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• Research studies in didactics of mathematics supported by the Operant Motive Test

  153-173

  Katalin Munkácsy

  Views:

  33

  The present paper reports a case-study which took place within an EUsupported international program organized for research and development of multi-grade schools (NEMED, [16] [26]). One of the main goals of the research was to develop the connection between disadvantageous social situations and the efficiency (success or failure) in learning mathematics especially from the point of view of average and above-average (talented) students: Why does the talent of children with socially disadvantageous background remain undiscovered? How can we make school mathematics more aware of hidden talents?
  The author was looking for a didactical solution that compensated for social disadvantages without restricting the development of "average" students by using sociological, educational, psychological and mathematical (experimental and theoretical) studies in interaction with a series of experimental (hypothesis testing and exploratory) investigations.
  We constructed tools and methods for exploration and experimental teaching, adapted to Hungarian conditions (Curriculum Development, teacher training, materials, interviews, Kuhl's motivation test, Malara's "researchers and practicing teachers in cooperation" method, etc., see [18], [20]).
  The teaching materials and methodological guidelines are based on Bruner's representation theory (see [5]). The empirical research took place in 16 multi-grade schools located in different parts of the country. The author co-operated with nearly 250 students and 25 teachers for 3 years. In this paper we try to demonstrate how an Operant Motive Test can be involved in this research (see [18]).

• Analysis of the affective factors of learning mathematics among teacher trainees

  225-254

  Erzsébet Zsinkó

  Views:

  39

  The Hungarian National Core Curricula gives primacy to the development of abilities and the practical application of knowledge. The task of the training programme is primarily to prepare teacher trainees for the teaching and educating profession. As teachers, they are going to plan, organize, help, guide, control and evaluate the learning of mathematics of individuals and groups of students from the age of 6 to 10 (12), and cultivate their mathematical skills, thinking and positive attitude towards any mathematical activities. In order to train educators who are able to meet the above requirements on high standard, it is necessary to update the teacher training programme based on the trainees' preliminary knowledge and motivation level.
  The key to learn about the child's mind and achieve conscious development is the systematization of factual knowledge and methodological awareness. The modern, flexible approach to subject pedagogy, based on pedagogy, psychology and epistemology, qualifies trainees to educate learners who understand and like mathematics. Therefore, it is essential to develop the trainees' positive approach to mathematics and arouse their demand for continuous professional improvement. (Programme of the four-year primary school teacher training, 1995.)
  In our research we are looking for ways of ascertaining the starting parameters which have influence on the planning of the studies of mathematics and subject pedagogy. In this article we introduce a questionnaire by the means of which we collected information on the trainees' attitude and its changing towards mathematics. With the help of the analysis of the answers we paint a picture of the ELTE TÓFK (Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Elementary and Nursery School Teacher's Training) third year students' attitude to the subject, and we compare it to the tendencies noticed in the mass education. The energy invested in learning is influenced by the assumption of the relevance and importance of the subjects. Therefore we considered it also our task to reveal. Besides the students' attitude toward mathematics and their assumption about their own competence we have collected data also on their performance in the subject. Summarising the research results we show the advantages of the questionnaire, and summarise the observations which would indicate need for methodological changes in the mathematics teacher training.

• Mathematics teachers' reasons to use (or not) intentional errors

  263-282

  Riikka Palkki

  Peter Hästö

  Views:

  34

  Mathematics teachers can make use of both spontaneously arising and intentionally planted errors. Open questions about both types of errors were answered by 23 Finnish middle-school teachers. Their reasons to use or not to use errors were analyzed qualitatively. Seven categories were found: Activation and discussion, Analyzing skills, Correcting misconceptions, Learning to live with errors, (Mis)remembering errors, (Mis)understanding error and Time. Compared to earlier results, the teachers placed substantially less emphasis on affective issues, whereas the answers yielded new distinctions in cognitive dimensions. In particular, teachers' inclination to see errors as distractions could be divided into two aspects: students misunderstanding an error in the first place or student forgetting that an error was erroneous. Furthermore, the content analysis revealed generally positive beliefs towards using errors but some reservations about using intentional errors. Teachers viewed intentional errors mainly positively as possibilities for discussion, analysis and learning to live with mistakes.