Perceived learning environment and students' emotional experiences: A multilevel analysis of mathematics classrooms

A multilevel approach was used to analyse relationships between perceived classroom environments and emotions in mathematics. Based on Pekrun's (2000) [A social-cognitive, control-value theory of achievement emotions. In J. Heckhausen (Ed.), Motivational psychology of human development (pp. 143–163)] social-cognitive, control-value theory of achievement emotions, we hypothesized that environmental characteristics conveying control and value to the students would be related to their experience of enjoyment, anxiety, anger, and boredom in mathematics. Multilevel modelling of data from 1623 students from 69 classes (grades 5–10) confirmed close relationships between environmental variables and emotional experiences that functioned predominantly at the individual level. Compositional effects further revealed that classes' aggregate environment perceptions as well as their compositions in terms of aggregate achievement and gender ratio were additionally linked to students' emotions in mathematics. Methodological and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

A situational study of the meanings of personal excellence for secondary mathematics teachers and students

Excellence in education has become the watchword in the past decade. This paper describes aspects of research conducted with two secondary mathematics teachers and seven senior students, which explored their perceptions of mathematics as they have experienced it, and their beliefs about personal excellence in school mathematics. Three categories of excellent students are described as identified by the participants. While the teachers endeavoured to extend the meaning of excellence beyond test achievement alone, the system within which they function largely supports a technical (excellence as marks) conception of education. I argue that this has led teachers and students to a restricted view of the potential for excellence in the secondary mathematics classroom. In particular, it limits the possibility for a strong understanding of personal excellence as an inseparable intellectual and moral journey of becoming, fostered in the environment of a genuine community of mathematics learners.An earlier draft of this paper was presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Education Annual Meeting, Carleton University, June 10, 1993.     

论自我效能感对数学学习的影响

根据自我效能理论,从数学学习的增生阶段、融会贯通阶段及学习的动机,自我调节、自我监控等方面阐述了自我效能感对数学学习过程的影响,并提出了一些提高学生自我效能感的方法。     

Affective and motivational factors of learning in online mathematics courses

We investigated what factors would be related to students' achievement in mathematics courses offered at a virtual high school. This was an attempt to understand why some succeed and some do not as well as to suggest what should be done to help with student success. Seventy‐two students responded to a self‐report survey on motivation (ie, self‐efficacy, intrinsic value), mathematics achievement emotions (ie, anxiety, anger, shame, hopelessness, boredom, enjoyment, pride), and cognitive processes (ie, cognitive strategy use, self‐regulation). A three‐step hierarchical multivariate regression was employed to examine which of the factors predict student achievement. Results showed that motivation accounted for approximately 13% of the variance in student achievement and self‐efficacy was the significant individual predictor of student achievement. However, when achievement emotions were added to the analysis, self‐efficacy failed to predict student achievement and emotions accounted for 37% of the variance in student achievement. Cognitive strategy use and self‐regulation did not explain any additional variance in the final scores. Findings are discussed and implications for future research and development are also suggested.     

情感因素对二语习得的影响

在二语习得的过程中,情感因素和认知因素并不是两个对立的因素,它们亦都无法独立影响语言学习。情感因素在语言习得的过程中作用颇重。积极的情感因素会使语言认知系统处理最佳状态,起到激智作用。因此,关注语言学习中的情感因素能够使语言学习更加有效。本文着重从情感因素的四大方面进行了分析很阐述。     

Improving mathematics teaching and learning experiences for hard of hearing students with wireless technology-enhanced classrooms

Hard of hearing students usually face more difficulties at school than other students. A classroom environment with wireless technology was implemented to explore whether wireless technology could enhance mathematics learning and teaching activities for a hearing teacher and her 7 hard of hearing students in a Taiwan junior high school. Experiments showed that the highly interactive communication through the wireless network increased student participation in learning activities. Students demonstrated more responses to the teacher and fewer distraction behaviors. Fewer mistakes were made in in-class course work because Tablet PCs provided students scaffolds. Students stated that the environment with wireless technology was desirable and said that they hoped to continue using the environment to learn mathematics.     

