1987 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Japan-US Cross-cultural Study on Mathematical Problem Solving
| Project/Area Number |
61580242
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
科学教育(含教育工学)
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
MIWA Tatsuro University of Tsukuba, Institute of Educatio, Professor, 教育学系, 教授 (70030278)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
NOHDA Nobuhiko University of Tsukuba, Institute of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学系, 助教授 (80020121)
KADOWAKI Atsushi University of Tsukuba, Institute of Education, Associate Professor, 教育学系, 助教授 (80015924)
HASEGAWA Sakae University of Tsukuba, Institute of Education, Professor, 教育学系, 教授 (00018178)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1986 – 1987
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| Keywords | Mathematical Problem Solving / Cross-cultural Study / Language Expression / Algebraic Expression / Strategies for Problem Solving / 問題の一般化 |
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| Research Abstract |
Problem solving is a focus of school mathematics curricula now. This is clear in Japan and the United States, typically in recently published draft of 'the National Standard for School Mathematics Curricula' by National Ouncil of Teachers of Mathematics. However, many students in both countries have difficulties in mathematical problem solving. These difficulties are deeply influenced by students' cultural background, such as language expression, articulation of schools, especially entrance examination, and peopl's conception of mathematics and of school education, etc..
In problem solving process of Japanese students, lower graders present a variety of solving methods, and higher graders present increasingly less variety of methods but of more mathematical value. In contrast, for the US students, as they become higher graders, their solutions are in a more variety and of more mathematical value.
In translating a sentence involving ratio into algebraic expressions, Japanese upper secondary school students are quite well when the given sentence is in Japanese and also well when it is in English, compared with the US college students. This is because Japanese language has precise expression indicating ratio between two quantities and Japanese students are sensitive in using letters in algebraic expressions.
In geometric problem solving, Japanese upper secondary school students tend to use algebraic methods frequently they have just studied, but not elementary geometric methods. It seems difficult for them to generalize the geometric problem.
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