Search or add a thesis

Advanced Search (Beta)
Home > Constructivism in Learning Mathematics: Students and Teachers Difficulties

Constructivism in Learning Mathematics: Students and Teachers Difficulties

Thesis Info

Author

Jamaludin,

Department

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Program

MEd

Institute

Aga Khan University

Institute Type

Private

City

Karachi

Province

Sindh

Country

Pakistan

Thesis Completing Year

1999

Thesis Completion Status

Completed

Subject

Education

Language

English

Added

2021-02-17 19:49:13

Modified

2024-03-24 20:25:49

ARI ID

1676727889177

Similar


The purpose of my study was to implement mathematical tasks based on the learning theory Constructivism and to explore the difficulties of class five students, and my own difficulties as a teacher when using this learning theory. For this purpose, I designed tasks on the basis of my assessment of students' needs and their prior knowledge about the particular mathematical topic being taught. I myself taught class five and personally developed lessons based on constructivism. Therefore, my teaching and interviews allowed me to have a close association with my sample of four students and to get a deeper understanding of the students as well as my own difficulties. In order to gain in-depth information regarding students' difficulties in learning mathematical concepts, I interviewed the students using open-ended questions. The questions were designed on the basis of students' difficulties identified through my reflections and through discussions with my supervisor. The analysis of students' documents (homework and classwork) and interviews with the mathematics teacher, who observed my teaching, provided me with the necessary data required to answer my research questions. The major findings regarding the nature of the tasks which provided the best learning opportunities to the students included: use of concrete materials, problem solving/individual work, presentation of students' work, and a friendly atmosphere in the class. Students' difficulties included problems in representing their derived formulas in symbolic form, calculating the area of a rectangle and triangle was challenging for the students when measurements of length and breadth were two digit numbers, misinterpreting local language created difficulties in understanding mathematical concepts like length, breadth and height. The difficulties I felt as a teacher included selecting appropriate words for proper instructions according to the students level of understanding, maintaining discipline in a class of 40 students, using appropriate resources and so on. Conclusions made on the basis of my findings are as follows. Lack of students prior knowledge is a strong obstacle for students when they are involved in construction of further knowledge by themselves. A friendly but well disciplined class plays a key role in developing students' interest, curiosity and enthusiasm in learning. Unfavourable physical conditions hinder students' involvement in their construction of knowledge. Teacher's lack of skill in giving appropriate instructions and selection of resources becomes a strong obstacle in students construction of their own knowledge.
Loading...
Loading...

Similar Books

Loading...

Similar Chapters

Loading...

Similar News

Loading...

Similar Articles

Loading...

Similar Article Headings

Loading...

پتھر

پتّھر

بیٹھا تھا مَیں کمرے اندر
غور سے میں نے جب دیکھا تھا
آگے ، پیچھے ، اوپر ، نیچے
پتّھر ، پتھر ، پتھر ، پتھر
چیزیں ساری پتھر کی تھیں
چھت دیواریں پتھر کی تھیں
کمرا سارا پتھر کا تھا

صحن میں نکلا میں نے دیکھا
گھر بھی سارا پتھر کا تھا
اک تنہائی گونج رہی تھی

جب میں گھر سے باہر نکلا
روڈ بھی سارا پتھر کا تھا
لوگ بھی سارے پتھر کے تھے
سوچ بھی ساری پتھر کی تھی
شہر ہی سارا پتھر کا تھا

رات ہوئی تو میں نے دیکھا
چاند فلک پر پتھر کا تھا
تارے سارے پتھر کے تھے
چیخ جو ماری پتھر گونجے

چیخ بھی ساری پتھر کی تھی
لوٹ کے آیا خود کو دیکھا
اور پھر میں بھی پتھر کا تھا

جرم وسزا کا اسلامی تصور: معاشرتی اثرات کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Islam provides a systematic system of crime and punishment through the Qur'an. The Qur'an first urges everyone to believe in Allah and the Last Day. And after that he commands piety. In the presence of which man's heart and mind remain free from sin. The Qur'an presents the concept of a society in which everyone meets his basic needs and desires in a legitimate way. And it does not have to resort to illegal and criminal means to meet these needs. When crime is not eliminated in these two ways, then the state orders the imposition of  sanctions. Islam is not limited to severe punishments. It calls for the establishment of a social system in which there is no room for crime. Even so, if a person commits a crime, the state punishes him as a warning. People can learn from these punishments and refrain from following the path of sin. The Qur'an also commands a group of Muslims to be present at the time of punishment.