影响高职院校工科类大学生学习高等数学的心理因素及其对策

当前，高职院校工科类大学生不同程度地存在数学学习焦虑现象。产生这一现象的心理因素主要有：学生学习兴趣、态度与主动性，思维定势与认知迁移，学习意志与习惯及学生的数学基础和教师的品质特性。教学中，消除学生的学习焦虑，首先要激发学生的学习兴趣，增强学生的信心，帮助学生正确认识思维定势，形成良好的学习品质。     

The effect of cooperative and individualistic learning experiences on positive and negative cross-handicap relationships

The effects of cooperative and individualistic learning contingencies on interpersonal attraction, social acceptability, and self-esteem between handicapped and nonhandicapped fourth-grade students were tracked and compared. Sixty-nine students were assigned to conditions on a stratified random basis controlling for handicap, sex, and age. They participated in the study for 45 min a day for 54 instructional days during science class. Nonhandicapped peer ratings of the social acceptability of each handicapped student and several attitude measures were obtained four separate times at 18-day intervals. The results indicate that continued use of cooperative learning contingencies promote positive growth in interpersonal attraction, social acceptability, and self-esteem between handicapped and nonhandicapped students. The results also indicate that when cooperative learning contingencies are replaced with individualized learning contingencies, decay in the above-mentioned variables occurs.     

中职教育数学教学中的问题情境创设。

教学情境是教师为了发展学生的心理机能,通过调动“情商”来增强教学效果,而有目的创设的教学环境．数学问题情境的创设,旨在让学生更多地参与思考、发现及创造的主动学习过程．教师应根据数学教学内容和学生生活实际创设问题情境,引导学生思考讨论,寻找解决方法,完成相关知识的学习,使学生在创造中体会数学知识的基本思想方法及精神实质,增强自信,培养能力．     

Cutting the distance in distance education: Perspectives on what promotes positive,online learning experiences

This qualitative research study was designed to inform the development and implementation of effective online learning environments by exploring, from both teacher and student perspectives, what constitute effective online learning experiences. The study examined course content, tasks, and pedagogical approaches, as identified by students and instructors, which contributed to or hindered positive online learning experiences. Researchers interviewed 6 online course instructors and 10 adult students to understand their experiences in undergraduate and graduate level online degree programs. Using a Cognitive Apprenticeship Model to inform the analysis of data, findings revealed an emphasis on text-based content and lecture; instruction that led to disconnect between students, teachers, and course content and goals; and one innovative program that links real-world experiences with online classroom learning. Given the growing number of online programs, the study provides insight for course development and pedagogy as well as offers possibilities for additional research.     

Personality and the learning of mathematics

The link between personality variables and performance in mathematics has not been systematically and extensively covered even though it would be reasonable to assume that personality factors play a crucial role, particularly with issues such as motivation, attitudes and cognitive style. In surveying the literature the author concludes that a fuller understanding can only come through the use of formal models of personality development in childhood and adolescence.     

Generalized achievement goals and situational coping in inquiry learning

This study examined situation-specific coping strategies of students with different achievement goals as they take part in inquiry learning. A case study was conducted in a Finnish elementary school. 21 ten-year-old students participated in the study. Two types of data were collected: (1) Students self-reported questionnaires on achievement goals, (2) Video data on the students' learning processes and social interaction. The results revealed the importance of a situative perspective in instructional design, since the students not only differed in their coping attempts regarding their initial goals but also according to their individual situational interpretations that mediated their active coping attempts. Some of the non-learning-focused students had difficulties engaging in the working procedures. A lack of teacher's concrete and precise guidance in both cognitive and motivational sense appeared to explain this phenomenon.     

Relations between student learning patterns and personal andcontextual factors and academic performance

This study was aimed at clarifying relations between the way students learn and personal, contextual and performance variables. Students from seven different academic disciplines completed the Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS). Besides, data about their age, gender, academic discipline, prior education and exam performance were gathered. Regression and correlations analyses were used to analyse the data. The results showed that students learning patterns were indeed associated with personal and contextual factors such as academic discipline, prior education, age and gender, but that the different learning patterns had different sources. Second, students learning patterns proved to explain an important part of the variance in their academic performance. However, the results also revealed that exams as usually used in the first years of higher education hardly capitalise on students use of critical, analytical and concrete processing strategies.     

领悟数学学习方法

文章从数学学习方法的几个常规手段着手,指出数学学习方法不仅包含有数学学习形式上的方式方法,更重要的是数学学习过程中的领悟。     

高中数学课堂有效教学的影响因素分析

随着新课程改革实验的不断深化,数学课堂教学的有效性问题已经成为当前教学领域中的一个重要课题。笔者根据高中数学教学实际情况提出了相应的策略,以提高新课程标准下的高中数学课堂教学的有效性。     

Differences in teachers' perceptions of personal control of positive versus negative student learning outcomes

Past research on teachers' causal attributions has shown there to be little relation between perceptions of responsibility for positive versus negative student learning outcomes. In this study, Weiner's model for causal attributions was employed to explore these perceived attributional differences. Data were gathered from 184 teachers from two metropolitan school districts. Statistically significant differences between attributions for positive versus negative outcomes were identified along the dimensions of both internality/externality and stability of cause. Relations to overall efficacy, teaching experience, grade level taught, and teacher gender were also explored; however, only grade level differences were found to be statistically significant.