The Inquiry of Students' Attitude towards Group Discussion and Presentation in a Course of Mathematics Education

Abstract

This research is a survey study on students' attitude toward a class employing small group discussion and presentation by the method of free-listing. Participants in this study were students who registered in the course of Mathematical Logics and Writing during 2011 and 2014. Senior students who took the course of theory of mathematics education previously usually registered the course. The class for this course used to be designed as a class adopting group discussion and presentation. Main theme of this research is not to demonstrate some theories or hypothesis on teaching and learning, but rather to inquire students' attitude toward a class employing the constituents first and then through analyzing the results of this study to find practical ideas and strategy for design and implementation of a class which brings cultivation of students' understanding, communication and moreover writing in mathematics. Since the survey was given in the <TEX>$8^{th}$</TEX> week of this class, participants of this research could be expected to have more concrete idea for positive or negative aspects of the classes employing these constituents. We compared both research results of 2011 and 2014 to view any changes in students' attitude. Research results are follows. Students began to think that group discussions and presentation bring out better learning to them. Not to give students psychological burden of discussion and presentation, instructors need to provide comfortable atmosphere through arranging suitable grouping and enough time for discussion. Moreover, simple evaluations criteria for group discussions and presentation should be well structured and more concrete guides for them are required to make students to feel comfortable and to concentrate on the given subject for discussion.