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An investigation of mathematical misconceptions through an analysis of Grade 7 learners' responses to test items on decimals, percentages and measuremnt

Bibliography: leaves 113-119. / This research dissertation emerges as a component of a broader research study, which sought to determine the impact of a mathematics textbook, Maths for all (Mfa) on teaching and learning, in general, and on learners' performance, in particular. The impact evaluation study focused on Grade 7 learners, from a sample of formerly DET primary classrooms in townships near Cape Town. It focused particularly on the teaching of decimals, percentages and measurment which 14 teachers in these schools agreed to teach in the second term of 2000. The 538 learners, from 10 experimental classrooms (with access to Mfa) and 4 control classrooms (with no access to Mfa), were given a pre-test at the beginning of the second term, and the same test as a post-test towards the end of the same term of the year 2000. The present study aims to analyse possible patterns of error in learners' responses to the test and investigate whether these patterns suggest underlying misconceptions held by the learners on decimals, percentages and measurement. As a secondary aspect, the study also set out to evaluate the test instrument as a measure of achievement and of potential misconceptions.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uct/oai:localhost:11427/7901
Date January 2001
CreatorsTawodzera, George
ContributorsEnsor, Paula, Gumedze, Freedom Nkhululeko
PublisherUniversity of Cape Town, Faculty of Humanities, School of Education
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeMaster Thesis, Masters, MEd
Formatapplication/pdf

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