Learning interest is a key determinant of children's motivation in mathematics. The main theme of this paper is to study the integration of stop-motion animation into children's daily mathematics learning, and to further develop the stop-motion animation format into a stop-motion game with interaction as a way to stimulate children's interest in mathematics in a non-traditional educational way. To test the viability and effectiveness of the theme, I designed an experiment with a sample of 30 children aged 5-6 years in kindergartens, and conducted follow-up questionnaires and interviews to collect feedback. The results showed that the integration of stop-motion animation into children's mathematical learning did have a positive effect on the irlearning of mathematics, increasing their interest and enthusiasm for learning. The use of interactive stop-motion games also provided positive guidance, but were not as effective as stop-motion animation, so further development of interactive stop-motiongames is needed. / <p>There are other digital material (eg film, image or audio files) or models/artifacts that belongs to the thesis and need to be archived.</p>

The use of kinaesthetic experiences associated with dance to support learning of curricular mathematics has been little represented in the available literature. Maths Dance is an approach to teaching and learning mathematics through dance and movement. The objectives of the study are related to assessing the impact of Maths Dance on students’ cognitive, affective and physical developmental areas in preschool and primary school settings. The investigation of the case study on Maths Dance took place in London, UK, with the participation of four teaching staff members, who were interviewed in detail, and thirty students of Reception, Year 2 and Year 3 classes, out of which eleven students were interviewed. All thirty students were observed once during three Maths Dance sessions, one session per each age group.      Based on a qualitative research approach, the data are analysed and discussed below around seven themes in relation to the theories of constructivism, Dienes’s theory of learning mathematics, Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences and educational neuroscience. According to the main findings, students and teaching staff members express positive attitudes regarding most aspects of the research questions. Specifically, Maths Dance is believed to improve students’ maths skills, critical thinking and creativity, as well as enhance student motivation, socio-emotional and motor skills. The pleasant nature of the activities is also highlighted, an element that is believed to make this method adequate for students of low achievement in maths.  However, the small sample size, in addition to the fact that Maths Dance has recently started being implemented in schools, does not permit generalization of the results.

This research is primarily concerned with the on-going development of the secondary mathematics curriculum in The Bahamas. In order to determine whether pupils assimilated mathematical ideas into a schematic structure, and could retrieve and use them as final behaviours outlined in the syllabuses, data from two diagnostic tests administered to pupils of 13+ and 15+ years respectively, were analysed. For the former age range, 377 pupils completed an Objective Test containing 50 items and for the latter age range 241 pupils attempted a Choice-Type Test with the instruction to choose any 10 of the total of 14 questions [continued]…

Twenty years after the first pilot projects began to develop Student Active Learning (SAL) in Indonesia, and four years since it was adopted for use in the last provinces, this research investigates the implementation of Student Active Learning in Indonesian primary mathematics classrooms. A study of the relevant literature indicates that teaching based on constructivist principles is unlikely to be implemented well in mathematics classrooms unless there are high quality teachers, readily available manipulative materials, and a supportive learning environment. As Indonesian schools often lack one or more of these aspects, it seemed likely that Student Active Learning principles might not be ‘fully’ implemented in Indonesian primary mathematics classrooms. Thus a smaller scale, parallel study was carried out in Australian schools where there is no policy of Student Active Learning, but where its underlying principles are compatible with the stated views about learning and teaching mathematics. The study employed a qualitative interpretive methodology. Sixteen primary teachers from four urban and four rural Indonesian schools and four teachers from two Victorian schools were observed for four mathematics lessons each. The twenty teachers, as well as fourteen Indonesian headteachers and other education professionals, were interviewed in order to establish links between the background and beliefs of participants, and their implementation of Student Active Learning. Information on perceived constraints on the implementation of SAL was also sought. The results of this study suggest that Student Active learning has been implemented at four levels in Indonesian primary mathematics classrooms, ranging from essentially no implementation to a relatively high level of implementation, with an even higher level of implementation in three of the four Australian classrooms observed. Indonesian teachers, headteachers and supervisors hold a range of views of SAL and also of mathematics learning and teaching. These views largely depended on their in-service training in SAL and, more particularly, on their participation in the PEQIP project Typically, participants’ expressed views of SAL were at the same or higher level as their views of mathematics learning and teaching, with a similar pattern being observed in the relationship between these latter views and their implementation of SAL principles. Three factors were identified as influencing teacher change in terms of implementation of SAL: policy, curricular and organisational, and attitudes. Recommendations arising from this study include the adoption of reflection as an underlying principle in the theory of SAL, the continuation and extension of PEQIP type projects, changes in government policy on curriculum coverage and pre-service teacher training, and more support for teachers at the school and local authority levels.