Assessment of Selected Toxic Heavy Metals in Industrial Effluents and Drinking Water and Their Effects on the Vegetation and Nutritional Status of Peshawar

The purpose of the present study was to find out the points sources of mercury and arsenic pollution of drinking and irrigation water, their downstream dilution in the industrialized area, Peshawar the capital of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples of effluents, soil and water were collected from the study area, background area and from the relatively less polluted area the district Dir lower considered as control area. Along with other physicochemical parameters determination of these samples, Hg was determined by cold vapor generation techniques while arsenic was determined by electro thermal atomic absorption technique. The data was compared with the water quality data of background area, control area, national, WHO and some international drinking water quality standards. The results showed that some parameters i.e.TDS, DO, pH and hardness were out of the permissible levels while some are within the range. Arsenic and mercury was determined in nearly all the samples, with higher concentration in the effluents. Textile industries and glass factory were found to be the majors contributing sources of Hg and As pollution. Downstream dilution of these contaminants was also observed. Multivariate and univariate statistical techniques i.e., cluster analysis PCA, regression and correlation analysis, one way ANOVA were applied to the metal data of effluents soil and ground water to point out the contribution of different industries towards the metals pollution, their source identification and distribution. The samples were collected from different industries and different downstream points of the main effluents and from the relatively less polluted area considered as control area. The samples were analyzed for metal concentration levels by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The, metal concentration data in the three media of the polluted area was compared with background data and control data as well as with the WHO safe limits. The results showed that soil has high metals concentration compared to effluents and water. The data also showed elevated levels of Mn and Pb in water that are 8.268 and 2.971mg/L respectively. Principal component analysis along with regression analysis showed that the elevated levels of metals in the effluents contaminate adjacent soil and ultimately the ground water. The other elements Co, Cd, Ni and Cu were also found to have correlation in the three media. xFood crops irrigated with wastewater are mostly contaminated with heavy metals and considered as a main pathway for human exposure. In this study, soil and food crops samples were collected from wastewater irrigated soils, background and relatively less polluted areas. Results of the sequential extraction and total metals concentrations in soils indicated that wastewater irrigation has significantly increased (p≥0.001) the bioavailable and total metal contents in wastewater irrigated soil as compared to background and control soils. Heavy metal concentrations in the food crops grown on wastewater irrigated soil were higher than those grown on background and control soils but were found within WHO/FAO permissible limits except for Zn. Health risk index values were less than 1 for both control and wastewater irrigated soils (except Mn). Finally, the food crops grown on wastewater irrigated area can cause human health risks in the study area. This study was conducted to investigate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in human’s blood from different sources. Blood samples were collected from different age group subjects such as children (1-12 years), adolescent (12-18 years), adults (18-45 years) and old age (above 45 and 55 years for males and females, respectively) from polluted and control areas. Forage grasses, meat and milk samples were also collected from the study area. The results revealed that the contaminated forage grasses have led to increase the concentrations of metals in meat and milk. The subsequent uses of meat, milk and food crops were significantly increased the concentrations of trace metals in the human’s blood. This was further supported by correlation and regression analyses of the data. Moreover, Cu, Zn and Mn concentrations were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the blood samples collected from the polluted site as compared to control. Similar trends were also observed between the different age groups within the same area. Old people accumulated high concentrations of metals in their bodies as compared to the younger ones. Similarly, males accumulated higher concentrations of metals as compared to females. The anthropometric data provides valuable information regarding the nutritional status of the people. In order to asses and compare the nutritional status of the people from Peshawar and Dir data was taken for the measurement of Body Mass index (BMI).The BMI values indicated that mostly males and females from both the areas were normal, only a few percent of the people were underweight, very less were overweight and negligible were obese. Comparing the nutritional status based on the BMI xiof the people the males individual from Dir were found healthier than the people from Peshawar. This healthier nature can be attributed to the strong muscular activities, including, farming, labor, etc in the area. Underweight females were also very less in percentage in Dir as compared to Peshawar which may be due to socio-economic conditions of the people. Only 2 % females in Dir were found obese which can be explained in terms of luxurious life due to large families, where work is done by the younger ones allowing the elders just for praying and supervision of the household. The data indicated that the people were of different age, height and weight. Only few dwarf cases were noticed in the individuals from both the areas.