PMENA-39 2017

HOW KOREAN ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS TEXTBOOKS DEVELOP INVERSE RELATIONS: CONCRETNESS FADING

• In Event: CURRICULUM AND RELATED FACTORS: BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT SESSION 3

Description

Despite of the significance of inverse relations in elementary mathematics, how student might be supported to learn the relations remains largely unknown. By examining the presentation of the inverse relations in a representative Korean elementary mathematics textbooks, this study explores how the Korean textbooks may facilitate the transition from concrete to abstract representations to promote student learning of the relations. A total of 138 instances of the inverse relations were identified. Findings revealed several important aspects of the Korean textbook series. The Korean approaches suggest pedagogical supports for students’ meaningful and explicit learning of the inverse relations in elementary school.

Authors

• Ji-Won Son, University at Buffalo-The State University of New York

• SeungJung Jo, University at Buffalo-The State University of New York