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Construction And Empirical Study On Mathematics Classroom Inquiry Levels Of Middle School

Posted on:2012-09-13Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:W J GaoFull Text:PDF
GTID:1117330335964899Subject:Disciplinary education
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One target of basic education curriculum reform is to change the curriculum implementation, so that it does not put too much emphasis on accepting study, learning by rote, mechanical training situation, but advocates students participating in and inquiring actively. Independence, cooperation, and inquiry are the essence of new curriculum learning style, and inquiry is the cornerstone and orientation of new curriculum. The researchers in China pay special attention to connotation and the implementation of inquiry learning. However, deep investigations into schools and studies of actual implementation status are relatively ignored. The study of inquiry levels is very rich overseas, while in our country, the research involving inquiry levels is very little. Therefore, this paper makes the following research:First, by document research, referring to science inquiry level classification, we establish the middle school mathematics classroom inquiry level system.Second, according to the middle school mathematics classroom inquiry level system, by the form of questionnaire surveys, we study how the current inquiry level is in our middle school mathematics classrooms, and what the mainstream inquiry level is? Is it the realization of depicting the good blueprint of the new curriculum, or still follow the old method that students follow teachers' speaking?Third, through testing, questionnaire surveys, video analysis, analyzing students' works, interviews and other methods, we compare the differences of different levels. We compare students'academic achievement, attitudes and interest toward mathematics. In order to understand the differences of thinking process and thinking levels, we undertake high cognitive level test. We also compare abilities of putting forward mathematical problems in different inquiry levels classes. Teachers'mathematical faiths are investigated to understand reasons of different inquiry levels.Fourth, this paper studies relationship as the followings:the relationship between mathematics inquiry levels and ancient Chinese Confucianism, Taoism, and Mohism; Mathematics high levels and cognitive; Mathematics high inquiry levels and mathematical understanding and migration; Mathematics high levels and constructivism and learning theory; Mathematics high levels and high cognitive levels; Mathematics inquiry levels and the non-cognitive factors; Mathematics inquiry levels and mathematical thinking; High inquiry levels and putting forward problems; Inquiry levels and mathematics teachers' beliefs; Mathematics inquiry levels and efficient learning. Through the above research, we try to analyze the results of the comparison theoretically.Fifth, according to the documentary research and empirical studies, in this paper, we propose the implementation classroom teaching strategies and students' learning strategies of high level. High levels of reality inquiry class mode are introduced in order to offer middle school mathematics teachers some guiding.(1)We come to the following conclusions through the literature, questionnaire investigation, testing, works analysis, observation, visiting, video and other methods: In our country, the mainstream inquiry level of middle school mathematics class at present is Level 1-guided inquiry (Teachers ask questions, through the form of asking and answering, step by step, teacher analysis with students, and puts forward solutions, implementation plan, together for evaluation and conclusion). This is different from what have described in the ideal mathematics class of the New Mathematics Curriculum Standard in Full-time Compulsory Education.The survey also shows that many students hope to improve the inquiry levels.The survey also shows that only one-third of the teachers have passion to organize students' classroom inquiries. Nevertheless, the school and the vast majority of mathematics teachers still held a positive attitude toward inquiry.(2) Using Flanders interactive analysis, we encode teachers and students in the different levels of typical classes. We find that in the classes with inquiry Level 0 and Level 1, teachers'dominant orientation teaching method is of landslide. While in those classes with inquiry Level 2, students' autonomous orientation teaching method is of landslide.(3) As for Level 2 students, their academic achievement is higher than inquiry Level 1 students in aspects of average, percentage of above 60 and percentage of choiceness.(4) Students with inquiry level 2 have better attitude and interest toward mathematics.(5) We conclude from high cognitive level test that students with inquiry level 2 are higher in cognitive level too. However, we can also see that abilities of high school students in solving non-routine problems and mathematic hypothesis are very deficient at present, which we need to strengthen.(6) We conclude from solving thinking process that students of inquiry Level 2 are more accurate in thinking, more agile, more concise, and more fluent in language than Level 1 students.(7) From coding statistical results of problem solving, we conclude that problem solving thinking structure level is not high in whole. By comparison, students'thinking structure of inquiry level 2 is of higher-grade level and has remarkable difference with low inquiry levels students. In high inquiry level class, girls have high proportion in high thinking structure in solving conventional problems, while, boys are higher than girls in solving unconventional problems. However, as to both problems' solutions, gender differences are not significant.(8) From code results of putting forward problems of different inquiry levels students, we conclude that all kinds of students, especially top students put forward more senior level problems, have more questions. The results also propose that the differ of high level question numbers is not quite between medium and poor students; No matter which kinds of inquiry levels, part poor students also have ability of proposing senior level problems.(9) Mathematics teachers'beliefs of different inquiry levels are similar in many aspects. But teachers of low levels hold the Platonism idea. They think only teachers' teaching is sufficiently rigorous and accurate to guide students to solve the problem properly. These beliefs make them lack of correct understanding and enough attention in inquiry and cooperation, thus class inquiry level is low.(10) From interviews of students and teachers that transfer from low inquiry levels into higher inquiry levels, we conclude that they favor of improving inquiry level universally. There can also be satisfactory effect in the short time:it can improve students' academic performances, increase independence and self-learning ability gradually. Team discussion can not only gain others' way of thinking and team spirit, improve students' language and logical thinking ability through the display, increase their self-confidence, but harvest happiness as well.
Keywords/Search Tags:classroom inquiry levels, mathematics, investigation, testing, interviews, thinking, put forward questions, interest, belief, code
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