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This study investigated how Grade 11 learners from a school in KwaNdengezi, near Pinetown, in Durban, understood the cosine function with software known as The Geometer’s Sketchpad. This was done on the basis of what they had learnt in Grade 10. The timing was just before they had covered the topic again in their current grade. The researcher hoped, by using The Geometer’s Sketchpad, to contribute in some small way to teaching and learning methods that are applicable to the subject. This may also, hopefully, assist and motivate both teachers and learners to attempt to recreate similar learning experiences in their schools with the same or similar content and concepts appropriate to them. In this research project, data came from learners through task-based interviews and questionnaires. The school was chosen because of the uniqueness of activities in most African schools and because it was easily accessible. Most learners do not have access to computers both in school and at home. This somehow alienates them from modern learning trends. They also, in many occasions, find it difficult to grasp the knowledge they receive in class since the medium of instruction is English, a second language to them. Another reason is the nature of the teaching and learning process that prevails in such schools. The Primary Education Upgrading Programme, according to Taylor and Vinjevold (1999), found out that African learners would mostly listen to their teacher through-out the lesson. Predominantly, the classroom interaction pattern consists of oral input by teachers where learners occasionally chant in response. This shows that questions are asked to check on their attentiveness and that tasks are oriented towards information acquisition rather than higher cognitive skills. They tend to resort to memorisation. Despite the fact that trigonometry is one of the topics learners find most challenging, it is nonetheless very important as it has a lot of applications. The technique of triangulation, which is used in astronomy to measure the distance to nearby stars, is one of the most important ones. In geography, distances between landmarks are measured using trigonometry. It is also used in satellite navigation systems. Trigonometry has proved to be valuable to global positioning systems. Besides astronomy, financial markets analysis, electronics, probability theory, and medical imaging (CAT scans and ultrasound), are other fields which make use of trigonometry. A study by Blackett and Tall (1991), states that when trigonometry is introduced, most learners find it difficult to make head or tail out of it. Typically, in trigonometry, pictures of triangles are aligned to numerical relationships. Learners are expected to understand ratios such as Cos A= adjacent/hypotenuse. A dynamic approach might have the potential to change this as it allows the learner to manipulate the diagram and see how its changing state is related to the corresponding numerical concepts. The learner is thus free to focus on relationships that are of prime importance, called the principle of selective construction (Blackett & Tall, 1991). It was along this thought pattern that the study was carried-out. Given a self-exploration opportunity within The Geometers' Sketchpad, the study investigated learners' understanding of the cosine function from their Grade 10 work in all four quadrants to check on: * What understanding did learners develop of the Cosine function as a function of an angle in Grade 10? * What intuitions and misconceptions did learners acquire in Grade 10? * Do learners display a greater understanding of the Cosine function when using Sketchpad? In particular, * As a ratio of sides of a right-angled triangle? * As a functional relationship between input and output values and as depicted in graphs? The use of Sketchpad was not only a successful and useful activity for learners but also proved to be an appropriate tool for answering the above questions. It also served as a learning tool besides being time-saving in time-consuming activities like sketching graphs. At the end, there was great improvement in terms of marks in the final test as compared to the initial one which was the control yard stick. However, most importantly, the use of a computer in this research revealed some errors and misconceptions in learners’ mathematics. The learners had anticipated the ratios of sides to change when the radius of the unit circle did but they discovered otherwise. In any case, errors and misconceptions are can be understood as a spontaneous result of learner's efforts to come up with their own knowledge. According to Olivier (1989), these misconceptions are intelligent constructions based on correct or incomplete (but not wrong) previous knowledge. Olivier (1989) also argues that teachers should be able to predict the errors learners would typically make. They should explain how and why learners make these errors and help learners to correct such misconceptions. In the analysis of the learners' understanding, correct understandings, as well as misconceptions in their mathematics were exposed. There also arose some cognitive conflicts that helped learners to reconstruct their conceptions. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Este trabalho objetiva contextualizar o estudo da Trigonometria em situações reais da Agropecuária para que os estudantes atribuam mais sentido para a aprendizagem dos conceitos. Os fatores que contribuíram para a escolha deste tema foram as dificuldades observadas na compreensão de conceitos da Trigonometria, ao ministrar este conteúdo no 2º ano do curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado ao Ensino Médio. O referencial teórico que subsidia a pesquisa é a teoria da aprendizagem significativa de David Ausubel, além de autores cujas pesquisas estão relacionadas com a mesma. Foram consideradas as condições de aprendizagem, a história da Trigonometria e suas aplicações na Agropecuária, além de recursos de apoio aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem de Matemática. Com base neste estudo, foram elaboradas, aplicadas e avaliadas estratégias pedagógicas, visando à aprendizagem ativa e significativa, como é o caso da Modelagem Matemática aliada às tecnologias. A partir de questionários para estudantes e professores do Curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado ao Ensino Médio, cuja análise qualitativa, foi realizada de acordo com Bardin (2011), foram