Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbsoch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary concern of the study is how pre-service teachers perform after they have
been exposed to a section of a linear algebra course based on the problem-centred
approach. The students were in their final (3rd
) year of a teacher education course at
a college of education which prepares them to teach mathematics at high school
level. Sixty students, who formed the experimental group, were exposed to a linear
algebra section, which was underpinned by the tenets of the problem-centred
approach. The control group comprised of 60 students of similar mathematical
background and they were taught the linear algebra section in the conventional way.
The main study is preceded by an overview of the history of the teaching of linear
algebra and this overview rendered that certain aspects of linear algebra were
historically taught in context. Furthermore an analysis of current secondary school
mathematics curricula indicated that there are components of linear algebra present
in these syllabi.
To test whether there was any significant effect of the experimental course, both
groups were subjected to the same linear algebra test items at the end of the
experimental period. The null hypothesis tested was: there will be no significant
difference between the achievement scores of the experimental and control groups.
A simple statistical two-tailed test for the difference between two means was done.
This test confirmed the rejection of the null hypothesis at the 0,01 level of
significance. It is thus accepted that the superior achievement of the experimental
group was due to the intervention - approaching aspects of linear algebra through
the problem-centred approach. To get an indication of the strategies the experimental group followed to solve linear
algebra problems, an analysis was done of the written work of the students. This
analysis showed that students applied an absolute calculation strategy to seek
solutions to the problems.
The study had the following limitations:
1. The students were not representative of the pre-service secondary teachers in
South Africa. Only students from the developing population group were involved.
2. The students were not randomly assigned to the experimental and control group.
They were in their normal college classes .
. Notwithstanding the above limitations it is recommended that:
1. The problem-centred approach, which support the ideals of outcomes-based
education, be applied to a major part of the South African school and college of
education mathematics syllabi.
2. Appropriate assessment procedures consonant with the problem-centered
approach are installed.
3. Adequate support systems are put in place to support teacher transition from the
conventional to the problem-centred approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre fokus van die studie is die effek van In lineêre algebra kursus, aangebied
volgens die probleem-gesentreerde benadering, op kollege onderwysstudente. Die
studente was in hulle finale (3de) jaar van In kursus aan In onderwyskollege wat hulle
voorberei om wiskunde op hoërskoolvlak te onderrig. Die eksperimentele groep,
bestaande uit 60 studente, het aspekte van lineêre algebra geleer, onderrig volgens
die probleem-gesentreerde benadering. Die kontrolegroep, bestaande uit 60
studente met omtrent dieselfde wiskunde agtergrond, het dieselfde lineêre algebra
geleer, onderrig volgens die konvensionele metode.
Die hoofstudie is voorafgegaan deur In oorsig van die geskiedenis van die onderrig
van lineêre algebra, wat getoon het dat dat sekere aspekte van lineêre algebra
histories in konteks onderrig is. In Ontleding van die huidige hoërkool wiskundekurrikulum
toon dat dit komponente van lineêre algebra bevat.
Om die impak van die eksperimentele kursus te bepaal, het beide groepe aan die
einde van die eksperimentele periode dieselfde lineêre algebra toetsitems voltooi.
Die volgende nul-hipotese is getoets: Daar is geen beduidende verskil tussen die
prestasies van die eksperimentele en die kontrole groepe nie. In Eenvoudige tweevlerk
statistiese toets vir die verskil tussen twee gemiddeldes is gedoen. Die toets
bevestig die verwerping van die nul-hipotese op die 0,01 vlak van beduidendheid.
Dit word dus aanvaar dat die beter prestasie van die eksperimentele groep
toegeskryf kan word aan die intervensie, naamlik die leer van lineêre algebra volgens
die probleem-gesentreerde benadering. Om "n aanduiding te kry van die strategieë wat die eksperimentele groep gebruik het
in die oplos van lineêre algebra probleme, is die geskrewe werk van die studente
ontleed. Die ontleding het getoon dat studente 'n absolute rekenstrategie gebruik het
om oplossings vir die probleme te soek.
Die studie het die volgende beperkings:
1. Die studente was nie verteenwoordigend van sekondêre onderwysstudente in
Suid Afrika nie. Slegs studente uit die onwikkelinggroep was betrokke.
2. Die studente is nie willekeurig aan die eksperimentele en kontrole groepe
toegewys nie. Hulle was in hul gewone kollege klasse.
Ondanks die bogenoemde beperkings, word daar aanbeveel dat:
1. Die probleem-gesentreerde benadering, wat die beginsels van uitkomsgebaseerde
onderwys ondersteun, behoort in die wiskunde kurrikulum vir
skole en onderwyserskolleges gebruik te word.
2. Gepaste assesseringsmetodes, soos in die probleem-gesentreerde
benadering gebruik, moet toegepas word.
3. Doeltreffende ondersteuningstelsels moet geïmplementeer word om
onderwysers te ondersteun in huloorgang na die probleem-gesentreerde
benadering.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52413 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | George, Salimma |
| Contributors | Julie, C., Olivier, A. I., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 67 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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