Sinan Olkun

Program development models and reform in Turkish Primary School Mathematics curriculum

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the current reform in the Turkish MathematicsEducation at the elementary level by summarizing the types of program development models andchanges involved in the current reform. There are three models of program development; subjectcentred, learner centred, and problem centred. In terms of content, the Turkish elementarymathematics curricula seem to adopt more of a subject centred curricula although the claim was alearner centred one. In terms of methods, however, learning is more emphasized than teaching.Conceptual understanding is given more importance rather than rote memorization of facts and rules.Besides knowledge, skills and attitudes are also embedded in the content. In sum, more constructivistpedagogies are adopted.

Analysis of computer teachers’ online discussion forum messages about their occupational problems

This study, using content analysis technique, examined the types of job-related problems that the Turkish computer teachers experienced and the types of social support provided by reciprocal discussions in an online forum. Results indicated that role conflict, inadequate teacher induction policies, lack of required technological infrastructure and technical support, and the status of computer subject in school curriculum were the most frequently mentioned problems. In addition, 87.9% of the messages were identified as providing emotional support, while 3.1% messages were identified as providing instrumental support. It is concluded that content analysis technique provides an invaluable tool to understand the nature of communication and social interaction patterns among users in online environments. CMC in education should not only be considered to be a tool for content delivery and instructional interaction, but also a feedback mechanism and a platform for professional support, as well as an informal learning environment.

Stills, not full motion, for interactive spatial training: American, Turkish and Taiwanese female pre-service teachers learn spatial visualization

This study investigated how female elementary education pre-service teachers in the United States, Turkey and Taiwan learned spatial skills from structured activities involving discrete, as opposed to continuous, transformations in interactive computer programs, and how these activities transferred to non-related standardized tests of spatial visualization and mental rotation. The study used a pretest, intervention, posttest research design with experimental and comparison groups. The experimental group participated in transformational geometry visualization exercises, once a week for six weeks, for approximately 20minutes each session. Instruments were standardized measures of spatial visualization and mental rotation; intervention activity worksheets directed the participants through 2D and 3D transformational geometry tasks in computer environments. For Turkish and Taiwanese participants, the experimental group improved significantly more than the control group in spatial visualization, while the American participants showed no such significant improvement.

İlköğretim öğrencilerinin bilgisayar deneyimleri ile uzamsal düşünme ve geometri başarıları arasındaki ilişki

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among elementary school students’computer experience, computer ownership and their achievement in geometry. Assesed were 297 fourth and fifthgrade students from four different school sites. Results showed that students who have computer at home andhave an earlier computer experience scored higher in geometry test than those who do not have computers andwho do not have any earlier computer experience respectively. Results also showed that the difference is gettingwider. It was concluded that measures should be taken to increase computer access in schools located in poorersocio-economic areas to decrease the social disequity.

Textbooks, word problems, and student success on addition and subtraction

Improving childrens’ problem solving skills is an important aim of mathematicseducation. Since textbooks are widely used in classrooms as a source of mathematical learning itis necessary to look for their adequateness in developing such skills. With this purpose in mindfirst, elementary school mathematics textbooks were examined with respect to the differentmeanings of addition and subtraction. Second, 3rd and 4th graders were surveyed to determinetheir successes on these types of addition and subtraction word problems. Last, statisticalprocedures were run to investigate any relationship between the two. Results showed thattextbooks did not adequately represent all types of addition and subtraction problems. Similarly,students were usually less successful on the problem types underrepresented in textbooks.Implications for mathematics education at the elementary level were discussed.

Why Interactivity Works: Interactive Priming of Mental Rotation.

This study has important implications for microworlds such as Logo, HyperGami, and Newtons World, which use interaction to learn spatial mental models for science, math, geometry, etc. This study tested the hypothesis that interactively rotating (dragging) virtual shapes primes mental rotation. The independent variable was observation vs. interaction: a) watching an animation of a shape rotating, versus b) manually rotating a shape on the computer. The dependent variable was mental rotation of the same shape. Two age groups, 9-year-olds and college undergraduates participated. For 9-year-olds, the interactive group mentally rotated significantly more accurately and faster than the observational. Therefore, interaction primed mental rotation. For the college undergraduates, the interactive group mentally rotated significantly more accurately, but significantly slower than the observational group. This suggests that the interaction disrupted a routine process, causing undergraduates to switch strategies. Results from both age groups reinforce the educational value of more naturalistic interaction with virtual shapes, i.e., dragging is better than clicking.

Geometric explorations with dynamic geometry applications based on van Hiele levels

The purpose of this paper is to present classroom-tested geometry activities based on the van Hiele geometric thinking levels using dynamic geometry applications. The other ideas behind the activities include teacher questioning, active student participation, and studentcentered decision-making. During the lessons student teachers engaged in self-exploration and reinvention of geometric relations. It was evident from the episodes that students raised their level of geometric thinking by building on their current geometric understanding.

Teacher Questioning with an Appropriate Manipulative May Make a Big Difference.

The purpose of the present study was to present examples of the utilization of social processes such as teacher questioning and collective argumentation coupled with an appropriate use of a manipulative material to stimulate students’ thinking in teaching geometry. We first present theoretical issues concerning the use of manipulatives, teacher questioning and collective argumentation. We then provide examples and describe the use of these components in teaching and learning geometry with pre-service elementary school teachers.

Development and Evaluation of a Case-Based Digital Learning Tool about Children's Mathematical Thinking for Elementary School Teachers (L-TEST).

It is important for teachers of mathematics to know how pupils react to certain mathematical situations and what these reactions imply, in order to design more effective instructional environments based on their learning needs. This study reports the development processes of a digital learning tool (Learning Tool for Elementary School Teachers (L‐TEST)) that shows childrens mathematical thinking for the ages of 4–11 years across certain problem situations. L‐TEST is designed as a support tool to be used in teacher education. A case‐based instructional model was used in designing the instructional tool. Video recordings were digitised to provide a rich environment where learners observe exemplary cases. These exemplified videos included childrens mathematical development in the subjects of numbers and shapes, combined with discussions in line with the current research findings. Finally, a usability test for the learning tool was carried out.

İlköğretim 3., 4. ve 5. sınıf öğrencilerinin standart sözel problemlerde işlem seçimleri

Bu cal›flman›n amac› anahtar sozcuk iceren ve icermeyen standart sozel problemlerde o¤rencilerin ifllemi neye gore sectikleriniortaya c›karmakt›r. Bu amacla Bolu ilinde sosyo-ekonomik duzeyi orta-dufluk bir ilko¤retim okulundan 3, 4 ve 5. s›n›flardantoplam 9 o¤renci ile klinik goruflmeler yap›lm›flt›r. Veriler analiz edildi¤inde o¤rencilerin genellikle problem cozme surecinde anahtarsozcukleri kullanmaya cal›flt›klar› gorulmufltur. Bulgular›n ilko¤retimde matematik e¤itimi ac›s›ndan do¤urgular› tart›fl›lmaktad›r.