This study examined correlations between four dimensions of maternal scaffolding, maternal beliefs and values, children’s temperament, and children’s performance and use of self‑regulation strategies on problem‑solving tasks. There are two foci of this study: examining factors that predict the quality of maternal scaffolding, and assessing the relationship between quality of maternal scaffolding and children’s problem solving. Participants consisted of 10 mother‑child dyads in the experimental group and 10 children in the control group. Using a pre- and post‑test design, children were given near and far transfer independent problem‑solving tasks. The experimental group also worked with their mothers on one task during a scaffolded interaction. Maternal beliefs predicted quality of maternal scaffolding, and quality of maternal scaffolding predicted children’s monitoring during the post‑test. Mothers’ scaffolding techniques appear to be related to their beliefs about parenting and educating children, and children appear to learn certain self‑regulation strategies during optimal scaffolded interactions.

Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 35-37).

In this study, the role of the problem-based approach on the performance of Grade 9 learners in solving word problems is investigated. Traditional approaches have produced learners whose performance in mathematics is not satisfactory and who are not sufficiently equipped with critical and problem skills that are necessary in this dynamic world. Problem-based approach is among the current reform efforts recommended for teaching and learning mathematics. For this approach to be successful, learners need vital tools such as problem solving strategies, which many learners in this country lack. The emphasis in this study was therefore on exposing learners to a variety of problem solving strategies through the problem-based approach. Problems solved throughout the investigation were non-routine, word problems. The results show that awareness of these strategies improves learners' problem solving performance and attitudes towards mathematics. Based on this investigation, recommendations are made concerning effective implementation of this approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. / Educational Studies / Thesis (M. Ed. (Specialisation in Mathematical Education))

Denna studie ämnar undersöka på vilka sätt läromedlet Singma är utformat för att utveckla elevers problemlösningsförmåga. Studien syftar också till att undersöka lärares generella upplevelse och uttryckta användning av Singma samt av hur lärarna beskriver att läromedlet ger dem förutsättningar att utveckla elevers problemlösningsförmåga. Studien utgörs av en läromedelsanalys av Singma och en teoretisk tematisk analys av lärares upplevelser av läromedlet. Resultatet av läromedelsanalysen ger slutsatsen att Singma skulle kunna anses vara utformat på ett sätt som möjliggör utvecklandet av elevers problemlösningsförmåga. Resultatet av den tematiska analysen belyser flera olika faktorer som påverkar lärares upplevelse av Singma samt möjligheter och utmaningar med läromedlet. Slutsatsen av den tematiska analysen visar på vikten av utbildning om läromedlet samt att lärare och elever behöver ompröva sin syn på matematikundervisning vid arbete med Singma.

