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The theory of functional equations in high school education
345-360Views:32In this paper, we are going to discuss some possible applications of the theory of functional equations in high school education. We would like to line up some problems, the solution of which by functional equations are mostly not new results – they have also been treated in [1] and [2] –, although their demonstrations in high school can show a new way in teaching of talented students. The area of the rectangle, the calculating method of compound interest, binomial coefficients, Euler's formula, the scalar product and the vector product of vectors – we are looking for the reasons behind the well-known formulas. Finally, we are going to give a functional equation in connection with mean values. It can be understood easily, but its solution is beyond the high school curriculum, so we advise this part only to the most talented students. -
Experiences in the education of mathematics during the digital curriculum from the perspective of high school students
111-128Views:166Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Hungarian schools had to switch to a digital curriculum for an extended period between 2019 and 2021. In this article, we report on the experiences regarding the education of mathematics during the digital curriculum in the light of the reinstated on-site education, all through the eyes of high school students. Distance education brought pedagogical renewal to the lives of many groups. Students were asked about the positives and negatives of this situation.
Subject Classification: 97C90
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Regula falsi in lower secondary school education II
121-142Views:92The aim of this paper is to investigate the pupils' word problem solving strategies in lower secondary school education. Students prior experiences with solving word problems by arithmetic methods can create serious difficulties in the transition from arithmetic to algebra. The arithmetical methods are mainly based on manipulation with numbers. When pupils are faced with the methods of algebra they often have difficulty in formulating algebraic equations to represent the information given in word problems. Their troubles are manifested in the meaning they give to the unknown, their interpretation what an equation is, and the methods they choose to set up and solve equations. Therefore they mainly use arithmetical and numerical checking methods to solve word problems. In this situation it is necessary to introduce alternative methods which make the transition from arithmetic to algebra more smooth. In the following we will give a detailed presentation of the false position method. In our opinion this method is useful in the lower secondary school educational processes, especially to reduce the great number of random trial-and-error problem solving attempts among the lower secondary school pupils. We will also show the results of some problem solving activities among grade 6-8 pupils. We analysed their problem solving strategies and we compared our findings with the results of other research works.
Subject Classification: 97-03, 97-11, 97B10, 97B50, 97D40, 97F10, 97H10, 97H20, 97H30, 97N10, 97N20
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Connections between discovery learning through the Pósa Method and the secondary school leaving examination in three Hungarian mathematics classrooms
67-85Views:210The Pósa Method is a guided discovery learning method that has been used in Hungarian education in the form of extracurricular activities for "gifted" mathematics students. A four-year experiment implemented the method in three more "average" classrooms. This article reports on the relationship between the Pósa Method and the standardized secondary school leaving mathematics exam (Matura Exam in short) in Hungary. Data consists of students' survey responses, teacher interviews, and exam results from the three Hungarian classrooms who took part in the four-year experiment. We identify aspects of the Pósa Method that can benefit and hinder exam performance. In addition, we find that learning through the Pósa Method for the four years of high school has adequately prepared students for the exam.
Subject Classification: 97D44, 97D54, 97D64
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Comments on the remaining velocity project with reports of school-experiments
117-133Views:8The aim of this article is to introduce different possible solutions to the exercise referring to the calculation of "remaining velocity". We explain the possible approaches to the problem with the help of either using the tools of mathematics or other subjects. During the past few years, we have made Hungarian and Slovakian secondary school students solve the exercise, choosing from both children of average and of high abilities. The experince has shown that very few students were able to solve the problem by themselves, but with the help of their teachers, the exercise and the solution has been an eye-opener experience to all of them. A lot of students were even considering to drive more carefully in the future after getting their driving licenses. -
Teaching student teachers: various components of a complex task
55-72Views:24In this paper we summarize various aspects of teacher training and teaching student teachers (mainly concerning teachers of upper secondary school and High school). We stress several hints and recommendations to better achieve the obviously important aim: they should learn doing, understanding and teaching mathematics!
