Context-based learning and students' levels of understanding functions in a collaborative learning environment

• Main Author: Seeping, Angelita Vite
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2006
• Subjects: Children > Intelligence testing; Cognitive learning; Intelligence tests; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_doctoral/130; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_doctoral/article/1129/viewcontent/CDTG004111_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study determines the levels of function conception of one first year nonscience section at Central Luzon State University during the second semester of SY 2004-2005. This study is guided by three cognitive theories: Dubinskys APOS theory which describes the different developmental levels of understanding functions, the function model which describes the four component competencies of understanding functions, and Vygotskys social development theory which contends that life-long processes of development depends on social interaction and that social learning actually leads to cognitive development. The function concept and other related topics are introduced using contextualixed activities under a socio-constructivist learning environment. Analysis of the result of the achievement test and oral interviews showed that among 24 students, more than half have a process view of function conception and less than half are still at the action level. Among those with process view of function conception, only three progressed and are said to have an object view. Results of this study also showed that students lack of proficiency in using the algorithm impede their construction of a process view of function conception. Excerpts from the journal entries indicate that students found collaborative learning strategy very effective in the transfer of learning. Furthermore, students found concepts introduced in real-world context easier to understand. vi Results of the Collaborative Learning Questionnaire showed that the use of collaborative learning as a teaching strategy improved students prosocial behavior, attitudes toward mathematics learning, and activeness in the classroom activities. Furthermore, the result of the Classroom Observation Checklist showed that only intra-group verbal interactions such as those categorized under participatory and dependency were observed during collaborative learning.