Primary school text comprehension predicts mathematical word problem-solving skills in secondary school

This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the extent to which primary school text comprehension predicts mathematical word problem-solving skills in secondary school among Finnish students. The participants were 224 fourth graders (9–10 years old at the baseline). The children’s text-reading fluency, text comprehension and basic calculation ability were tested in grade four. In grade seven and nine, their skills in solving mathematical word problems were assessed. Overall, the results showed that text comprehension in grade four of primary school predicts math word problem-solving skills in secondary school, after controlling for text-reading fluency and basic calculation ability. Among boys, good text comprehension skills in grade four predicted good math word problem-solving skills in grade seven. Among girls, good text comprehension skills in grade four predicted their subsequent mathematical word problem performance in grade nine. The practical implications of the results are discussed as well.     

The effect of a programming tool scratch on the problem-solving skills of middle school students

Education and Information Technologies - Problem-solving is one of the most important twenty-first-century skills and should be acquired at an early age. Since programming is a kind of...     

Trajectories of math achievement and perceived math competence over high school and postsecondary education: effects of an all-girl curriculum in high school

This study investigated the benefits of all-girls' classroom instruction in math and/or science during Grades 9 and/or 10, within the context of a public co-educational high school. There were 118 participants in this longitudinal investigation: 26 girls in the all-girl classes, as well as 42 girls and 50 boys in the regular co-educational program. A range of pre-existing achievement, background, and psychological characteristics were included as covariates to ensure comparability of the groups. Individual growth curve modeling was used to examine how math achievement and perceived math competence changed over the course of high school and postsecondary education. Change was found to be nonlinear for both constructs (with math achievement starting high, dipping, and then recovering; and with perceived competence doing the opposite). The all-girl intervention appeared to act as a protective mechanism against the temporary decline in math achievement experienced by both co-ed boys and co-ed girls.     

The comparative effects of teacher-demonstration and self-paced instruction on concept acquisition and problem-solving skills of college level chemistry students

A comparison is made of the relative effectiveness of teacher-demonstration and self-paced modes of teaching concepts and problem-solving skills in chemistry. Sixty students were randomized into two treatment groups. A self-paced instructional package was used by subjects in the self-paced group. Subjects in the second group were taught by a teacher who used the same self-paced package. Results of the analyses of variance performed showed that the selfpaced mode of instruction was significantly more effective for teaching concepts and problem-solving skills. An attitude test was given at the end of the third unit. Results of the test showed that most students preferred the self-paced instruction to the teacher-demonstration method.     

Cognitive correlates of math skills in third-grade students

Math achievement is not a unidimensional construct but includes different skills that require different cognitive abilities. The focus of this study was to examine associations between a number of cognitive abilities and three domains of math skills (knowing, applying and problem solving) simultaneously in a multivariate framework. Participants were 723 third-grade children (mean age?=?9.07) from 28 elementary schools. Confirmatory factor analyses with binary indicators showed that a four-factor model of math skills (Knowing-Recalling, Knowing-Computing, Applying and Problem Solving) and a nine-factor model of cognitive abilities (Nonverbal and Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Concepts, Planning, Visuo-Spatial Working Memory (WM), two types of Verbal WM, Phonological Awareness and Phonological WM) fit the data well. Results from structural equation modelling showed that verbal reasoning and verbal concepts were most consistently associated with math knowing and problem solving domains. Verbal concepts contributed also to the math applying domain. In addition, simultaneous processing of verbal WM predicted problem solving skills in math. The results can be used in supporting the learning process of students with difficulties in math.     

The effects of expectancy-incongruent feedback and self-affirmation on task performance of secondary school students

In the present study, the assumption was tested that expectancy-incongruent feedback in conjunction with explicit self-affirmation directs attention away from the task and to the self. As a result, performance should decrease in resource-sensitive text/picture comprehension tasks as compared to resource-insensitive tasks. Three hundred and thirty-seven fifth graders first completed either easy or difficult text/picture comprehension tasks and then rated their learning outcome. After that, they received bogus feedback that had been congruent or incongruent with their expectations. In addition, half of the participants were given the opportunity for self-affirmation before they completed additional easy or difficult text/picture tasks. As predicted, feedback better than expected or worse than expected impaired performance in the resource-sensitive tasks but only in the self-affirmation condition. The results are discussed with regard to central assumptions of the feedback intervention theory (Kluger and DeNisi, Psychological Bulletin, 119: 254–284, 1996) and practical implications for the provision of feedback.     

初中学生综合科学过程技能的水平、特点及影响因素

以1452名初中生为被试,以Burns等编制的综合过程技能测验(TIPS)和Hasan的科学教师的影响问卷,科学教科书的影响问卷,以及学生科学学习的自我效能感问卷为工具,考察初中学生的综合过程技能水平及其特点。结果表明,初中生的平均技能水平较高,但还不能达到满意水平,同时存在性别、年级和城乡的显著差异,表现为:随着年级的递增,初中生的TIPS成绩也递增;城市学校的学生成绩显著高于农村学校;在控制和操作变量技能上,男生得分显著低于女生;教师、教材、自我效能与综合过程技能显著相关,其中教材对综合过程技能的影响最大。     

School belonging and math attitudes among high school students in advanced math

This study used the Trends in International Math Science (TIMSS) 2015 Advanced data from nine countries to examine the relationship between students’ sense of school belonging and their attitudes towards mathematics, and the extent to which student gender moderated these relationships. Results showed that students’ sense of school belonging emerged as a statistically significant, positive predictor of students’ liking and valuing of mathematics. For most countries, no significant moderating effect of student gender was observed. However, among Portuguese students, the relationship between students’ sense of school belonging and each attitude measure was stronger for males than for females.     

