The purpose of this study is to investigate how problem-solving activities based on the number-related fairy tales affect children’s mathematical problem-solving abilities.
To achieve the goal of this study, the questions are set as follows.
Is th...
The purpose of this study is to investigate how problem-solving activities based on the number-related fairy tales affect children’s mathematical problem-solving abilities.
To achieve the goal of this study, the questions are set as follows.
Is there any difference of children's mathematical problem-solving abilities between the group(experimental group) which performed the problem-solving activities based on the number-related fairy tales and the other group(comparison group) which didn't perform the activities?
First, is there any difference of children's classification concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
Second, is there any difference of children's pattern concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
Third, is there any difference of children's numerical concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
Fourth, is there any difference of children's measurement concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
Fifth, is there any difference of children's diagrammatic concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
Sixth, is there any difference of children's statistical concept among the sub-categories of the mathematical problem-solving abilities between the experimental group and comparison group?
The subjects of this study is 36 five-year-old children in A and B kindergarten in Pucheon. The experimental group is 18 children in A kindergarten and the comparison group is 18 children in B kindergarten. There is no sexual classification in two groups.
In this study, I used performance test which is used by Ryu, Hye-sook(2003). It is originally designed by Ward(1993) and then changed by Whang, Jeong-sook(1996), and finally modified and complemented by Ryu. By subordinate variables, reliability coefficient of Cronbach α is .84.
The program for the experimental group was progressed 16 times from Sep. 1st 2008 to Oct. 24th 2008. The children in the experimental group listened to number-related fairy tales and discussed them with 8~10 peers using mathematical activities. The comparison group performed the activities related to the life theme according to the teacher's teaching plan.
The collected data in this study has been analyzed by SPSS software. Prior- and post-tests were conducted with the experimental group and the comparison group, followed by the calculations of their mean values and standard deviations. Then, paired t-test was performed in order to see if there is any significant difference in the points.
The results are as follows.
The experimental group treated by the mathematical activities using children’s number-related stories has achieved significantly improved problem-solving abilities in mathematics as opposed to the comparison group. Looking at the sub-categories of mathematical problem-solving abilities, there are significant differences in the five sub-categories; classifying, patterning, numerical concept, measuring, and diagrammatic concept. But there is no significant difference about the statistical concept between two groups.
According to the results, it has been demonstrated that mathematical activities using children’s number-related stories are effective in improving the problem-solving abilities of early children in mathematics. To strengthen children's problem-solving abilities, it is very importantto develop teaching methods which may help children to experience problem-solving centered on the mathematical activities such as problem-solving based on the mathematical situations,inferring and verifying, communicating, connecting,and symbolizing.