What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation
The problem that students have perceiving a need for proof is well-known to high school teachers and has been identified by researchers as a major problem in the teaching of proof. My research addresses the problem of teaching of proof, especially the role of proof as explanations for students. My s...
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ftmemorialuniv:oai:research.library.mun.ca:9411 2023-10-01T03:56:28+02:00 What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation Roberts, Rosemary 1999 application/pdf https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/ https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/1/Roberts_Rosemary.pdf en eng Memorial University of Newfoundland https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/1/Roberts_Rosemary.pdf Roberts, Rosemary <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Roberts=3ARosemary=3A=3A.html> (1999) What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland. thesis_license Thesis NonPeerReviewed 1999 ftmemorialuniv 2023-09-03T06:47:22Z The problem that students have perceiving a need for proof is well-known to high school teachers and has been identified by researchers as a major problem in the teaching of proof. My research addresses the problem of teaching of proof, especially the role of proof as explanations for students. My study builds on Hoyles' (1997) and Reid's (1995a) studies to explore what qualities make an explanation a good explanation for the student. -- Through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and interviews with students and their teachers I researched the kinds of explanations students prefer, what constitutes a good explanation for students and teachers, and whether or not students mirror teachers' explanations or if they have their own style of explaining. -- Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed to collect and report the findings. A student questionnaire, set in two domains of mathematics, geometry and arithmetic/algebra, comprised the quantitative part of the study. To help determine the kind of explanation preferred the questionnaire offered deductive, inductive and analogical explanations. The student questionnaire was administered to adult learners who were enrolled in the trades, technician, business, applied arts, and Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs at the College of the North Atlantic, Happy Valley-Goose Bay campus. -- Interviews, participant observations and document analysis comprised the qualitative pan of the study. Person-to-person, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adult learners enrolled in the ABE program at the same college. The two ABE mathematics instructors also participated in the person-to-person interviews. Both students and their instructors were observed within their classroom setting. The interviews and observations helped to determine students' preference for a particular kind of explanation, what qualities make an explanation a good explanation for the student and for the teacher and whether or not students mirror teacher explanations. ... Thesis Happy Valley-Goose Bay North Atlantic Memorial University of Newfoundland: Research Repository |
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The problem that students have perceiving a need for proof is well-known to high school teachers and has been identified by researchers as a major problem in the teaching of proof. My research addresses the problem of teaching of proof, especially the role of proof as explanations for students. My study builds on Hoyles' (1997) and Reid's (1995a) studies to explore what qualities make an explanation a good explanation for the student. -- Through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and interviews with students and their teachers I researched the kinds of explanations students prefer, what constitutes a good explanation for students and teachers, and whether or not students mirror teachers' explanations or if they have their own style of explaining. -- Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed to collect and report the findings. A student questionnaire, set in two domains of mathematics, geometry and arithmetic/algebra, comprised the quantitative part of the study. To help determine the kind of explanation preferred the questionnaire offered deductive, inductive and analogical explanations. The student questionnaire was administered to adult learners who were enrolled in the trades, technician, business, applied arts, and Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs at the College of the North Atlantic, Happy Valley-Goose Bay campus. -- Interviews, participant observations and document analysis comprised the qualitative pan of the study. Person-to-person, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight adult learners enrolled in the ABE program at the same college. The two ABE mathematics instructors also participated in the person-to-person interviews. Both students and their instructors were observed within their classroom setting. The interviews and observations helped to determine students' preference for a particular kind of explanation, what qualities make an explanation a good explanation for the student and for the teacher and whether or not students mirror teacher explanations. ... |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Roberts, Rosemary |
spellingShingle |
Roberts, Rosemary What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
author_facet |
Roberts, Rosemary |
author_sort |
Roberts, Rosemary |
title |
What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
title_short |
What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
title_full |
What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
title_fullStr |
What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
title_full_unstemmed |
What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
title_sort |
what makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation |
publisher |
Memorial University of Newfoundland |
publishDate |
1999 |
url |
https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/ https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/1/Roberts_Rosemary.pdf |
genre |
Happy Valley-Goose Bay North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Happy Valley-Goose Bay North Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://research.library.mun.ca/9411/1/Roberts_Rosemary.pdf Roberts, Rosemary <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Roberts=3ARosemary=3A=3A.html> (1999) What makes an explanation a good explanation? : adult learners' criteria for acceptance of a good explanation. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland. |
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_version_ |
1778526322505547776 |