ERIC Number: EJ1107878
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2301-251X
EISSN: N/A
Fostering Modeling Competencies: Benefits of Worked Examples, Problems to Be Solved, and Fading Procedures
Große, Cornelia S.
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, v3 n4 p364-375 2015
The application of mathematics to real-world problems is moving more and more in the focus of attention of mathematics education; however, many learners experience huge difficulties in relating "pure" mathematics to everyday contents. In order to solve "modeling problems", it is first necessary to find a transition from a real-world description to a mathematical model; second, intra-mathematical calculations have to be performed; and third, the result has to be interpreted with respect to the described real situation. In the present work, the effectivity of learning with worked examples and with fading procedures was tested experimentally. A design with 4 groups was implemented: "forward fading", "backward fading", "example-problem pairs", and "problem-example pairs". The results show that translation competencies were fostered best by way of example-problem pairs, whereas intra-mathematical skills were fostered most effectively by a backward fading procedure. Subjective assessments were especially positive when fading procedures or example-problem pairs were implemented.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Mathematics, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematics Education, Mathematical Models, Mathematics Skills, Cognitive Processes, Difficulty Level, Problem Solving, Mathematics Achievement, Grade 8, Pretests Posttests, Experimental Groups, Correlation, Scores, Questionnaires
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. Eastern Mediterranean University, Farnagusta, TRNC, Mersin 10, Turkey. e-mail: editor@scimath.net; Web site: http://www.scimath.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 8; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A