Volume 97 (7), November 1997

Table of Contents

Abstracts

Table of Contents

Abstracts

 
• Beliefs and Attitudes Toward Mathematics Among Third- and Fifth-Grade Students: A Descriptive Study

Marina Vanayan
Nicholas White
Patricia yuen
Marla Teper
Metropolitan Separate School Board, Toronto


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        A survey on attitudes toward mathematics of third- and fifth-grade students enrolled in a large urban school district was conducted in the spring of 1994 as part of a review of the mathematics program. Student responses to survey items were analyzed with respect to gender and grade level. Although girls and boys were equally likely to indicate that they like mathematics, in both Grades 3 and 5, boys were more likely than girls to report being good at mathematics. This result has often been reported for older students but has rarely been explored in younger children. Some gender and grade differences were observe in students' attitudes towards the specific strands of mathematics. Both girls and boys in Grade 5 were more likely than students in Grade 3 to believe that mathematics was relevant to their lives. Virtually all children thought that both girls and boys needed to study mathematics. No gender or grade differences in students' beliefs regarding the process of learning mathematics were observed. The results support the need for further research to identify variables that influence the development of student perceptions and attitudes toward mathematics during elementary school.

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• Computer Use and visualization in Students' Construction of Reflection and Rotation Concepts

Juli K. Dixon, University of Nevada, las Vegas


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        The effects of a dynamic instructional environment (based on use of The Geometer's Sketchpad, N. Jackiw, 1991, in a computer lab) and visualization on eighth-grade students' (N=24) construction of the concepts of reflection and rotation were investigated. Also investigated were the effects of the environment on students' two- and three-dimensional visualization. After controlling for initial differences, it was concluded that students experiencing the dynamic environment significantly outperformed students experiencing a traditional environment on content measures of the concepts of reflection and rotation, as well as on measures of two-dimensional visualization. The students' environment did not significantly affect their three-dimensional visualization.

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• What Can Be Learned from Informal Student Writings in a science Context?

Tamar Levine
Zehava Geldman-Caspar
Tel Aviv University


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        This exploratory study analyzed four informal science-related writing tasks produced by 374 seventh-grade students (172 boys and 202 girls) from two schools with different socioeconomic populations. The study demonstrates that students' informal writing in science contexts can provide a rich source of information regarding students' cognitive and attitudinal engagement with science. Students' writing reflects the level at which students understand previously learned science-related ideas and gives insight into themes and issues they would be interested in learning. This study further demonstrates how students organize and personalize science knowledge acquired inside as well as outside of school when given novel and unconventional (informal) science-related tasks. The study also demonstrates that informal writing tasks encourage students to express opinions, values, and attitudes associated with science and science learning. Examples are provided of similarities and differences in students' writing preferences and in the quality of writing produced by boys and girls. Suggestions for further studies for teachers and researchers are discussed.

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• Assessing the Use of Graphing Calculators in College Algebra: Reflecting on Dimensions of Teaching and Learning

Karan B. Smith
Paul G. Shotsberger
University of North Carolina at Wilmington


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        This article considers various aspects of teaching and learning stemming from the integration of graphing calculator use in a semester-long college algebra course. The project examined four class sections, in which two instructors each taught one section using graphing calculators and one section using a traditional approach. Achievement and attitude data showed no significant differences for treatment or instructor; a significant difference in achievement was found for gender. Students in the calculator sections responded to an open-ended questionnaire about their use of the calculator and were generally suportive of the technology. Students were in agreement about specific topics for which the technology was most useful. Overall, findings indicated that the technology use had a positive impact on various dimensions of student learning.

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• Improving Science Teaching for All Students

Teresa Arámbula-Greenfield
Arnold Feldman
University of Hawaii


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        An inservice program designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of elementary school teachers with respect to science content, effective teaching strategies, and gender equity was implemented as a semester-long course. During the course, teachers explored new science content in chemistry and physics and then collaboratively developed lesson plans from it based on hands-on, discovery-centered learning, enmeshed in strategies that could maximize female student interest and participation in science. Teachers tried out their lessons between course sessions in their own classrooms and then collaboratively reflected on their progress and problems in subsequent sessions. Program results were positive for both teachers and students. Teachers reported significant increases in both their level of knowledge of and their confidence in teaching chemistry and physics concepts, as well as in their knowledge of strategies for addressing gender inequities. Project students' attitudes, particularly those of the girls, improved for some dimensions, remained stable for others, and declined for one; the girls also increased their level of active participation in science activities. Overall, the project seems to have had a positive impact on science teaching content and pedagogy, and on student (especially girls') interest and active participation in science.

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