Research On Constructing The Measurement Model Of Mathematics Language Register Ability For Junior Middle School Students

With the progress and development of the society,conveying one’s thoughts accurately in the complicated world is a crucial ability.With regard to mathematics,the emphasis placed on mathematics register is repeatedly discussed in several rounds of curriculum reform.In the latest curriculum standards for mathematics,math teachers are required to develop students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register for both elementary schools and senior high schools.Besides,nowadays the ultimate goal of mathematics education is to develop students’ rational vision,logical thinking disposition towards the outside world,and above all,to develop their expression skills using mathematics register properly that benefit their further study and life.In this context,problems on such issues are to be solved: what is the status quo of students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register? And how to measure such an ability with a reliable scale? Therefore,it is imperative to develop a scientific Evaluation Index System(EIS)aiming to measure students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register,which can not only guide teachers’ mathematics instruction,but also better develop students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register.This research assigned junior high school students as the participants,with a panel of experts including experienced teachers,university professors and researchers for consultation during the research process.Firstly,based on the theories of educational assessment and language combined with the current research trend,the author developed a draft EIS aiming to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register.Then the first questionnaire—Expert Consultation Questionnaire of EIS for Junior High School Students’ Expressive Ability Applying Mathematics Register(The first round)—was designed to collect views and suggestions from the panel of experts on the draft EIS.After that,the author made modifications to the draft EIS based on the analysis of quantitative data from the questionnaire.Secondly,based on the revised version of EIS,the second questionnaire—Expert Consultation Questionnaire of EIS for Junior High School Students’ Expressive Ability Applying Mathematics Register(The second round)—was designed to further obtain experts’ opinions and recommendations on the revised EIS.The results of the quantitative data indicated that the revised version of EIS was appropriate to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register.And thus,a relatively organized EIS aiming to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register was confirmed.Lastly,according to the modified version of assessing indicators,the author designed the third questionnaire—Expert Consultation Questionnaire of EIS for Junior High School Students’ Expressive Ability Applying Mathematics Register—to evaluate the relative importance of each assessing indicator in the EIS.Later,Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)method was employed to precisely determine the relative weight coefficient of each assessing indicator in the EIS.So far,a comprehensive EIS aiming to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register has been finalized.In order to check the scientific accuracy and feasibility of the finalized EIS,the author designed the Test of Expression Skills Applying Mathematics Register for Junior High School Students and then administered the pilot test for a sample of junior high school students.Later,the results of the respondents’ test performance were compared with that of the previous studies to verify the validity and reliability of the developed EIS in the present research.Three major findings were obtained as follows:(1)Construct the assessing indicators to measure junior high school students’ expression skills applying mathematics register.Specifically,there are 3 first-level indicators and 13second-level indicators in the EIS,and three dimensions are involved in the first-level indicators: expression using mathematics text,expression using mathematics semiotics and expression using mathematics charts.As for the expression using mathematics language,there are 3 second-level indicators: ability to understand mathematics terms;ability to convert mathematics terms to written or verbal language;ability to convey one’s intended meanings by using mathematics terms.For the expression using mathematics semiotics,there are 5second-level indicators: ability to identify and read mathematics symbols;ability to write mathematics symbols;ability to understand the meanings of mathematics symbols;ability to convert mathematics symbols to written or verbal language and ability to convey one’s intended meanings by using mathematics symbols.And for the expression using mathematics charts,there are 5 second-level indicators as well including ability to draw mathematics charts;ability to understand the meanings of mathematics charts;ability to choose the proper visual representation of mathematics charts;ability to convert mathematics charts to written or verbal language and ability to convey one’s intended meanings by using mathematics charts.(2)Determine the weight of each assessing indicator of the EIS aiming to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register.The weight coefficient of the 3 first-level indicators—expression using mathematics language,expression using mathematics semiotics and expression using mathematics charts—are 0.188,0.515 and 0.298 respectively.While for the second-level indicators,weight coefficient for expression using mathematics language are 0.447,0.259 and 0.293;weight coefficient for expression using mathematics semiotics are 0.077,0.083,0.298,0.275 and 0.277;and that for expression using mathematics charts are 0.090,0.255,0.147,0.200,0.308.(3)Conduct a pilot test to verify the rationality and feasibility of the EIS.The results of the test were collected and then analyzed using SPSS 25.0.The Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient of the test is 0.795,revealing that test items in the test have a good reliability.Plus,the results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggest that the internal validity of the test is statistically acceptable.Moreover,the test results are consistent with the existing research results,indicating that the developed EIS in the present research is appropriate and feasible to measure junior high school students’ expression skills applying mathematics register.The purpose of the present research is to develop and verify the EIS aiming to measure junior high school students’ expressive ability applying mathematics register.And the difficult points for developing such an EIS are the formulation of each assessing indicator,and the determination of indicators’ weight coefficient.Considering the author’s limited ability to develop such a comprehensive EIS and the research resources available,the descriptions of assessing indicators in the EIS are not succinct enough and the classification of students’ overall performance is not covered in the EIS,which might be a gap to be filled for further research.