Synthesizing your Knowledge

Name: Date: _______________

Section: BSE-3B____________ Score: _______________

Activity 1

Directions: Explore several sites in the web and look for published researches in line
with your field of specialization. Select at least five completed researches, copy the
abstracts, then complete the matrix below. Describe the research process employed by
the researchers by completing the table below. You may use extra sheets if needed.

Research Exploring the causes of the poor performance by

Title: Grade 12 learners in Calculus-based tasks

Research Process
1. Research Problem To investigate the causes of the poor performance in calculus-
based tasks in order to propose programmes or strategies that
may assist in reducing the failure rate in calculus, especially in
cubic graphs and the application of differential calculus.
Improvements that can be made in each topic of mathematics
may result in an improved learner performance.
2. Literature search In this chapter the literature relevant to the study is reviewed,
and review namely on performance in mathematics. Other topics discussed
in this chapter are mathematical proficiency, constructivism,
APOS theory, Singapore Mathematics and factors causing
challenges in mathematics, in particular calculus.
3. Statement of the Statement of the Problem:
Problem, research To investigate the causes of the poor performance by Grade 12
questions and learners in mathematics topics, namely cubic graphs and the
hypotheses (if application of differential calculus, in the Gert Sibande District,
there is any) Mpumalanga.
Research Questions:
In order to explore the causes of poor performance by Grade
12 learners in calculus-based tasks, the following research
questions were developed:
 What are the causes of the poor performance in calculus
(cubic graphs and the application of differential
calculus)?
 What common errors are made by learners when trying
to work out these sections of calculus?
4. Research design It used a qualitative research approach. Qualitative research
is conducted in the natural setting for which the study was
proposed. In this study the natural setting was the schools that
were involved in the study.
5. Data collection, The data for this research came from the analysis of learners’
methods, and scripts and this made the study qualitative research. Learners’
data analysis scripts for the May test, June (midyear) and Trial examinations
were used in order to explore the possible causes of the poor
performance in calculus-based tasks. This means the study
used a document analysis. No special tests were set for the
study. The scripts that were analysed were the ones learners
used to answer formal tasks for accumulating marks for
continuous or school-based assessment (SBA). In short, the
tasks were written under the normal day-to-day conditions.
6. Results and The study explored the causes of the poor performance by
findings of the Grade 12 learners in calculusbased tasks in three schools in
study the Gert Sibande District in Ermelo. The study used the script
(document) analysis method to collect data. The data collected
was useful in providing an understanding of the possible
causes of the poor performance in calculus. The study
discovered that learners performed poorly in calculus because
of incompetence in other mathematics topics such as algebra,
functions and inequalities, for example, candidates would fail to
factorise a derivative and solve for x.
The findings of the study were able to answer the research
questions. The researcher was able to detect the possible
causes of poor performance and types of errors made by
candidates when working out calculus based tasks. Through
the analysis of candidates’ scripts, their mathematical
proficiency could be examined. The study has revealed that
candidates were not proficient in all the four strands; conceptual
understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence and
adaptive reasoning, but most were not proficient in conceptual
understanding and procedural fluency. This is compatible to the
study made by Maharaj (2015) whose conclusions were that
learners made most algebraic errors in the procedural fluency
and conceptual understanding strands. Being not proficient in
these two strands means that the candidates did not
understand procedures that had to be followed when solving
problems in calculus.

7. Methods of The research “Exploring the causes of the poor performance

dissemination of by Grade 12 learners in Calculus-based tasks” were published
results through website, Theses and Dissertations (Mathematics
Education).
 ABSTRACT

The study attempted to determine the causes of poor performance among Grade 12
learners in tasks involving calculus, especially in cubic graphs and the application of
differential calculus. The study was conducted in three schools of the Msukaligwa 1
Circuit in the Gert Sibande District, Mpumalanga Province in South Africa.

Differential calculus is a branch of mathematics that is concerned mainly with the study
of the rate of ivatives and differentials. Students have difficulties in learning and
mastering this section of calculus as is revealed by examiners’ and moderators’ reports
year after year. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible reasons for
the poor performance by Grade 12 learners in calculus-based tasks, especially in cubic
graphs and the application in optimisation.

The study sought to investigate the causes of the poor performance by Grade 12
learners in tasks based on these two subtopics of calculus. Three schools were
selected by means of purposive sampling: one former model C, one Mathematics,
Science and Technology Academy (MSTA) and one other school that does not fall in
either of these two categories.

This enabled the study to have participants from diverse backgrounds.

A qualitative research design was used. Data was collected using learners’ scripts for
the three formal tasks: May common test, June (midyear) and Trial (preparatory)
examinations. Only the questions involving cubic graphs and the application of calculus
were part of the study. Analysis was done in order to determine learners’ challenges,
common mistakes, and misconceptions, but also of good responses given by learners.