organizadas e aplicadas duas intervenções pedagógicas com o intuito de contemplar a aprendizagem ativa e significativa. A primeira intervenção pedagógica ocorreu na disciplina de Culturas Anuais, quando foi analisado o fotoperíodo, um fenômeno periódico natural que influencia nas culturas agrícolas. Para esta, a estratégia utilizada foi a Modelagem Matemática aliada aos recursos tecnológicos (software Geogebra). A segunda intervenção pedagógica ocorreu na disciplina de Topografia, quando foi realizada uma prática de campo, em que foram efetuadas várias medições em áreas rurais, e utilizadas as razões trigonométricas para o cálculo de distâncias. O produto deste trabalho é um site, onde está disponível uma lista de situações-problema contextualizados de Trigonometria. Concluiu-se que as estratégias propostas, por meio de situações do contexto da Agropecuária, contribuíram para que os estudantes envolvidos consigam atribuir sentido aos conceitos de Trigonometria, declarando-se com melhores condições de analisar e intervir no mundo real e demonstrando sentimentos e opiniões favoráveis sobre Trigonometria. / Submitted by Ana Guimarães Pereira (agpereir@ucs.br) on 2017-02-10T18:38:06Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Derli Santos da Silva.pdf: 3892505 bytes, checksum: 1d0ad24438a6327d370802c2dbc3ae91 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-10T18:38:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Derli Santos da Silva.pdf: 3892505 bytes, checksum: 1d0ad24438a6327d370802c2dbc3ae91 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-10 / This work aims to contextualize the study of trigonometry in real situations of Agriculture so that students can view the application of the concepts of trigonometry. The factor that contributed to this choice were the difficulties encountered in understanding concepts of trigonometry, by teaching this content in the 2nd year of the Technical Course in Integrated Agriculture to High School. The theoretical framework that supports the research is the theory of meaningful learning of David Ausubel, and authors whose research is related to the same. Were considered the conditions of learning in general about the history of trigonometry and applications in Agriculture, and support resources to teaching and learning of mathematics. Based on this study were developed, implemented and evaluated pedagogical strategies, aimed at active and meaningful learning, such as the Mathematical Modeling coupled with technologies. From questionnaires given to students and teachers of the course, the qualitative analysis was performed according to Bardin (2011), were organized and implemented two pedagogical interventions in order to contemplate the active and meaningful learning. The first pedagogical intervention occurred in the course of annual crops, when we analyzed the photoperiod, a natural periodic phenomenon that influences in agriculture. For this, the strategy used was the mathematical modeling coupled with technological resources (Geogebra software). The second pedagogical intervention occurred in the Topography course, when a practice field was performed, where several measurements were made in rural areas, and used the trigonometric ratios for calculating distances. The product of this work is a website where it is available, a list of contextualized problem situations about trigonometry in agriculture. It was concluded that the strategies proposed, through situations in the context of Agriculture, helped the students involved to give meaning to the concepts of Trigonometry, declaring themselves better able to analyze and intervene in the real world and showing favorable feelings and opinions About Trigonometry.

Este trabalho objetiva contextualizar o estudo da Trigonometria em situações reais da Agropecuária para que os estudantes atribuam mais sentido para a aprendizagem dos conceitos. Os fatores que contribuíram para a escolha deste tema foram as dificuldades observadas na compreensão de conceitos da Trigonometria, ao ministrar este conteúdo no 2º ano do curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado ao Ensino Médio. O referencial teórico que subsidia a pesquisa é a teoria da aprendizagem significativa de David Ausubel, além de autores cujas pesquisas estão relacionadas com a mesma. Foram consideradas as condições de aprendizagem, a história da Trigonometria e suas aplicações na Agropecuária, além de recursos de apoio aos processos de ensino e aprendizagem de Matemática. Com base neste estudo, foram elaboradas, aplicadas e avaliadas estratégias pedagógicas, visando à aprendizagem ativa e significativa, como é o caso da Modelagem Matemática aliada às tecnologias. A partir de questionários para estudantes e professores do Curso Técnico em Agropecuária Integrado ao Ensino Médio, cuja análise qualitativa, foi realizada de acordo com Bardin (2011), foram organizadas e aplicadas duas intervenções pedagógicas com o intuito de contemplar a aprendizagem ativa e significativa. A primeira intervenção pedagógica ocorreu na disciplina de Culturas Anuais, quando foi analisado o fotoperíodo, um fenômeno periódico natural que influencia nas culturas agrícolas. Para esta, a estratégia utilizada foi a Modelagem Matemática aliada aos recursos tecnológicos (software Geogebra). A segunda intervenção pedagógica ocorreu na disciplina de Topografia, quando foi realizada uma prática de campo, em que foram efetuadas várias medições em áreas rurais, e utilizadas as razões trigonométricas para o cálculo de distâncias. O produto deste trabalho é um site, onde está disponível uma lista de situações-problema contextualizados de Trigonometria. Concluiu-se que as estratégias propostas, por meio de situações do contexto da Agropecuária, contribuíram para que os estudantes envolvidos consigam atribuir sentido aos conceitos de Trigonometria, declarando-se com melhores condições de analisar e intervir no mundo real e demonstrando sentimentos e opiniões favoráveis sobre Trigonometria. / This work aims to contextualize the study of trigonometry in real situations of Agriculture so that students can view the application of the concepts of trigonometry. The factor that contributed to this choice were the difficulties encountered in understanding concepts of trigonometry, by teaching this content in the 2nd year of the Technical Course in Integrated Agriculture to High School. The theoretical framework that supports the research is the theory of meaningful learning of David Ausubel, and