Submitted by Mario BC (mario@bc.ufrpe.br) on 2016-08-17T12:52:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marilene Rosa dos Santos.pdf: 4114270 bytes, checksum: 386a0d702abe8565a0c668da570ff1c9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-17T12:52:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marilene Rosa dos Santos.pdf: 4114270 bytes, checksum: 386a0d702abe8565a0c668da570ff1c9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-03 / Cette thèse a eu pour objectif d’analyser le éloignement entre la pratique institutrice de l’enseignant de mathématiques et l’approche du livre didactique par lui adopté, à la 6e année primaire, par rapport au concept d’aire sur des figures géométriques planes. La base théorique est établie sur le modèle d’aire en tant que grandeur, proposé dans les travaux de Douady et Perrin-Glorian (1989), Bellemain et Lima (2002), Bellemain (2013) et dans la Théorie de la Transposition Didactique bien comme dans la Théorie Anthropologique du Didactique, toutes les deux développées par Chevallard (1991; 1999) et ses collaborateurs. La méthodologie est fondée sur une approche qualitative, à caractéristique ethnographique, par une analyse des organisations mathématique et didactique du livre didactique et de la pratique institutrice de l’enseignant de mathématiques d’une école publique municipale de la Cidade do Paulista. Les résultats indiquent qu’il existe bien une relation entre l’approche du livre didactique et la pratique institutrice. Toutefois, cette relation est divergente sur beaucoup d’aspects (Types de tâches et techniques abordées, technologies et théories, exploration de techniques, organisation didactique), et convergente sur d’autres aspects (définition et approche conceptual du concept d’aire). Il a été possible d’observer qu’il y a une distance considérable entre l’approche didacticisme du livre didactique et la pratique institutrice par rapport au concept d’aire, qui peut être influencée par la conception de l’enseignant à propos de l’enseignement des mathématiques et par sa relation avec notre objet d’étude. / Essa tese teve por objetivo analisar o distanciamento entre a prática docente do professor de matemática e a abordagem do livro didático adotado por ele, no 6º ano do ensino fundamental, em relação ao conceito de área de figuras geométricas planas. A fundamentação teórica está alicerçada no modelo de área enquanto grandeza proposto nos trabalhos de Douady e Perrin-Glorian (1989), Bellemain e Lima (2002), Bellemain (2013) e na Teoria da Transposição Didática e Teoria Antropológica do Didático, ambas desenvolvidas por Chevallard (1991; 1999) e seus colaboradores. A metodologia se baseia em uma abordagem qualitativa de cunho etnográfico, que consistiu na análise das organizações matemática e didática do livro didático e da prática docente do professor de matemática de uma escola pública municipal da Cidade do Paulista. Os resultados indicam que existe, sim, uma relação entre a abordagem do livro didático e a prática docente. No entanto, essa relação é divergente em muitos aspectos (Tipos de tarefas e técnicas abordadas, tecnologias e teorias, exploração de técnicas, organização didática) e convergentes em outros (definição e abordagem conceitual da área de figuras planas). Também foi possível perceber que há uma distância considerável entre a abordagem didática do livro didático e da prática docente em relação ao conceito de área, que pode estar sendo influenciada pela concepção que o professor tem sobre o ensino de matemática e pela relação que ele tem com o objeto de estudo.

This diploma thesis deals with Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The term stands for a teaching method used in the non-language classes that has a content-oriented and lingual goal. CLIL has been incorporated into the learning process as one of the instruments that leads to improving language learning in Europe. The aim of my thesis was to prepare, realize and evaluate a twomonth long process of using CLIL in lessons of Math for lower secondary pupils. In the experiment I surveyed the impact of the connection between Math and English language on pupils' motivation and Math knowledge. The experimental lessons were focused on the topics of ratio, direct and inverse proportion. The main method used in the thesis was action research. Other applied methods were quantitative methods (questionnaires) and qualitative methods (interview and mediated observation). Parts of the thesis include preparations of seven CLIL lessons accompanied by methodical description and worksheets. These materials were used in lessons during the experiment. The experiment showed and proved the procedure of successful CLIL method implementation to the lessons of Math. The implementation did not have a negative impact on pupils' motivation, knowledge and activity on the lesson's.

