Volume 1 Number 2

Published: 27 December 2008

Responsible Editor: Iuliana Marchis

 

1. On the quasi-extended addition for exploded real numbers

István Szalay

Abstract:  In teaching primary teacher trainees, an awareness of the characteristic features, especially commutativity and associativity of basic operations play an important role. Owing to a deeply set automatism rooted in their primary and secondary education, teacher trainees think that such characteristics of addition are so trivial that they do not need to be proved. It does not cause a difficulty in applying mathematical knowledge in everyday situations but primary teachers must have a deeper insight. That is why it is reasonable to show these characteristic features to primary teacher trainees in a different algebraic structure. An example for that could be the algebra of vectors. In this paper the algebraic structure of exploded numbers containing the set of real numbers as a subset is selected as an example. With the help of super-operations (super-addition, super-multiplication, super-subtraction and super-division) introduced for exploded numbers, we try to extend addition for exploded numbers as well. The question of the method of extension and the examination of the characteristics of the extended addition arises. While seeking for the answer, surprising facts emerge, such as the phenomenon that each real number will have one and only one addition incompetent pair among exploded numbers. In this paper we introduce the quasi-extended addition for exploded real numbers which is essentially different from super - addition. On the other hand, the quasi-extended addition is the (traditional) addition for real numbers. Moreover, we investigate some properties (for example commutativity, associativity) of quasi-extended addition. Finally, we find some similarity between the countable infinity and the exploded of 1. The quasi-extension of addition is useful for students to observe different kinds of algebraic properties, too.

Pages 1-15.           Download PDF

2. How to choose a textbook on mathematics?

István Czeglédy, András Kovács

Abstract:  Creating of this article was motivated by the change of the new situation in connection with the Hungarian mathematics textbooks. Nowadays the teachers of Hungary could choose among the textbooks without restriction. The number of the textbooks is growing more and more. But our mathematics teachers have not any didactical support for the choice. Everybody knows that a suitable choice is not possible without an objective and measurable list of factors. We tried to give the Hungarian mathematics teachers such a list of factors which is based on a theory concerning the choice of the English textbooks. This list of factors should make easier the choice of the textbooks on mathematics.

Pages 16-30.           Download PDF

3. Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Change

Alenka Lipovec, Polonca Pangrčič

Abstract: In the last two decades investigation of teachers’ beliefs and conceptions and teachers‘possibilities for change has been one of the points of emphasis in mathematics education. We propose the concept and design of an intervention program including five stakeholders on the basis of a teacher–student–parent–preservice teacher–teacher educator relation. The main idea is comprised of reversed roles in teaching and learning process i.e. elementary school preservice teachers should adopt beliefs and conceptions from the mathematically promising students (age 6-12). The program is defined by 10 relationships among stakeholders and was evaluated from various viewpoints. In this paper, we highlight the effect on the preservice teachers’ competencies during the longitudinal study. We have focused on the gap between desired and achieved competences as viewed by the preservice teachers. Overall results speak in favour of presented approach. 

Pages 31-36.           Download PDF

4. Some Aspects Of Science Education In European Context

Adrienne Kozan Naumescu,  Roxana-Diana Paşca

Abstract: Some up-to-date problems in science education in European context are treated in this paper. The characteristics of science education across Europe are presented. Science teachers’ general competencies are underlined. An example of problem-solving as teaching method in chemistry is studied in knowledge based society. Transforming teacher practice across the Europe is a long-term project and will require significant investment in continuous professional development. Better science teaching is grounded, first of all, in improving the quality of teacher preparation and in making continuing professional education available for science teacher.

Pages 37-43.           Download PDF

5. Project method, as one of the basic methods of Environmental Education

Noémi Szállassy 

Abstract: Our aim was to present in this paper the one of the most important methods of environmental education, the project method. We present here the steps and phases of project method and we give an example of how to use these elements in planning an activity for celebrating the World Day for Water.

Pages 44-49.           Download PDF

6. Practical application of computer software in visual education

Erika Perge

Abstract: Education is an active process in which instructors apply various devices to make the material to be taught more suitable for students’ perception. As the capabilities of available devices improve, so should the methods of teaching make the best use of them. No tool can ever replace an instructor, but tools can enhance the efficiency of education. Involving computers in the process of teaching is feasible only when it can actually provide new educational methods that were unavailable before, due to time or material limitations. In my article I’d like to introduce two such new methods that, when used together with traditional methods, can support visual education by increasing the number of possible approaches to a topic being taught. One of these methods is about teaching color theory, while the other is about shadows.

