Search results for "lower secondary students"
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Finnish Secondary Students’ Mental Models of Magnetism
2020
We examined Finnish lower secondary students’ mental models of magnetism through their drawings, written explanations and interviews. Secondary students in Finland (N=12) engaged in six lessons designed specifically to target three key concepts in understanding magnetism: structure and organization (magnetic domains), magnetic fields and magnetic interactions. We describe how, with a finite number of key concepts introduced, students reflected upon and revised their mental models of magnetism and magnetic interactions towards more sophisticated and normative scientific views. We found two new categories of students’ models: the pole model and pole/field model. The critical moments in evolvi…
Exploring grade 9 students' assumption making when mathematizing
2015
International audience; Making assumptions is a key activity in modelling. The present study aims to explore the variety of assumptions that lower secondary students make in this process. As theoretical basis for the data analysis, we used the modelling cycle by Blum and Leiss (2007) and framed a definition of assumptions. The study was carried out with grade 9 students. The results show three categories of assumptions: (1) parameter assumptions, (2) assumptions for the choice of the mathematical model, and (3) assumptions about task expectations. Assumptions from the first two categories assist students to use extra-mathematical knowledge to construct a mathematical model, while the third …