repeated sampling context. The research forms part of a larger project that profiled Grade 8-12 teachers' statistical content and pedagogical content knowledge. As part of this larger research project 14 high school teachers from eight culturally diverse urban schools attended a series of professional development workshops in statistics and completed a number of tasks to determine and develop their understanding of variability in a repeated sampling context. The Candy Bowl Task was used to probe teachers' notions of variability in such a context. Teachers' reasoning mainly revealed different types of thinking based on absolute frequencies, relative frequencies and on expectations of proportion and spread. Only one response showed distributional reasoning involving reasoning about centres as well as the variation around the centres. The conclusion was that a greater emphasis on variability and repeated sampling is necessary in statistics education in South African schools. To this end teachers should be supported to develop their own and learners' statistical reasoning skills in order to help prepare them adequately for citizenship in a knowledge-driven society.
Examining Mathematical Discourse to Understand In-Service Teachers&apos; Mathematical Activities
Author: Berger, Margot
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Activities,Inservice Teacher Education,Mathematical Concepts,Mathematics Teachers,Foreign Countries,Calculus,Mathematical Logic,Thinking Skills

In this article I use Sfard's theory of commognition to examine the surprising activities of a pair of in-service mathematics teachers in South Africa as they engaged in a particular mathematical task which allowed for, but did not prescribe, the use of GeoGebra. The (pre-calculus) task required students to examine a function at an undefined point and to decide whether a vertical asymptote is associated with this point or not. Using the different characteristics of mathematical discourse, I argue that the words that students use really matter and show how a change in one participant's use of the term 'vertical asymptote' constituted and reflected her learning. I also show how the other participant used imitation in a ritualised routine to get through the task. Furthermore I demonstrate how digital immigrants may resist the use of technology as the generator of legitimate mathematical objects.
Relationship between Moral Atmosphere of School and Moral Development of Secondary School Students
Author: Safder, Mahwish
Date: 2018-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Moral Values,Educational Environment,Moral Development,Secondary School Students,Single Sex Schools,High Schools,High School Students,Foreign Countries,Teacher Behavior,Student Behavior,Gender Differences,Rural Urban Differences

The present investigation was conducted to identify relationship between moral atmosphere of school and moral development of secondary school students. An adapted and validated questionnaire (Cronbach alpha .795) was used to know the perceptions of students regarding moral atmosphere of school and one adopted interview inventory (Cronbach alpha 0.813) was used to assess the level of moral development of students. The sample of the study consisted of 1239 secondary school students. The subjects of the study were selected from seven districts of the Punjab province. Four schools were selected from each district. Two girls high schools and two boys high schools were selected randomly from one rural and one urban area of each district. Correlation was run to see the relationship between moral atmosphere of school and moral development of students. Major findings revealed that there was a significant relationship between moral atmosphere of school and moral development of students. It means the role of schools' moral atmosphere is significant in the development of students' morality. On the basis of findings, recommendations were made in the study.
Why Girls Disown Business Education: A Qualitative Study
Author: Zaman, Nadeem Uz
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Females,Business Administration Education,Foreign Countries,Majors (Students),College Students,Student Attitudes,Student Interests

Though differences in the choice of university major between girls and boys are well-documented in academic literature, there is no stand-alone study that explores as to why girls are less inclined to opt business education than boys. This qualitative study, therefore, explored the same phenomenon using semi-structured interviews of girls who have recently made or are about to make their choices of university major. As the first step, a focused group discussion resulted in five major areas to develop a protocol for the semi-structured interviews from 20 girls by a team of female interviewers across five different universities including University of Balochistan (UOB), Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University (SBKWU), Iqra University, Quetta and Alhamd Islamic University. There emerged four major categories that explained why girls disown business education which include ideological, psychological, professional and socio-cultural barriers to account for women being less inclined towards business education. In essence, we found that girls make deliberate and intelligent decisions by avoiding business education as their major.
Higher Education in Asian Context: A Study of Students&apos; Attitude towards Higher Education in Pakistani Universities
Author: Afzal, Muhammad
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Attitudes,Educational Attitudes,Higher Education,Public Colleges,Gender Differences,Context Effect,Graduate Students,Teacher Education Programs

Higher Education Commission (HEC) in Pakistan was established in 2002. Since its establishment, HEC has introduced many interventions and inputs in higher education and emerged a major initiative in Pakistan. Many studies about HEC initiatives were undertaken to explore improvements made by HEC interventions. No study was done to explore impact of HEC inputs on students' attitude. This study was an attempt to explore the attitudes of students towards higher education in changed context in public universities of Pakistan. The sample of the study was the students enrolled in teacher education programs in different public universities of Pakistan. Four universities were conveniently selected including Institute of Education and Research (IER), University of the Punjab, the pioneer institute in teacher education. Self-reporting method was adopted to facilitate the respondents to reflect their attitudes regarding higher education. An instrument named &quot;Students' Attitude Scale&quot; was administered by the author. The purpose of the study was to explore impact of different factors on students' attitudes towards higher education, impact of program inputs on students' attitudes towards higher education and find out the difference between the attitudes of male and female students towards higher education. Independent sample t-test was applied to find out the difference between male and female responses. This test indicates that there is no difference in attitudes towards higher education between male and female students of different universities. The results of the study suggest how different inputs and contexts makes positive attitudes towards higher education in different universities. The findings of the study have implications for teacher educators and curriculum developers how to enhance attitudes towards higher education by providing appropriate inputs. This study also has implications for policy makers at HEC and university administration to plan need based inputs to make conducive environment for shaping students' positive attitudes towards higher education.
Gender Differences in Transformational Leadership Behaviors of School Principals and Teachers&apos; Academic Effectiveness
Author: Munir, Farhat
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Gender Differences,Transformational Leadership,Principals,Teacher Effectiveness,Private Schools,Public Schools,Secondary Schools,Leadership Styles,Self Concept,Foreign Countries

The aim of this study was to empirically investigate the gender differences in the transformational leadership behaviors of school principals and its impact on teachers' academic effectiveness. On the basis of literature four transformational leadership behaviors (idealized influence, intellectual stimulation, individualized considerations &amp; inspirational motivation) proposed by Bass in 1985 were selected to assess the gender differences in principals' transformational leadership behaviors. Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ-5x-short form leaders &amp; rater forms) was administered over 250 school principals and 2300 teachers from private and public secondary schools. The study reported no significant gender difference in practicing transformational leadership behaviors and found significant negative relationship between transformational leadership behaviors and teachers' academic effectiveness.
Learner Autonomy: Pakistani English Teachers&apos; Beliefs
Author: Yasmin, Musarat
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Personal Autonomy,Language Teachers,English (Second Language),Second Language Instruction,Foreign Countries,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Knowledge Level,Familiarity,Definitions,Educational Environment,College Students

The idea of learner autonomy (LA) has been widely referred to in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) for more than three decades. Only limited work has been conducted on the teacher's perception of LA. The present study was conducted to focus on this gap. It investigated Pakistani English university teachers' beliefs about LA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 16 teachers from four public universities of Punjab. Content analysis informed that majority of teachers had a little familiarity with the concept. Learner autonomy was defined as learner independence in terms of ability or authority to take control of their learning, as the learner's responsibility alone or shared, as a technique and as a process. Teachers' opinion was divided upon the idea of the innate nature of autonomy. However, the majority found autonomy supportive learning environment quite crucial to learner's autonomy. It can be implied that teachers need an awareness of the nature and significance of autonomy in their learners for successful language learning.