Abstract
This paper studies the environment of the discovery learning/constructivistic approach using cognitive tools regarding students’ performance in tests involving different kinds of learning and in the final formal examinations and students’ attitudes towards the approach in Mathematics’ higher education. In particular the paper aims in identifying factors regarding students’ scores and attitudes affected by the approach and groups of students with similar characteristics based on these factors. Data was obtained by a study realized at the Department of Statistics and Insurance Sciences of the University of Piraeus, concerning the application of the discovery learning/constructivistic approach using Mathematica on the course Calculus (Functions of multiple variables). Multivariable analysis methods are used in the data analysis, in particular factor analysis in identifying factors and cluster analysis in identifying groups of students with similar characteristics, in combination with inferential statistics’ methods. The statistical package SPSS was used for the data analysis.
Highlights
The identification of factors affecting the teachinglearning environment of any subject or approach can be extremely helpful in instructional design, since knowing these factors, an educator can focus and intervene on the aspects of teaching that can affect the quantitative and the qualitative results for his / her students
Cognitive tools in Mathematics’ higher education, regarding students’ performance in tests involving different kinds of skills and in the final formal examinations and students’ attitudes towards the approach and in identifying groups of students with similar characteristics based on these factors
The research questions of the study are: 1) “What are the factors affecting the teaching-learning environment of the discovery learning/constructivistic approach using cognitive tools regarding students’ performance in tests involving different kinds of learning and the final formal examinations and students’ attitudes towards the approach in Mathematics’ higher education?” and 2)“What are the characteristics of groups of students grouped in correspondence to these factors?”
Summary
The identification of factors affecting the teachinglearning environment of any subject or approach can be extremely helpful in instructional design, since knowing these factors, an educator can focus and intervene on the aspects of teaching that can affect the quantitative (cognitive-scores) and the qualitative results (active learning, cooperation between students and students teacher) for his / her students. Cognitive tools are computational tools that can function as intellectual partners of the students, while they are engaged in discovery learning/constructivistic activities [2]. This paper aims in identifying factors in the environment of the discovery learning/constructivistic approach using cognitive tools in Mathematics’ higher education, regarding students’ performance in tests involving different kinds of skills and in the final formal examinations and students’ attitudes towards the approach and in identifying groups of students with similar characteristics based on these factors. The methods used in the data analysis are factor analysis in identifying factors and cluster analysis in identifying groups of students with similar characteristics, in combination with inferential statistics
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