Students’ Metacognitive Strategies in the Mathematics Classroom Using Open Approach

Ariya Suriyon, Maitree Inprasitha, Kiat Sangaroon

Center for Research in Mathematics Education, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Doctor of Philosophy Program in Mathematics Education, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2013.47084                

Abstract

This paper describes a study investigating students’ metacognitive behavior and abilities in the mathematic class using the open approach. Four 1st grade students, ages six to seven years, served as a target group from the primary school having participated since 2006 in the Teacher Professional Development Project with innovation of lesson study and open approach. The research was based on Begle’s conceptual framework (1969), focusing on observing the nature of occurrences in order to describe emerging facts in the class. In addition, the data were examined by triangulation among three sources: video recording, field notes, and students’ written works. Data analysis rested upon 4 open approach-based teaching steps (Inprasitha, 2010). The study results showed that the open approach-based mathematic class helped students exhibit metacognitive behavior and abilities relevant to the four teaching steps: 1) posing open-ended problem, 2) students’ self learning, 3) whole class discussion and comparison, and 4) summarization through connecting students’ mathematical ideas emerging in the classroom.

Keywords

Problem Solving; Metacognitive Strategies; Lesson Study; Open Approach

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Begle, E. G. (1969). The role of research in the improvement of mathematics education. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 2, 232-244. doi:10.1007/BF00303460
[2]	Flavell, J. H. (1976). Metacognitive aspects of problem solving. In L. B. Resnick (Ed.), The nature of intelligence (pp. 231-236). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
[3]	Gakkoh Tosho Co., LTD. (1999). Study with your friends MATHEMATICS for elementary school 1st grade Gakkoh Tosho. Tokyo: Gakkotosho Co., LTD.
[4]	Goos, M., & Galbraith, P. (1996). Do it this way! Metacognitive strategies in collaborative mathematical problem soving. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 30, 229-260. doi:10.1007/BF00304567
[5]	Inprasitha, M. (1997). Problem solving: A basis to reform mathematics instruction. The Journal of the National Research Council of Thailand, 29, 221-259.
[6]	Inprasitha, M. (2003). Reform process of learning mathematics in schools by focusing on mathematical processes. Khon Kaen.
[7]	Inprasitha, M. (2004). Teaching by open-approach method in japanese mathematics classroom. KKU Journal of Mathematics Education, 1.
[8]	Inprasitha, M., & Loipha, S. (2007). Developing student’ s mathematical thinking through lesson study in Thailand. Progress Report of the the APEC Project: “Collaborative Studies on Innovations for Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Different Cultures (II)-Lesson Study focusing on Mathematical Thinking” Center for Research on International Cooperation in Educaitonal Development (CRICED) (pp. 255-264). Tsukuba.
[9]	Inprasitha, M. (2010). One feature of adaptive lesson study in Thailand: Designing learning unit. Proceeding of the 45th Korean National Meeting of Mathematics Education (pp. 193-206). Gyeongju: Dongkook University.
[10]	Kongthip, Y., Inprasitha, M., Pattanajak, A., & Inprasitha, N. (2012). Mathematical communication by 5th grade students’ gestures in lesson study and open approach context. Psychology, 3, 632-637. doi:10.4236/psych.2012.38097
[11]	Kroll, D. L., & Miller, T. (1993). Insights from research on mathematical problem solving in the middle grades. In D. T. Owens (Ed.), Research ideas for the classroom: Middle grades mathematics. Reston: NCTM.
[12]	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (1980). An agenda for action. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
[13]	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (1989). Curriculum and evaluation standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
[14]	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (2000). Principles and Standards. Reston, VA: NCTM.
[15]	Pugalee, D. K. (2001). Writing, mathematics, and metacognition: Looking for connections through students’ work in mathematical problem solving. School Science and Mathematics, 101, 236-245. doi:10.1111/j.1949-8594.2001.tb18026.x
[16]	Pugalee, D. K. (2004). A Comparison of verbal and written descriptions of students’ problem solving processes. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 55, 27-47. doi:10.1023/B:EDUC.0000017666.11367.c7
[17]	Schoenfeld, A. H. (1985). Mathematical problem soving. New York: Academic Press.
[18]	Suriyon, A., Sangaroon, K., & Inprasitha, M. (2011). Exploring students’ metacognitive strategies during problem solving in a mathematics classroom using the open approach. Proceeding of the 35th PME Conference, 1, 397.
[19]	Veenman, M. V. J., Wilhelm, P., & Beishuizen, J. J. (2004). The relation between intellectual and metacognitive skills from a developmental perspective. Learning and Instruction, 14, 89-109. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2003.10.004