tutorial one

MATHEMATICS LEARNING THEORIESAsnawi

Zulqarnain Mursyed

Constructivism and Learning Mathematics

In brief summary, here is a constructivist approach to thinking about mathematics education.
1. People are born with an innate ability to deal with small integers (such as 1, 2, 3, 4) and to make comparative estimates of larger numbers (the herd of buffalo that we saw this morning is much smaller than the herd that we are looking at now.) 2. The human brain has components that can adapt to learning and using mathematics. 5. Thus, when we combine nature and nature, by the time children enter kindergarten, they have tremendously varying levels of mathematical knowledge, skills, and interests 7. Thus, the are huge differences among the mathematical knowledge and skill levels of students at any particular grade level or in any particular math course. In addition, there are considerable differences in their ability to learn mathematics. 3. Humans vary considerably in their innate mathematical abilities or intelligence. 4. The mathematical environments that children grow up in vary tremendously 6. Even though we offer a somewhat standardized curriculum to young students, that actual curriculum, instruction, assessment, engagement of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and so on varies considerably

8. Thus, mathematics curriculum, instruction, and assessment needs to appropriately take into consideration these differences. One way to do this is through appropriate use of constructivist teaching and learning principles.

Cognitive Develompmental in Mathematics

Sensorimotor Stage An infants mental and cognitive attributes develop from birth until the appearance of language. This stage is characterized by the progressive acquisition of object permanence in which the child becomes able to find objects after they have been displaced, even if the objects have been taken out of his field of vision. For example, Piagets experiments at this stage include hiding an object under a pillow to see if the baby finds the object.

Preoperational Stage The characteristics of this stage include an increase in language ability (with over-generalizations), symbolic thought, egocentric perspective, and limited logic. In this second stage, children should engage with problem-solving tasks that incorporate available materials such as blocks, sand, and water. While the child is working with a problem, the teacher should elicit conversation from the child. The verbalization of the child, as well as his actions on the materials, gives a basis that permits the teacher to infer the mechanisms of the childs thought processes.

Cognitive Develompmental in Mathematics

Concrete Operations Stage The third stage is characterized by remarkable cognitive growth, when childrens development of language and acquisition of basic skills accelerate dramatically. Children at this stage utilize their senses in order to know; they can now consider two or three dimensions simultaneously instead of successively. For example, in the liquids experiment, if the child notices the lowered level of the liquid, he also notices the dish is wider, seeing both dimensions at the same time.

Formal Operations Stage The child at this stage is capable of forming hypotheses and deducing possible consequences, allowing the child to construct his own mathematics. Furthermore, the child typically begins to develop abstract thought patterns where reasoning is executed using pure symbols without the necessity of perceptive data. For example, the formal operational learner can solve x + 2x = 9 without having to refer to a concrete situation presented by the teacher, such as, Tony ate a certain number of candies. His sister ate twice as many. Together they ate nine. How many did Tony eat? .

Ecological Systems Theory

The theory Was developed by urie bronfenbrenner, generally regarded as one of the worlds leading scholars in the field of developmental psychology. The systems:
Microsystem: The setting in which individual lives. These contexts include the persons family, peers, school and neighborhood. It is in the microsystem that the most direct interactions with social agents take place; with parents, peers and teachers, for example. The individual is not passive recipient of experiences in these settings, but someone who helps to construct the settings. Mesosytem: Refers to relations between microsystems or connections between contexts. Examples are the relation of family experiences to school experiences, school experiences to mosque experiences, and family experiences to peer experiences. For example, children whose parents have rejected them may have difficulty developing positive relations with teachers. Exosytem: Involves links between a social setting in which the individual does not have an active role and individuals immediate context. For example, a husbands or childs experience at home may be influenced by a mothers experiences at work. The mother might receive promotion that requires more travel, which might increase conflict with the husband and change patterns of interaction with the child.

Ecological Systems Theory

Macrosystem: Describes the culture in which individuals live. Cultural contexts include developing and industrialized countries, socioeconomic status, poverty, and ethnicity.

Choronosystem: The patterning of environmental events and transition over the life course, as well as sociohistorical circumstances. For example, divorces is one transition. Researchers have found that the negative effects of divorce on children often peak in the first year after the divorce. By two years after the divorce, family interaction is less chaotic and more stable. As an example of sociohistorical circumstances, consider how the opportunities for women to pursue a career have increased during the last thirty years.

Social Learning Theory

General principles of social learning theory follows:

1. People can learn by observing the behavior is of others and the outcomes of those behaviors.

2. Learning can occur without a change in behavior. Behaviorists say that learning has to be represented by a permanent change in behavior, in contrast social learning theorists say that because people can learn through observation alone, their learning may not necessarily be shown in their performance. Learning may or may not result in a behavior change.

3. Cognition plays a role in learning. Over the last 30 years social learning theory has become increasingly cognitive in its interpretation of human learning. Awareness and expectations of future reinforcements or punishments can have a major effect on the behaviors that people exhibit.

4. Social learning theory can be considered a bridge or a transition between behaviorist learning theories and cognitive learning theories.