The possible effects of incorporating spreadsheet into the learning process for elementary school fifth graders on the concept of weight and capacity.

• Main Authors: WANG HSIU YUEH, 王秀月
• Other Authors: 易正明
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/42654068217789458721

碩士 === 臺中師範學院 === 數學教育學系在職進修教學碩士學位班 === 93 === Abstract This research focus on possible influences of incorporating “spreadsheet” into the learning process for elementary school fifth graders on the concept of “weight and capacity”. A spreadsheet program centered on “weight and capacity “was derived from two calculation related sections within the courses for fifth graders; the program was to determine whether the incorporation of the computer practices can potentially improved students’ learning incentives, effects, and understandings in math. The research adopted the quasi-experiment research method with subjects of fifth graders in elementary school at Taichung city. One class was selected as the experimental group which incorporated the spreadsheet program in their teaching and evaluation while the other class was selected as the control group using the traditional pen and paper practice sessions. Both groups had received pre-lesson tests on “weight and capacity” prior to the actual teaching lessons and base on the test results, students’ solution process was analyzed to devise multiple choice questions; experimental researches followed right after actual lessons and with the post-lesson test followed experimental researches immediately after. Next, students’ performance in both tests before and after the classes were analyzed statistically and then, at the final step, we focus on learning attitude investigations for two different groups in order to understand potential influences on fifth graders in “weight and capacity” teaching both between the traditional pen-paper practices and modern information technology education. The following conclusions were derived after summarizing research findings: 1. In the performance of “weight” achievement test, students in the experimental group were obviously better than students in the control group; this was especially the case in the performances of high and mid score groups; students in the experimental group obviously outperform the control group. Tools were helpful in the learning of weight related concepts. 2. In the “weight” related concepts, the performance of most students in the experimental group were obviously better than the one in the control group in the categories of “achievement test total score”, “single number conversion”, and “compound number conversion”. 3. In the “capacity” achievement test, there were no obvious differences in the performance of students among two groups. Students in the experimental group and control group also had shown no obvious differences in the practices of “capacity” related concepts. Tools were not as helpful in the learning of “capacity” related concepts. 4. Both groups had shown no significant differences in the conservation concept of weight and capacity. 5. With the incorporation of information technology in math courses and practices, students can now do away the traditional pen-paper lessons and pressures of confronting the test, allowing math practices through computer program operation under a much relaxed mindset. Self-motivated computer program practices are one of the reasons that students like the math classes. Students like the math class and are willing to spend more time on math simply because they like to practice on the computer. 6. The design of the spreadsheet program provides lots of assisting illustrations and verifications to help students establish their knowledge structure through series of trial and error learning processes; students can also have clearer apprehension on the concept behind the question.