Enriching my teaching around the inverse order relationship in unit fractions at the Grade 5 level through the inclusion of musical activities: an action research case study
- Authors: Lovemore, Tarryn Shirley
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Case studies , Interdisciplinary approach in education -- South Africa -- Case studies , Music -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa -- Case studies , Music -- Mathematics , Musical notation -- Study and teaching (Elementary)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/142431 , vital:38079
- Description: This research study explored how the use of musical activities, specifically based on note values, might enrich my teaching around the inverse order relation of unit fractions in my Grade 5 mathematics classroom. Much research has identified fractions as a problematic concept to teach in primary schools. Curriculum expectations of mathematics and music, as well as prior research, recognise a link between these two subject areas. Based on these connections between mathematics and music, I make the case for further research into practical ways in which music and mathematics can be integrated to support teaching and learning in the South African context. This study is located within a qualitative and interpretive framework. The concepts of integration, learning style theory, Gardner’s multiple intelligences and Bresler’s styles of arts integration guide the research. I made use of practical and theoretical activities relating to note values in music. I explored these strategies and the use of learning support materials through an action research case study, in which I engaged in cycles of trialing, reflecting, adjusting and re-trialing within the ‘case’ of my own mathematics class. Data sources comprised of my reflective journal, learner feedback, video- and audio-recorded lessons, examples of learners’ work and interviews with critical peers who observed critical moments from the video recordings. I was guided through the analysis phase by two analytical frameworks: Karsenty and Arcavi’s Six Lense Framework (SLF) and Adler and Ronda’s Mathematics Discourse in Instruction (MDI) framework which I adapted. Using three key lessons, I provide detailed descriptions of how the lessons progressed and then identify and discuss some of the key findings and recurring themes in relation to my study’s research question and goals. Through this process, I show that my integration of mathematics and musical activities helped promote active engagement amongst learners and provided them with co-equivalent opportunities to appreciate the importance of note values in music, and relate this back to understandings around the inverse order relation of unit fractions.
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- Date Issued: 2020
A design experiment exploring the influence of visual and kinesthetic tools in learning Grade 8 linear algebra in a Namibian secondary school
- Authors: Kalua, Enos
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Algebra -- Study and teaching (Secondary)-- Namibia , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary)-- Namibia , Information visualization , Visual learning -- Case studies
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92683 , vital:30724
- Description: Based on a broad literature review, understanding algebra is a challenge among learners in middle schools around the world. Early researches also indicated that algebra is often taught through inherent symbols and procedures. This does not exclude Namibian learners in secondary schools whom I have worked with for over 10 years. Examination reports (2014, 2016 and 2017) serve as evidence that learners performed poorly (below 45%) in the area of algebra, with these reports indicating that teachers need to strongly emphasise the issue of solving linear equations. Therefore, this study presents a proposed design research in an attempt to help learners develop meaningful understanding of linear algebra at Grade 8 level. Eight learners whose ages ranged from 13 - 14 years from one Namibian secondary school in Oshikoto region, in northern Namibia, were the participants in this study. The learners represented different groups of learning abilities, ranging from low learning abilities to high learning abilities. The designed programme for this intervention consisting of eight lessons was planned for three weeks and the lessons were conducted in the afternoon to avoid any interruption with normal learning hours. The study used four tools for data collection, namely, benchmark tests (pre-test and post-test), observation, focus groups and unstructured interviews. The data collected for this study was inductively analysed. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and how the specific visual and kinaesthetic teaching tools (diagrams, expansion box and balance method) used may have contributed to learners’ understanding of algebraic concepts and techniques (variables, expressions and equations). The study used diagrams (geometrical plane shapes) for separating terms, an expansion box for expanding brackets and the balance method for solving linear equations. The study revealed the use of diagrams helped the learners in understanding the separation of variable and constant terms when simplifying expressions through addition and/or subtraction. Moreover, the study also revealed that the use of an expansion box was useful for the learners in understanding expansion of brackets in expressions with more than one term. Regarding the use of the balance method, the study showed that learners were already able to solve linear equations by the transfer method, hence, the balance method was not necessary.
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- Date Issued: 2019