Pages 50-55.           Download PDF

7. Media Education around the World: Brief History

Alexander Fedorov

Abstract: UNESCO defines media education as the priority field of the cultural educational development in the XXI century. The article presents the development of media education since the beginning of it up to our days. The sections of the article are the main periods for the development of the media education. In each section more countries are mentioned. The first movements in media education were made in 1920s in France. The media education in Great Britain and Russia is also old, dating back to 1920s. Nowadays media education became important in many countries. Along with Britain, France still remains one of the most active European countries to develop the media and ICT education. Recently quite a few books, collections of articles textbooks and other publication have been published in Great Britain, and translated into foreign languages. Schools in Germany began their media education practice with its integration into the required curriculum and media culture is taught in the majority of German universities. Canada, Australia and USA have a developed media education. In spite of the difficulties in the 1990s, media literacy has good prospects in Russia. We can also see the fast progress of media education in other Eastern European countries. Hungary  became the first European country to introduce obligatory media education courses in secondary schools. 

Pages 56-68.           Download PDF

8. Intercultural and Media Education in teaching practice. An example of good practice

Iuliana Marchis, Liliana Ciascai,  Vitor Costa

Abstract. Both Media Education and Intercultural Education are considered in Romania as a study subject on school and university level, too, in spite of the European Commission’s recommendations, which request that these two subjects to be included in other disciplines, and not to be taught as separate ones. In this article we give some theoretical background and practical clarifications for both media and intercultural education, and we present a good practice in this domain, which is a result of a European project.

Pages 69-75.           Download PDF

9. Multimedia and primary and secondary school curricula in Romania

Liliana Ciascai, Iuliana Marchis

Abstract. Multimedia is present in our everyday life, thus its management is considered as a necessity by the specialists. The relation of multimedia with education is very complex: we speak about education with multimedia and multimedia education. In this paper we propose to characterize partially the above mentioned relations, analyzing the openness of primary and secondary school curricula for use of multimedia in the learning process.   This openness is the first step toward multimedia education. In our investigation were analyzed 105 primary school programs and 157 secondary school programs for 39 disciplines.  The obtained results underline the lack of interest of policy makers to promote multimedia in education. In the paper there are given some suggestions for directions of use of media in school practice.

Pages 76-85.           Download PDF

10. On Competencies Characteristic of Geography in High School

Maria Eliza Dulamă, Oana-Ramona Ilovan

Abstract: The purpose of our study was that of analysing, starting from literature, the definitions of the following concepts: capacity, skill, and competency, as well as of analysing the competencies they phrased in school curricula and those that teachers phrased. Moreover, we wanted to give appropriate examples. The hypotheses of our study were the following: they had not phrased correctly competencies in school curricula and teachers undergoing a continuous training course or programme phrased correctly the competencies characteristic of a certain field. This study had as a starting basis the concept of competency as a sum of declarative knowledge, procedural knowledge, and attitudes that were characteristic to an individual and that he or she activated (transformed and integrated) in planning and solving certain tasks (Brien, 1997) in a certain field, in a certain case. Roegiers (1998) underlined that competencies had five essential features: somebody’s calling up of a sum of resources (different types of knowledge, experiences, capacities, schemes, automatisms, etc.); finalised character; relation to a sum of situations; frequent subject matter features; it could be assessed. To all these features we added another one, that of the level of competency. In order to reach the above-mentioned purposes and for verifying our hypotheses, we analysed the competencies in the high school curricula and the competencies that 9 Geography teachers phrased, after undergoing a continuous teacher training course on the “Development of Subject Matter Skills and Competencies”. We concluded that taking into account the features of the competency that Roegiers identified, they did not phrase correctly those competencies and that hindered high school students’ development and assessment. Out of the particular competencies in the curriculum for Geography, in high school, we considered to be phrased correctly or partially correctly only 5 for the 9th grade, 1 for the 10th grade, 4 for the 11th grade, and 8 for the 12th grade. We noticed that: teachers presented lists including different competencies; they included competencies listed in our course, but without inserting all the possible ones and added new competencies; they included both subject matter competencies and non subject matter ones (or general ones); the group of teachers phrased 41 subject matter competencies and 48 general ones and phrased incorrectly 22 competencies, and these demonstrated that this course was an efficient one.

Pages 86-95.           Download PDF