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The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis

In this study Vygotsky's theory of concept formation is used to gain insight into the representation of geometric concepts in grade six mathematics textbooks. According to Vygotsky, higher order mental functioning is developed when scientific and everyday concepts are dialecfoally linked. The textbo...

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Main Author: Barnard, Marelize
Other Authors: Hardman, Joanne
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: School of Education 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Barnard, Marelize
author2 Hardman, Joanne
author_browse Barnard, Marelize
Hardman, Joanne
author_facet Hardman, Joanne
Barnard, Marelize
author_sort Barnard, Marelize
collection Thesis
description In this study Vygotsky's theory of concept formation is used to gain insight into the representation of geometric concepts in grade six mathematics textbooks. According to Vygotsky, higher order mental functioning is developed when scientific and everyday concepts are dialecfoally linked. The textbook as a mediating artefact has an important role to play in the process of concept formation. To determine if the geometry of space and shape is presented as scientific concepts in the text, content analysis of three randomly sampled grade six mathematics textbooks were conducted. The analysis included an investigation of what misconceptions exist in the text and what level of cognitive demand is required by the textbook tasks and activities. The initial structure for the research was derived from Valverde et al. (2002)'s methodology after which frameworks for the content analysis were developed for the distinction between everyday and scientific concepts, the identification of misconceptions and the classification of levels of cognitive demand. The results not only showed a low prevalence of scientific concepts, but also high incidences of misconceptions put forward in the textbooks. There were few textbook tasks and activities that required problem-solving, thereby limiting the learner to lower order thinking.
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provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
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spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22032 The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis Barnard, Marelize Hardman, Joanne Education In this study Vygotsky's theory of concept formation is used to gain insight into the representation of geometric concepts in grade six mathematics textbooks. According to Vygotsky, higher order mental functioning is developed when scientific and everyday concepts are dialecfoally linked. The textbook as a mediating artefact has an important role to play in the process of concept formation. To determine if the geometry of space and shape is presented as scientific concepts in the text, content analysis of three randomly sampled grade six mathematics textbooks were conducted. The analysis included an investigation of what misconceptions exist in the text and what level of cognitive demand is required by the textbook tasks and activities. The initial structure for the research was derived from Valverde et al. (2002)'s methodology after which frameworks for the content analysis were developed for the distinction between everyday and scientific concepts, the identification of misconceptions and the classification of levels of cognitive demand. The results not only showed a low prevalence of scientific concepts, but also high incidences of misconceptions put forward in the textbooks. There were few textbook tasks and activities that required problem-solving, thereby limiting the learner to lower order thinking. 2016-09-30T11:42:39Z 2016-09-30T11:42:39Z 2015 Master Thesis Masters MEd http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22032 eng application/pdf School of Education Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Education
Barnard, Marelize
The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
thesis_degree_str Master's
title The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
title_full The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
title_fullStr The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
title_full_unstemmed The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
title_short The representation of geometric concepts in Grade 6 Mathematics textbooks: a socio-cultural analysis
title_sort representation of geometric concepts in grade 6 mathematics textbooks a socio cultural analysis
topic Education
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22032
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AT barnardmarelize representationofgeometricconceptsingrade6mathematicstextbooksasocioculturalanalysis