The importance of family involvement is highlighted by findings that parents’ behaviours, beliefs and attitudes affect children’s behaviour in a major way. The Family Maths programme, which is the focus of this study, provides support for the transformative education practices targeted by the South African Department of Education by offering an intervention which includes teachers, learners and their families in an affirming learning community. In this study participating parents were interviewed to investigate their perceptions of the Family Maths programme mainly in terms of their engagement, enjoyment and confidence levels. The major themes and ideas that were generated in this study include the development of positive attitudes, parents and children working and talking together, and the skills exhibited by Family Maths facilitators. These findings are analysed within the parameters of complexity science and the pre-requisite conditions for developing a complex learning community, viz. internal diversity, redundancy, decentralized control, organised randomness and neighbour interactions.

TITLE: Mathematics Teachers and Their Professional Development AUTHOR: Jana Pávová DEPARTMENT: Department of Education SUPERVISOR: Doc. PaedDr. Stanislav Bendl, Ph.D. ABSTRACT: This thesis is focused on Mathematics Teachers and Their Professional Development. The thoretical part describes the Czech system of in-service education of teachers in the context of lifelong learning. It introduces its legislative classification and describes an alternative classification. The following part offers the list of information resources, which are useful for Mathematics teachers and the list of what the current offer of further education courses for Mathematics teachers is, including selfstudying activities. The relevant links are quoted in the appendices. The empirical part analyses, interprets and evaluates the qualitative research among Mathematics teachers, which determines their experience with in-service education/professional development, their attitudes and opinions in this field. Furthermore, this part analyses their attitudes from the constructivism in Mathematics teaching's point of view. KEYWORDS: Maths teacher, further/in service education of teaching staff, teacher's professional development, educational portals, the Union of Czech Mathematicians and Physicists, Maths competitions, constructivism in Maths...

This thesis is concerned with the selection and early career education of executive branch officers in the Royal Navy c1902-1939. The thesis attempts to place naval selection and educational policy in context by demonstrating how it was affected by changing naval requirements, external political interference and contemporary educational reform. It also explores the impact of the First World War and the Invergordon mutiny upon officer education. The thesis discusses the selection of potential executive officers, exploring what methods were used, why they were used and how they were developed over time. It discusses the increasing openness of the officer corps of the Royal Navy to boys of talent, irrespective of their background; and shows that this trend was driven by political demand, fuelled by the increasing number of well educated lower middle class boys, and welcomed by many in the Royal Navy. The thesis demonstrates that the Fisher-Selborne Scheme of officer education combined existing naval practice with recent educational developments to produce a unique and innovatory educational system. It shows how many of the assumptions on which the scheme was founded were subsequently proven to be wrong, and demonstrates its gradual dismantling through the inter-war years. The thesis considers the development of the Special Entry scheme, initially in response to a shortage of junior officers but later as a means of broadening entry to the officer corps. It contrasts the fortunes of the two schemes in the inter-war period, in which the educational side of the Special Entry scheme was largely unaltered. Overall the thesis seeks to place the development of the Royal Navy’s systems for the selection and early career education of executive officers in context by exploring how and why they were developed and their response to the changing fortunes and shape of the Royal Navy.

It seems as if there is a continued problem with mathematical performances nationally. The rate, at which FET (Further Education and Training) phase learner s discontinue Mathematics as a result of poor mathematical performances, is of great concern. This research study determined how academic self-confidence could have an influence on learners’ abilities to perform in Mathematics. The literature review confirmed that there could be a link between academic self-confidence and mathematical performance. Consequently, the researcher wanted to establish if the same could be found at a school where the emphasis is very much on mathematical achievement. The school is based in Northern Johannesburg (D10) in Gauteng, South Africa. By applying an explanatory mixed method approach (quantitative, followed by qualitative methods), the researcher identified a clear link between this school’s learners’ abilities to perform in Mathematics and their academic self-confidence. Amongst others, positive links were also identified between the learner s’ comprehension of Mathematics, their problem- solving skills as well as educator assistance, which in turn influence their academic self - confidence and consequently al so their performance s. A cycle of mathematical influences was identified that demonstrated that the influence i s not only working one way, but that a cycle forms; academic self-confidence influences the learner’s ability to perform in mathematics and mathematical performance s al so influence academic self - confidence, causing a continuous cycle of influence. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013