Of course, our view is particularly influenced by European traditions, but we think most of them equally apply to teacher training and teaching student teachers elsewhere. Neither is the paper meant to give an all sided overview about the problem field of teacher education as a whole, nor does it contain provocative, completely new ideas. We just want to describe our view of some aspects, based primarily on our personal experience in the mentioned field. -
Development of spatial perception in high school with GeoGebra
211-230Views:35In everyday life, on numerous occasions we need to project 3D space onto a plane in order to activate our spatial perception. While our ability in this area can be improved, and considering several national and international research results, the development is even necessary on all levels of education. GeoGebra, as a supplement to previously used tools, has proven to be very useful respective to the development. We have many possibilities to display spatial elements in GeoGebra and to apply such kind of worksheets among 15-18 year old students. I show the results of the 2011/2012 school years connected to the development of spatial perception and the results of an input case survey, which also justifies the need for development. -
Examples of analogies and generalizations in synthetic geometry
19-39Views:25Teaching tools and different methods of generalizations and analogies are often used at different levels of education. Starting with primary grades, the students can be guided through simple aspects of collateral development of their studies. In middle school, high school and especially in entry-level courses in higher education, the extension of logical tools are possible and indicated.
In this article, the authors present an example of generalization and then of building the analogy in 3-D space for a given synthetic geometric problem in 2-D.
The idea can be followed, extended and developed further by teachers and students as well. -
Analysis of the affective factors of learning mathematics among teacher trainees
225-254Views:32The 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. -
Artworks as illustrations in Hungarian high school Mathematics textbooks
103-117Views:64Three different series of Hungarian Mathematics textbooks used in grade 9-12 education for the past 30 years have been analysed in this research. Our aim is to show and evaluate how the visual arts have been connected to mathematical ideas in these textbooks. We have applied the six dimensions of evaluation, which have recently been introduced in (Diego-Mantec on, Blanco, Búa Ares, & González Sequeiros, 2019) to categorise the illustrations of the three different series. We show examples for each dimension from the textbooks, and we find that even if the number of artistic illustrations in these coursebooks have significantly increased, in most cases these sporadic examples are not closely related to the mathematical context, mainly used for ornamental purposes to decorate the core text. Based on this classification we conclude that the number of artistic illustrations with underlying math concepts making students' participation more active could and should be significantly increased.
Subject Classification: 97U20
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14 to 18-year-old Hungarian high-school students' view of mathematicians appearing in the media - a case study
183-194Views:6One way to develop positive attitude toward STEM subjects that popular media, including movies and films can be engaged to promote more positive and inclusive STEM images. The movie Hidden numbers offers an opportunity to explore the representations of scholars, especially mathematicians within a biographical drama. Focusing on 5 characters, this article first discusses whether these characters fit into stereotypical scientist image or not. Secondly, we examine how high school students evaluate these characters. We argue that this movie is suitable to promote positive attitude toward STEM subjects. -
A retrospective look at discovery learning using the Pósa Method in three Hungarian secondary mathematics classrooms
183-202Views:183While the Pósa Method was originally created for mathematical talent management through extracurricular activities, three "average" public secondary school classrooms in Hungary have taken part in a four-year experiment to implement the Pósa Method, which is based on guided discovery learning of mathematics. In this paper, we examine the students' and teachers' reflections on the Pósa Method, and how student perspectives have changed between their first and last year of high school. Overall, teachers and students had a positive experience with the Pósa Method. Furthermore, our research indicated that this implementation has met several objectives of the Pósa Method, including enjoyment of mathematics and autonomous thinking.
Subject Classification: 97D40
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Compositions of dilations and isometries in calculator-based dynamic geometry
257-266Views:30In an exploratory study pre-service elementary school teachers constructed dilations and isometries for figures drawn and transformed using dynamic geometry on calculators. Observational and self assessments of the constructed images showed that the future teachers developed high levels of confidence in their abilities to construct compositions of the geometric transformations. Scores on follow-up assessment items indicated that the prospective teachers' levels of expertise corresponded to their levels of confidence. Conclusions indicated that dynamic geometry on the calculator was an appropriate technology, but one that required careful planning, to develop these future teachers' expertise with the compositions. -
Dressed up problems - the danger of picking the inappropriate dress
77-94Views:10Modelling and dressed-up problems play an inevitably unavoidable role in mathematics education. In this study we would like to point out how dangerous is it to dress up mathematical problems. We go back to the principle of De Lange: The problem designer is not only dressing up the problem, but he is the solution designer, as well. We show three examples selected from Hungarian high school textbooks where the intended solution does not solve the problem, because the dressing changes the context and changes the problem itself. -
Erratum to the paper "The theory of functional equations in high school education" Teaching Mathematics and Computer Science 10/2 (2012), 345-360
145Views:9A correction is necessary in subsection 2.5. although this does not affect the truth of the main formula.