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British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics

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BSRLM Proceedings: Vol 16 No 1 February 1996

Proceedings of the Day Conference held at Sheffield Hallam University, February 1996

PLEASE NOTE: These IPs have been scanned and reconstituted from the printed versions. Although the pagination has been maintained, there may be some odd discrepancies from the original – if anything is glaringly wrong or misleading please let our webmaster know with a correction, full details of the paper, page and sufficient detail to locate the error.

Contents

1 Struggling for Survival: The Production of Meaning

Romulo Campos Lins
State University of Sao Paulo Rio Claro, Brazil

In this paper I present a view on meaning production which departs both from the usual notion of “communication” andfrom realist and objectivist approaches to it. To make such a view operational. an account is given of why meaning production does not “go wild”-something any relativist approach should provide-showing the notion of interlocutor to be central in that process. indeed a constitutive part of cognition.

2 Language and Strategies in Children’s Solution of Division Problems

Karen Newstead, Julia Anghileri and David Whitebread
Homerton College, Cambridge

Year 5 and 6 children have been videotaped while solving a variety of written division problems. We have examined their strategies and found that children with more flexible strategies are often more successful at solving these division problems than children who use only one or two strategies to solve them.

Using examples on video, we shared some findings of this ongoing research aimed at examining the development of these strategies and the use of language over a period during which children meet division formally in school.

3 Towards Practical Mathematics: An Examination of Real World Geometry and Mensuration in Nigeria

Isa A Ochepa
A.T.B. University, Nigeria

The undesirable weak performance of students in mathematics, especially at the post-primary school level is a global issue. Many factors have been associated with this weakness. The most popular of the numerous factors available in literature include students’ attitude towards mathematics, the nature of mathematics and the curriculum. In Nigeria, varied efforts have been made in the past by researchers in the educational institutions, professional associations like the Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) to encourage and promote mathematics education. For instance, in the seventies such efforts led first to the introduction of Modem Mathematics and later to the scrapping of it from Nigeria secondary schools in 1977 and in its place is the current mathematics curriculum produced by the Federal Ministry of Education. However, with the new curriculum in operation for over fifteen years, examination results from the West African Examination Council (W AEC), a body which is responsible for conducting certification examination for secondary school graduates in the whole of West Africa, reveals that the situation is still bad.

4 Constructing Meaning for Number

Declan O’Reilly
University of Sheffield

There is now an accumulated body of research both here and abroad (Brown, 1981; Carpenter et aI., 1981; Foxman et aI, 1985) which demonstrates that children lack meaning for decimals. There is also a recognition of the difficulties which children encounter with directed numbers (Bell, Costello and Kiichemann, 1983). The challenge for this study was to investigate how programming their own number line would mediate primary school children’s understandings of both decimals and directed numbers. In what follows, the programming, or construction, stage is omitted. Each of the episodes illustrates children’s interactions with the fully operational number line.

5 Investigating Estimation in the Classroom

Christopher Pike and Michael Forrester
University of Kent

Research into the relationship between language and mathematics in the classroom tends to adopt either the ‘language as aformal object’ view or a discourse analytic perspective. In our presentation we considered what might be gained from adopting the ethnomethodologically inspired conversational analysis approach, specifically by looking in detail at how estimation is taught and learned in primary school. Beyond highlighting the principles which underpin this approach, the results articulate a number of interesting aspects regarding the ways in which mathematical ideas are transformed into accountable procedures for action in the classroom.

6 Writing the Thesis in Mathematics Education

Tim Rowland
Homerton College, Cambridge

In this paper, I share some reflections on the recent experience of writing a doctoral thesis. Readers who anticipate the task with as much apprehension as I did, may find encouragement, and even some assistance, in my account. At the same time, it is evident that their experience may not be the same as mine.

7 Is This A Sign Of The Times? A Semiotic Approach To Meaning-Making In Mathematics Education

Adam Vile
South Bank University

This paper is intended to promote discussion around semiotics as a context for discourse in empirical and theoretical aspects of mathematics education. Semiotics is the study of the nature and action of signs and sign functions; the mathematics register consists of complex signs and should therefore be open to semiotic analysis. This paper introduces the basic elements of semiotics and discusses, in general terms, the possible implications of the application of a semiotic perspective to the context of mathematics teaching and learning. A number of examples from student’s work in solving linear equations are included in order to illustrate some of the ideas put forward in this paper and to promote further discussion.

8 Is the Gap between GCSE and A-Level Bigger in Mathematics than for Other Subjects?

Dylan William
King’s College, London

An analysis of the grades obtained by the age-18 cohort who took A-level examinations in 1994, matched with their results obtained at GCSE two years earlier, supports the idea that the ‘gap’ between GCSE and A-level is larger for mathematics thanfor English, except at the highest levels of attainment. Approximately one-third of students who get a grade A in a subject at GCSE and who go on to A-level get a grade A, whatever the subject. However, to have at least a 50% chance of getting a grade ‘D’ or better at A-level, one needs a grade ‘B’ at GCSE in mathematics, but only a grade ‘C’ in English. As afirst approximation, the gap between GCSE and A-level is the same size in mathematics and Englishfor candidates who attain A-level grade A; one-half of a grade bigger in mathematics than in Englishfor candidates who attain A-level grades Band C; and one grade bigger in mathematics than in Englishfor candidates who attain A-level grades D and E.