authors whose research is related to the same. Were considered the conditions of learning in general about the history of trigonometry and applications in Agriculture, and support resources to teaching and learning of mathematics. Based on this study were developed, implemented and evaluated pedagogical strategies, aimed at active and meaningful learning, such as the Mathematical Modeling coupled with technologies. From questionnaires given to students and teachers of the course, the qualitative analysis was performed according to Bardin (2011), were organized and implemented two pedagogical interventions in order to contemplate the active and meaningful learning. The first pedagogical intervention occurred in the course of annual crops, when we analyzed the photoperiod, a natural periodic phenomenon that influences in agriculture. For this, the strategy used was the mathematical modeling coupled with technological resources (Geogebra software). The second pedagogical intervention occurred in the Topography course, when a practice field was performed, where several measurements were made in rural areas, and used the trigonometric ratios for calculating distances. The product of this work is a website where it is available, a list of contextualized problem situations about trigonometry in agriculture. It was concluded that the strategies proposed, through situations in the context of Agriculture, helped the students involved to give meaning to the concepts of Trigonometry, declaring themselves better able to analyze and intervene in the real world and showing favorable feelings and opinions About Trigonometry.

Richard Skemp's theory of conceptual structures (schemas) was adapted by hypothesizing two types of schemast (a) an underlying parent schema; and (b) a problem solving schema which contains paths for problem solving. Three interpretations of the definitions of the trigonometric functions were identified: (a) the right triangle interpretation; (b) the coordinate system interpretation; and (c) the unit circle interpretation. For each interpretation representative problems were chosen and methods of solution analysed. From the methods of solutions the relevant concepts and specific actions employed were identified. The parent schema was constructed by placing the concepts in a geometric configuration with two concepts joined by a line if and only if some action joined those concepts. The problem solving schema was formed by joining the concepts at the vertices by lines which were labeled to describe the actions they represent. The preliminary model thus constructed was tested and refined by interviewing four subjects of varying abilities from a trigonometry class and then analyzing those interviews according to instructions developed from the adaptation of Skemp's theory and the problem solving methods. Interview analysis included constructing representations of the parent and problem solving schemas possessed by each subject in each interpretation. The refined Model was then used to interview two additional subjects from another trigonometry class and to analyse the interviews. Interview analysis indicated strong face validity in that the Model was found to contain the problem solving paths used by the subjects. Cross validation was also found to be strong. Reliability of analysis was found to be strong in the less complex schemas and somewhat weaker when more complex schemas were involved. The Model was found to be a viable model of conceptual structures in which problem solving can be described and to have potential value for both instruction and research. Suggestions for further research on the Model and for using the Model in both instruction and research are included. / Ed. D.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

CAPES / Utilizando-se da relação entre a Matemática e a Física e tendo a música como fonte de recursos associados a conceitos matemáticos, este trabalho objetiva contribuir com o desenvolvimento de habilidades nos estudantes na aprendizagem de conteúdos matemáticos como as funções trigonométricas. Conceitos importantes relacionados à acústica são apresentados, mostrando a importância da Série de Fourier Contínua no desenvolvimento de sintetizadores analógicos aditivos e seu uso no ensino de trigonometria. / Using the relationship between Mathematics and Physics and having music as a source of features associated with mathematical concepts, this work aims to contribute to the development of skills in students who are learning mathematical subjects such as trigonometric functions. Important concepts related to acoustics are presented, showing the importance of Continuous Fourier Series (CFS) in the development of Additive Synthesizer and its use in trigonometry.

This study employed a qualitative approach to investigate the use of cooperative learning to enhance conceptual understanding of trigonometry in a Grade 11 mathematics classroom, conducted at a high school in Moletlane Circuit, Capricorn District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A single case study was used as a research design to get an in-depth analysis and collect detailed data using semi-interviews and lesson observation of the cooperative learning of trigonometry in Grade 11 from the learners and the teacher. Participants were purposely chosen and consisted of (n=30) Grade 11 mathematics learners and their mathematics teacher. Data from the participants were collected through semi-structured interviews and observation, with the aid of observation guide (Appendix C) for three weeks. The salient findings from the study showed how cooperative learning was used, research questions, the approaches, the teacher did not adequately highlight the importance of trigonometry to students without integrating the topic to real-life situations. Some students said that the teacher did not teach trigonometry in a manner that they understood, which made trigonometry challenging for them. Concerning cooperative learning, the study found that many learners were passively engaged, listened to or watched the teacher. Mainly, the study recommends teacher-training institutions to host practical workshops to help teachers integrate theoretical training and practical cooperative learning experience. While this study was qualitative in nature, future researchers could conduct quantitative data collection. This would allow for the collection of numerical findings through survey questionnaires. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)