Syftet med studien är att få en inblick i hur matematiska läroböcker, riktade till förskoleklass, kan bidra till utvecklingen av en problemlösningskompetens. Detta gjordes genom att undersöka omfattningen och placeringen av problemlösningsuppgifter i läroböcker riktade till förskoleklass. Med hjälp av ett tidigare beprövat ramverk kunde vi kategorisera uppgifter från sex olika läroböcker genom en kvantitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att problemlösningsuppgifter var underrepresenterade i alla läroböckerna och att högst procent problemlösningsuppgifter var placerade som en första deluppgift och minst procent som avslutande uppgifter. Vid de tillfällen där läroböckerna explicit markerat att det handlade om problemlösning var majoriteten av uppgifterna problemlösningsuppgifter. Samtliga läroböcker ansågs innehålla för låg andel problemlösningsuppgifter för att i tillräcklig mån kunna bidra till utvecklandet av en problemlösningskompetens. Placeringen av problemlösningsuppgifterna i läroböckerna var generellt positiv för att kunna bidra till ökat problemlösningskompetens. Att problemlösningsuppgifter dominerar där det beskrivs handla om problemlösning anses vara positivt, dock återfanns ändå 29,5% andra uppgifter, vilket kan skapa en skev bild av vad problemlösning är. / The purpose of the study is to gain an insight into how mathematical textbooks, aimed for preschool class, can contribute to development of a problem-solving competence. This was done by examining the extent and location of problem-solving tasks in textbooks aimed for preschool class. Using a previously proven framework, we were able to categorize data from six different textbooks through a quantitative content analysis. The results showed that problem-solving tasks were underrepresented in all textbooks and that the highest percentage of problem-solving tasks was placed as a first sub-task and the lowest percentage as concluding tasks. At the times when the textbooks explicitly stated that it was a problem-solving task, the majority of the tasks were problem-solving tasks. All textbooks were considered to include too low a share of problem-solving tasks, for it to be able to contribute to the development of a problem-solving competence. The placement of the problem-solving tasks in the textbooks was generally positive, in the meaning that it enabled them to contribute to increased problem-solving competence. Problem-solving dominates where it is described to be a problem-solving task which is considered positive, however, 29.5% other tasks were still found, and that can create a skew picture of what problem-solving is.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Nobel S. Rebello / This research project investigates the difficulties students encounter when solving physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the strategies to facilitate students learning to solve those types of problems. The research contexts of this project are calculus-based physics courses covering mechanics and electromagnetism. In phase I of the project, individual teaching/learning interviews were conducted with 20 students in mechanics and 15 students from the same cohort in electromagnetism. The students were asked to solve problems on several topics of mechanics and electromagnetism. These problems involved calculating physical quantities (e.g. velocity, acceleration, work, electric field, electric resistance, electric current) by integrating or finding the area under the curve of functions of related quantities (e.g. position, velocity, force, charge density, resistivity, current density). Verbal hints were provided when students made an error or were unable to proceed. A total number of 140 one-hour interviews were conducted in this phase, which provided insights into students’ difficulties when solving the problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts and the hints to help students overcome those difficulties. In phase II of the project, tutorials were created to facilitate students’ learning to solve physics problems involving the integral and the area under the curve concepts. Each tutorial consisted of a set of exercises and a protocol that incorporated the helpful hints to target the difficulties that students expressed in phase I of the project. Focus group learning interviews were conducted to test the effectiveness of the tutorials in comparison with standard learning materials (i.e. textbook problems and solutions). Overall results indicated that students learning with our tutorials outperformed students learning with standard materials in applying the integral and the area under the curve concepts to physics problems. The results of this project provide broader and deeper insights into students’ problem solving with the integral and the area under the curve concepts and suggest strategies to facilitate students’ learning to apply these concepts to physics problems. This study also has significant implications for further research, curriculum development and instruction.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1937 M34

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Nobel S. Rebello / This research project investigates students’ development of problem solving schemata while using strategies that facilitate the process of using solved examples to assist with a new problem (case reuse). Focus group learning interviews were used to explore students’ perceptions and understanding of several problem solving strategies. Individual clinical interviews were conducted and quantitative examination data were collected to assess students’ conceptual understanding, knowledge organization, and problem solving performance on a variety of problem tasks. The study began with a short one-time treatment of two independent, research-based strategies chosen to facilitate case reuse. Exploration of students’ perceptions and use of the strategies lead investigators to select one of the two strategies to be implemented over a full semester of focus group interviews. The strategy chosen was structure mapping. Structure maps are defined as visual representations of quantities and their associations. They were created by experts to model the appropriate mental organization of knowledge elements for a given physical concept. Students were asked to use these maps as they were comfortable while problem solving. Data obtained from this phase of our study (Phase I) offered no evidence of improved problem solving schema. The 11 contact hour study was barely sufficient time for students to become comfortable using the maps. A set of simpler strategies were selected for their more explicit facilitation of analogical reasoning, and were used together during two more semester long focus group treatments (phase II and phase III of this study). These strategies included the use of a step-by-step process aimed at reducing cognitive load associated with mathematical procedure, direct reflection of principles involved in a given set of problems, and the direct comparison of problem pairs designed to be void of surface similarities (similar objects or object orientations) and sharing physical principles (conservation of energy problems). Overall, our results from the final two phases of this project indicate that these strategies are helpful in facilitating student ability to identify important information from given problems. The promising results from our study have significant implications for further research, curriculum material development, and instruction.