9 Democratic Education – Does it Exist – Especially for Mathematics Education?

Derek Woodrow
Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe School of Education

This paper explores the concept of democratic education; taking issues concerned with democratic citizenship in modern democratic societies and ways of teaching which reflect democratic values. Can individualistic teaching and over-respect for individual rights be consistent with democracy? In modern media-power can democracy even exist or are we all just manipulated? Does the autocratic authority imbued in mathematics allow for democracy anyhow?

10 Interviewing – A Support Group

Laurinda Brown
University of Bristol

At this meeting Kerry Cripps, a PhD student from Sheffield Hallam University shared with us her methodology through working with us on transcripts from her research and talking about her thoughts and feelings and how they were changing over time. We had intended to compare and contrast this methodology with that of Stephen Hegedus from Southampton University but his work will now form the basis of the next meeting of the Interviewing Support Group at Loughborough in May, 1996.

11 Geometry Working Group

Isa Ochepa and Abubakar Tafewa
Balewa University, Nigeria
Peter Winbourne
South Bank University, London
Brian Hudson
Sheffield Hallam University
Munder Adhami
King’s College, London

There were two contributions to this Working Group. One was by [sa Ochepa who talked about his work on real world geometry and mensuration in Nigeria. The other was by Peter Winbourne who discussed the distinction between the perception of pattern and classification of pattern, in relation to the use of dynamic geometry software. [sa considered Nigerian students’ largely negative attitudes towards mathematics and their view of it as an abstract subject. Peter’s starting point was that it seems that it is no more necessary for the creation of patterns to have an understanding of their underlying mathematical structure (whatever that means) than it isfor someone to understand the operation of gravity when throwing a ball. As soon as we wish to engage in some kind of classification however (in this case mediated by their construction using dynamic geometry systems), the construct of the underlying structure needs to be addressed.

Our Aim

BSRLM is for people interested in research in mathematics education and provides a supportive and inclusive environment for both new and experienced researchers to develop their ideas.

Become a Member

Members of BSRLM can attend and present at our termly Day Conferences. You will also receive the three annual issues of Research in Mathematics Education published for BSRLM by Taylor and Francis.
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BSRLM is a national organisation for people who are passionate about mathematics education research. RTs are not endorsements. Posts by K Skilling

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bsrlm_maths BSRLM @bsrlm_maths ·
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Looking forward to the next BSRLM day conference at the University of Southampton- November 2nd 📢

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Only one more sleep until @BSRLM_maths conference at @LboroDME 🏫👩‍🏫

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Interesting and stimulating discussion at the Mathematics Education and Policy Working Group @BSRLM_maths - summer conference @SmartJacques @MarkBoylanEd @GillRAdams @AlfColes

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Don't forget to register for the BSRLM summer conference and New Researchers' Day taking place 7th and 8th June - registration closes 31st May. (Committee @AlfColes @CristinaMio11 @MandyLLiu1 @OuhaoC @SmartJacques @karen_skilling)

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oxunimaths Oxford Mathematics @oxunimaths ·
10 May 2024

The newly created UK-wide Academy for the Mathematical Sciences today appointed Oxford Mathematician Alison Etheridge as its first President.

The Academy's focus will be on mathematical sciences everywhere: in teaching & education, academic research, & business & government.

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22 Apr 2024

The next BSRLM conference will be our Summer conference on the 7th and 8th June at Loughborough University. Please use this link to find out about registration and the call for session proposals. https://www.bsrlm-members.org.uk/pages/15-conferences

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scottishmaths SMC @scottishmaths ·
10 Mar 2024

CALL for PRESENTERS: SMC Stirling Maths Conference Saturday 18th May 2024. Open to all from across early years, primary, secondary and tertiary education. Fill in this form by **14 March 2024** https://forms.office.com/e/iPHkKqME0E

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1 Mar 2024

Looking forward to meeting up online tomorrow at our Spring Conference...choose your sessions

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bsrlm_maths BSRLM @bsrlm_maths ·
5 Feb 2024

Professor Jodie Hunter will be the plenary speaker at our online conference on Saturday 3rd March. Please use this link to register and submit a proposal https://www.bsrlm-members.org.uk/pages/15-conferences

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bsrlm_maths BSRLM @bsrlm_maths ·
16 Jan 2024

Happy New Year to all members. Please note that our next conference will take place via zoom on Saturday 2nd March. Registration for session proposals are open - click here for more details https://bsrlm-members.org.uk/pages/15-conferences…@BSRLM_maths

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londmathsoc London Mathematical Society @londmathsoc ·
8 Dec 2023

The 2023-24 Round of LMS Early Career Fellowships are live, open to early career mathematicians in the transition between PhD and a postdoctoral position.

For further details ➡️ https://www.lms.ac.uk/grants/lms-early-career-fellowships

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bsrlm_maths BSRLM @bsrlm_maths ·
8 Dec 2023

We already have some interest for this Special Issue @RME_ResMathEd and the call for abstracts is open for another week so please consider making a submission Call for Special Issue 2025 Abstracts💡 https://bsrlm.org.uk/call-for-papers-for-the-2025-special-issue-of-research-in-mathematics-education-rme-contemporary-issues-in-mathematics-education-within-a-stem-climate/… Send an Abstract to rme@bsrlm.org.uk by 15th Dec 2023

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