Tong Li , Xu Sheng Qian

DOI: Vol.14(No.4) 323-332, 2010

It is the development of a mathematics teachers` teaching knowledge that manifests a mathematics teacher`s professional knowledge growth. It is becoming a direct and effective approach of conversion of mathematical knowledge into the knowledge of mathematics teaching. Through the investigation, the study revealed that the knowledge conversion process of mathematics teachers in middle school is restricted by three aspects including eight factors. From this point, the authors have structured the path and model on influencing factors of middle school Mathematics Teaching Knowledge Conversion (MPCK), and discuss the mechanism of the transformation process

knowledge of mathematics teaching, Mathematics Pedagogical Content Knowledge, MPCK, knowledge translating, influencing factors, teacher professional development

Li Jun Ye , Hai Xia Si

DOI: Vol.14(No.4) 333-345, 2010

This study focuses on student engagement in Chinese middle school mathematics classrooms. By the recording and quantitative analysis on video case, this study explored the main acts and time of student engagement. The data showed that among the student engagements: (1) Students` responses to teacher`s question occurred most frequently; (2) Collective responses were much more than the individual responses; (3) Students` responses and classroom practice spent the longest time; (4) The most frequent student engagements occurred in the aspects of classroom practice; and (5) Students rarely asked a question to teachers. The study also suggested that teacher`s effective guidance could improve the level of student engagement and the content of classroom practice is very important to the quality of student engagement.

student engagement, classroom practice

Yushau Balarabe , Omar M. H.

DOI: Vol.14(No.4) 347-360, 2010

Motivating students to study mathematics is a concern for many mathematics educators. In this paper, we present the outcome of a one semester experiment in which group-work and academic advising were used as teaching strategies in order to improve the motivational level of our students in learning mathematics. Although the students` performance did not show any statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups, qualitative and other quantitative data collected indicate that the participants in the experiment, especially weak students, have in one way or the other benefited from the teaching approaches. Details of the experiment, the findings and their educational implications are presented.

motivation, mathematics, bilingual Arabs, preparatory year program, group work, advising

Ngai Ying Wong , Chit Kwong Kong , Chi Chung Lam , Ka Ming Patrick Wong

DOI: Vol.14(No.4) 361-380, 2010

Some 400 Secondary One (i.e. seventh-grade) students from 10 schools were provided with non-routine mathematical problems in their normal mathematics classes as exercises for one academic year. Their attitudes toward mathematics, their conceptions of mathematics and their problem-solving performance were measured both in the beginning and at the end of the year. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that the introduction of an appropriate dose of non-routine problems would generate some effects on the students` conceptions of mathematics. A medium dose of non-routine problems (as reported by the teachers) would result in a change of the students` conception of mathematics to perceiving mathematics as less of "a subject of calculables." On the other hand, a high dose would lead students to perceive mathematics as more useful and more as a discipline involving thinking. However, with a low dose of non-routine problems, students found mathematics more "friendly" (free from fear). It is therefore proposed that the use of non-routine mathematical problems to an appropriate extent can induce changes in students` "lived space" of mathematics learning and broaden their conceptions of mathematics and mathematics learning.

introduction of variation, students` conceptions, perceiving mathematics

Radmehr Farzad , Alamolhodaei Hassan

DOI: Vol.14(No.4) 381-403, 2010

The main objective of this research is to studying students` mathematical performance based upon cognitive dimension of Revised Bloom Taxonomy (RBT). A sample of 95 K11 school girls and 63 K11 school boys were tested on mathematics exam include 120 questions from K11 calculus book based on RBT. Data of this research was analyzed by MANOVA repeated measure and graphs error bars from SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) software. Results obtained, indicate that there was difference between students` mathematical performance in each category of knowledge dimension according to cognitive rocess of RBT and students` mathematical performance would be decreased from remembering through creating in each category of knowledge dimensions. Overall, these findings could help to provide some practical implications for adapting problem solving skills and effective teaching/learning.

Revised Bloom Taxonomy, problem solving, mathematics performance, cognitive process, knowledge dimension