A Study on the Characteristic of the Fifth Graders’ Processes in Mathematical Modeling and Changes in Mathematical Attitudes

• Main Authors: Chia-Jung Wu, 吳佳榮
• Other Authors: Yuan-Shun Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/38166238707399776662

碩士 === 臺北市立教育大學 === 數學資訊教育學系數學資訊教育教學碩士學位班 === 99 === This study is an interpretation research and aims to investigate the characteristic of the fifth graders’ processes in mathematical modeling and changes in mathematical attitudes. Twenty-six students participated in this study. The students were grouped into five teams, five or six students on a team. Self-editing mathematical modeling questions were conducted as the study technique. The mathematical modeling activities were manipulated in the form of team discussion. If the students were unable to discuss smoothly, a guiding discussion was intervened during the mathematical modeling activities. Class video taping, student worksheets, team interview, and teaching journals were collected to analyze the characteristic of students’ processes in mathematical modeling. An questionnaire as a pre –and post –test was also implemented to analyze students’ changes in mathematical attitudes. The main findings of the study were as follows: I. The characteristic of students’ processes in mathematical modeling 1. Simplify or Structure: A. The more authentic the question is; the more real factors are taken into consideration. B. Similar experience in problem solving among students benefits the construction of an ideal real model. 2. Mathematise: A. Students without similar experience in problem solving are prone to take a guess as a start to build up a simple mathematical model. B. Students with similar experience in problem solving tend to apply the problem solving models to the questions. C. Guess taking, examples, diagram using, former experience application are observed in constructing mathematical models. 3. Mathematical Operations A. Elementary students are all able to obtain correct outcomes of mathematical questions. B. Calculators are used to find out the results. 4. Re-interpreting or Applying A. Students are all able to retranslating the results to the real model questions to define the meaning of the results. B. After retranslating the mathematical model to the real model, the problems in original situation are usually considered solved with the mathematical model applied. C. This stage is seldom observed in this research. II. The changes in students’ mathematical attitudes After the mathematical modeling activities, there are no significant differences in confidence and motivation in learning mathematics. However, it not only enhances students’ cognition in usefulness of mathematics but also reduces students’ mathematics anxiety. Thus, mathematical model have positive impact on the changes in students’ mathematical attitudes. Based on the research findings, some suggestions regarding further mathematical modeling teaching and studies are proposed.