The interdependence of language and translational math skills among bilingual hispanic engineering students

The performance of 43 Hispanic engineering and science majors on a task that consists of reading a sentence describing a mathematical relationship between two variables, and then writing an equation describing the relationship, is investigated in both English and Spanish. Results are compared with grade point average and with language proficiency. Comparison of the bilingual group to a monolingual group consisting of 52 engineering and science students shows that performance, as measured by either the mathematical translation task or grade point average, is more strongly correlated with language proficiency for the bilingual group. Clinical interviews conducted with samples from each group reveal large differences in the interpretation of the mathematical task between Hispanics and monolinguals. Suggestions are made for the improvement of the technical education of Hispanics.     

高师学生数学课堂教学技能训练的策略

作为培养教师"工作母机"的高师院校,应当认真研究如何对高师学生进行课堂教学基本技能的训练.根据新课改对教师素质的要求和高等师范院校数学专业学生对数学课堂教学技能认知的现状,对如何培养高师学生课堂教学技能进行了实验研究,具体步骤为:初次训练,转变学生的观念;师生合作,制定评价标准;反复训练,培养学生数学课堂教学技能.对经过课堂数学技能训练与未经过课堂数学技能训练的教师教学效果进行了比较,发现教学效果显著.     

让学生在游戏中感受数学的乐趣和奥妙

一次,偶然看到一位六年级学生的一则日记,日记最后一句是这样写的:"今天的学习太枯燥了,如果学习也像玩游戏一样,那就太好了。"这句话道出了小孩子的苦衷和渴望。的确,目前还有相当一部分学校的教学思想还未根本转变,孩子在学习中的自主活动时间太少,像游戏这种学生非常喜爱的学习形式太少,学习负担太重,使孩子对学习感到厌倦,觉得学习是一件苦事,甚至把很多心思用在如何逃避学习上,即使是学习成绩优异的孩子,也会讨厌学习。因此,作为教师,有必要针对孩子喜爱游戏的特性,研究如何把学习融合在游戏之中,以调动孩子的学习主动性和积极性。为此,在数学教学中我们作了一些尝试。     

Gender-related effects of contemporary math instruction for low performers on problem-solving behavior

Effects of guided (GI) and direct instruction (DI) in solving subtraction problems for mathematically low performers in regular schools were compared. In the GI condition, self-development of solution procedures was encouraged whereas in the DI condition one prescribed strategy was to be used. Forty children (M_age = 9.3 years) were trained during 34 lessons. Only girls performed better and showed higher comfort in the GI than in the DI condition. Results are explained in terms of girls' increased motivation in the GI condition, which could be explained by assuming that a more constructivist setting is more conducive to girls' learning.     

The experience of bullying among secondary school students

The present study was designed to qualitatively investigate secondary students' interpretations and experiences of bullying (and victimization) in Greek schools, with a focus on gender similarities and differences. Overall, 95 students (50 boys and 45 girls), 15 or 16 years old, participated in focus group interviews that were homogeneous in terms of grade and gender. Data analysis, using the interpretative phenomenological approach, showed that different interpretations and meanings of bullying between genders have important consequences on actual behavior. Furthermore, students do not reveal bullying and victimization to either parents or teachers, who are described as indifferent and ineffective. Results are indicative of a school culture that is conducive to bullying behaviors and have important implications for antibullying interventions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Learning from text and video blogs: comprehension effects on secondary school students

Education and Information Technologies - Informational video blogs are a popular method of communication among students that may be fruitful educational tools, but their potential benefits and...     

中师心须重视和加强教育类课程的教学和实践

“百年大计，教学为本。”，在目前大力提介素质教育的形势下，中等师范学校更是面临着前所未有的挑战和压力，要在激烈中，市场竞争中生存下去，中等师范学校就得确实加强教育类课程和实践，使之名副其实。     

Stimulation of thinking skills in high school students

The objective of this research was to examine the effects of the instruction method “thinking actively in an academic context (TAAC)” on thinking skills, creativity, self‐regulation and academic achievement. The design was pre‐test–intervention–post‐test with control group. The sample included 46 participants (aged 16 to 18 years), 24 experimental and 22 controls. Before and after application of the method, six instruments were used to measure thinking skills and academic achievement. The method, divided into eight stages, was followed in each didactic unit during an academic course. The method allows teaching the thinking skills, the creativity and the self‐regulation simultaneously with the syllabus content. The results showed that greater changes were obtained with the new method of instruction in all the dependent variables. Relevant scientific and educational implications are drawn from the study.     

The influence of self-efficacy and metacognitive prompting on math problem-solving efficiency

A regression design was used to test the unique and interactive effects of self-efficacy beliefs and metacognitive prompting on solving mental multiplication problems while controlling for mathematical background knowledge and problem complexity. Problem-solving accuracy, response time, and efficiency (i.e. the ratio of problems solved correctly to time) were measured. Students completed a mathematical background inventory and then assessed their self-efficacy for mental multiplication accuracy. Before solving a series of multiplication problems, participants were randomly assigned to either a prompting or control group. We tested the motivational efficiency hypothesis, which predicted that motivational beliefs, such as self-efficacy and attributions to metacognitive strategy use are related to more efficient problem solving. Findings suggested that self-efficacy and metacognitive prompting increased problem-solving performance and efficiency separately through activation of reflection and strategy knowledge. Educational implications and future research are suggested.     

中职医学生的能力培养

临床医学是一门严谨的学科,培养出的医学人才必须具备很强的理论和实践相结合的能力．只有加强医学生的思想教育和能力培养,全面提高医学生的素质水平,才能为今后造就合格的医学人才打下坚实的基础．