Mathematics textbooks and their potential role in supporting misconceptions

Kajander, Ann; Lovrić, Miroslav

doi:10.1080/00207390701691558

Cited by 68 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Other researchers have also reported that ways in which mathematics is presented in textbooks can present real difficulty for students. Kajander and Lovric (2009), for example, when considering the source of students' misconceptions, suggested that more attention should be paid to the presentations of mathematical concepts in textbooks. According to Dreyfus (1991) mathematics is often presented to the students as the finished and polished product, even though historical mathematics was created through error, intuitive formulations, etc.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First-year engineering students’ use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

Randahl

2012

Math Ed Res J

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The role of the mathematics textbook at tertiary level has received limited exposure in previous research although it is likely that students work individually and that some of this work depends on the use of the textbook. The aim of this study was to investigate the process of approaching the textbook from epistemological, cognitive, and didactical perspectives. The focus was on identifying and discussing the opportunities and constraints in the process. The study was an explorative case study and the participants were first-year engineering students taking a basic calculus course. The data were collected through questionnaires, observations, and interviews. Results showed that the textbook was used to a very low degree and mainly perceived as a source of tasks. Different opportunities and constraints are pointed out and some didactical implications are suggested. The results and discussion indicate that a need for greater awareness about the use of mathematical textbooks in meaningful ways at tertiary level.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First-year engineering students’ use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

Randahl

2012

Math Ed Res J

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“…Thus, the content of mathematics textbooks is remarkably crucial. On the other hand, Kajander and Lovric [31] found that reader-friendly language, incorrect generalizations, oversimplifications, illustrations and diagrams in mathematics textbooks may lead to misconceptions. Likewise, Markowsky [32] investigated that many high school geometry textbooks consisted of incorrect statements about the golden ratio.…”

Section: The Potential Role Of Mathematics Textbooks In Supporting MImentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mathematics textbooks are primary sources for both teachers and students because while mathematics textbooks assist teachers to prepare classes and/or exam questions and to teach, students may use them to study and to solve homework questions [31]. Thus, the content of mathematics textbooks is remarkably crucial.…”

Section: The Potential Role Of Mathematics Textbooks In Supporting MImentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring high-achieving sixth grade students’ erroneous answers and misconceptions on the angle concept

Bütüner

Filiz

2016

International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and

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The aim of this research was to investigate high achievers' erroneous answers and misconceptions on the angle concept. The participants consisted of 233 grade 6 students drawn from eight classes in two well-established elementary schools of Trabzon, Turkey. All participants were considered to be current achievers in mathematics, graded 4 or 5 out of 5, and selected via a purposive sampling method. Data were collected through six questions reflecting the learning competencies set out in the grade 6 curriculum in Turkey and the findings of previous studies that aimed to identify students' misconceptions of the angle concept. This questionnaire was then applied over a 40 minute period in each class. The findings were analyzed by two researchers whose inter-rater agreement was computed as 0.97, or almost perfect. Thereafter, coding discrepancies were resolved, and consensus was established. We found that although the participants in this study were high achievers, they still held several misconceptions on the angle concept such as recognizing a straight angle or a right angle in different orientations. We also show how some of these misconceptions could have arisen due to the definitions or representations used in the textbook, and offer suggestions concerning their content in the future.

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“…Nonetheless the issues discussed in these papers are topical concerns for university mathematics departments across Canada: large class sizes (Jungic, Kent, & Menz, 2006;Kajander, 2006), grade inflation (Anglin & Meng, 2000), appropriate textbooks (Kajander & Lovric, 2009), and mathematics for engineers (Winkelman, 2009). Other papers address the possibility of service learning (Sherman & MacDonald, 2009), learning strategies (Muis, 2008), or discuss the historical context of, or historical approaches to the teaching of mathematics (Babb, 2005).…”

Section: Other Topicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Assessment in Teacher Education Courses

Roscoe

2013

cjsotl-rcacea

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Several faculty members including the author were involved in exploring the implementation and effectiveness of research-based assessment strategies in their undergraduate teacher education courses at a Canadian university. The paper describes the process and the results of their ongoing improvement efforts and implications for teacher education and higher education in general. After attending several assessment workshops lead by the author, 12 faculty members implemented new assessment strategies in their own courses to enhance student learning. As the 12 faculty members reflected on their efforts to enhance assessment, a number of themes emerged. These included assessment as authentic performance, establishing clear learning targets, collaboration and community, and integrated assessment and instruction. Our results support the claim that current ideas about K-12 assessment are applicable to post-secondary education and can improve student learning outcomes. Developing balanced and integrated assessment systems is perhaps the most significant innovation we engaged in and we conclude that it has the potential to fundamentally change what occurs in university classrooms. Plusieurs professeurs, y compris l’auteur, ont exploré la mise en oeuvre et l’efficacité de stratégies d’évaluation basées sur la recherche dans le cadre de leurs cours de formation pour les enseignants. L’article décrit le processus et les résultats de leurs efforts pour améliorer la formation des enseignants et plus généralement l’enseignement, ainsi que les implications de cette approche. Après avoir participé à plusieurs ateliers sur l’évaluation dirigés par l’auteur, 12 professeurs ont mis en oeuvre de nouvelles stratégies d’évaluation dans leurs propres cours pour améliorer l’apprentissage des étudiants. Quand les 12 professeurs ont réfléchi sur leurs efforts pour améliorer l’évaluation, un certain nombre de thèmes sont apparus, entre autres : l’évaluation en tant que performance authentique, l’établissement d’objectifs d’apprentissage clairs, la collaboration et la communauté, l’intégration de l’évaluation et de l’instruction. Nos résultats étayent l’affirmation selon laquelle les théories actuelles sur l’évaluation dans les écoles (K-12) sont applicables en enseignement post-secondaire et peuvent améliorer l’apprentissage des étudiants. Le développement de systèmes d’évaluation équilibrés et intégrés est peut-être l’innovation la plus importante dans laquelle nous nous engageons et nous en concluons que cette pratique a le potentiel de changer radicalement ce qui se passe dans les salles de classe des universités.

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Mathematics textbooks and their potential role in supporting misconceptions

Cited by 68 publications

References 2 publications

First-year engineering students’ use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

First-year engineering students’ use of their mathematics textbook - opportunities and constraints

Exploring high-achieving sixth grade students’ erroneous answers and misconceptions on the angle concept

Enhancing Assessment in Teacher Education Courses

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