Research Article
Namirah Fatmanissa, Kusnandi Kusnandi, Dian Usdiyana
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article No: ep20006
ABSTRACT
Students’ ability in solving mathematics word problems has been considered low, especially caused by difficulties in understanding information provided. Schema can be a helpful tool for students to face such difficulties. The aim of this research is to analyze the effectiveness of schema in resolving difficulties based on linguistic aspects constructing word problem (multiple representation systems, vocabulary, and grammar and syntax). A mixed method study of embedded experimental model was conducted with 69 participants of 11th grade students. Quantitative analysis to determine the effectiveness of schema was done by testing whether mathematical linguistic difficulties of treatment group was significantly lower than control students. Mathematical linguistic difficulties in each aspect were analyzed from the indicator-based coding of students’ work on word problem test. Qualitative analysis was conducted by comparing experiment and control students’ work on post-test. Experiment students showed significantly lower mathematical linguistic difficulties in each aspect compared to control ones. In general, schema is proven to be effective in resolving difficulties in each aspect. Qualitatively, students being taught schema showed more attention upon the whole information provided and were more self-directed in determining solving steps.
Keywords: linguistic difficulty, Mathematics, schema, word problem
Research Article
Shaker Rasslan, Nedaa Shibli, Amal Rasslan-Sharif
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article No: ep20007
ABSTRACT
The main aim this study is to examine the understanding of the concept of a local extreme point of differentiable function. Three research questions rose: (a) To what extent do students who study 5 mathematics units in virtual school understand the concept extremum point? (b) To what extent does the concept name (i.e. “extremum point”) influence the mathematical understanding of the concept upon students who study 5 mathematics units in the virtual school? (c) To what extent do students who study 5 mathematics units in the virtual school understand the concept maximum point? To answer the research questions we used qualitative research methods based on semi-structured interviews. The results of the study showed that: All the four interviewers know to find correctly the stationary points, but they don’t distinguish between a stationary point and an Extremum point. All the interviewers mention that the two points are Extremum points instead of stationary points. We have to emphasize that mathematically, a stationary point not necessarily an extremum point. In addition, one of the interviewers confuses an extremum point and a maximum point because of the daily meaning of “Extremum” in Arabic languages. He also reveals Pseudo-Conceptual Behavior; he used sentences like “the tangent equal to 0” instead of the “slope of the tangent equal zero”. It turns out also, that while three out of four interviewers determined the type of the extremum points by using the acceptable value table method correctly, the fourth determines the type of the extremum points by one point and by using the “odd function” characteristic, correctly. According to the requirement to find the extremum point the results showed that two of the four interviewers reveal pseudo-conceptual mode of thinking according to the maximum point concept. They use “slope at the extremum points equal 0”. One of them even used concepts: increasing, decreasing, positive, negative meaninglessly, without clarifying who is positive (negative) or who is increasing (decreasing). One of the important but interesting results is the reaction of the interviewers to the definitions of the maximum point concept. The results showed that 3 students out of 4 gave correct mathematical definition, but; the 4th student gave meaningless definition. We crossed his meaningless answer with his answers to the other questions during the interviews; it turned out that his answers to most of the questions revealed pseudo-conceptual mode of thinking.
Keywords: understanding tasks. extremum point. maximum (minimum) point
Research Article
Ratnasari Ratnasari, Desyarti Safarini TLS
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article No: ep20008
ABSTRACT
This qualitative research aims to describe the common strategies used by 8-th grade students to get a solution for two non-routine problems. The research participants were twenty 8th graders in one of private middle schools in Jakarta. Six participants were selected for interview sesion. The researcher gave a test, which consists of two non-routine problems about algebra and interviews the subjects to gain more information. The result showed that there were three common strategies used by the participants to solve problem 1, which act it out, draw a model, and guess and check. Moreover, it was found that the guess nad check is the only strategy used by the participants to answer problem 2.This qualitative research aims to describe the common strategies used by 8-th grade students to get a solution for two non-routine problems. The research participants were twenty 8th graders in one of private middle schools in Jakarta. Six participants were selected for interview sesion. The researcher gave a test, which consists of two non-routine problems about algebra and interviews the subjects to gain more information. The result showed that there were three common strategies used by the participants to solve problem 1, which act it out, draw a model, and guess and check. Moreover, it was found that the guess nad check is the only strategy used by the participants to answer problem 2.
Keywords: eight grade students, non-routine problems, problem-solving strategies
Review Article
Mohamed Lounis
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 1, Issue 2, Article No: ep20009
ABSTRACT
The world is facing to a new pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the absence of an efficient treatment or vaccines, Governments have adopted different preventive measures to limit the spread of this disease such as social distancing, mask wearing and quarantine. However, the response of people to these measures was one of the most obstacle in their application demonstrating a missing link in the concept of health education. The current manuscript describe the importance of school health education and the necessity of investing in this concept as a lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic./
Keywords: school health education, health promotion, COVID-19