Context-based Task Research Articles

Project-based Learning Design: Developing Maritime Context-based Tasks in English for Mathematics Course

This research addresses analysis concerning and learning design of project-based learning (PjBL): how standardized PjBL implementation for student-centered learning supports the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka policy and how PjBL design for the learning process of English for Mathematics Course. Literature reviews addressing policies in PjBL were examined to determine what and how the project of English for Mathematics Course. Results show that implementing PjBL in the Merdeka Belajar-Kampus Merdeka policy needs systematic students’ collaboration to work on the project through a structured process with the lecturer’s guidance and assessment process. Then, the form of this learning activity carried out in one semester of the English Mathematics course of the academic year 2022/2023 is designed to do a project of developing PISA-like problems with maritime context-based. This course learning method has resulted in some blocks of activities: first, students define problems, then design a project, schedule a series of activities to finish the project, active discussion with feedback from lecturer and peer in redesigning the group project, and evaluation.

Improving Mathematics Teachers� Skills in Designing Context-based Tasks for Lower Secondary School Learning

Using context-based problems is essential to mathematics learning, especially with implementing the Minimum Competency Assessment or Asesmen Kompetensi Minimum (AKM). However, this has not been supported by learning resources that provide context-based math problems optimally. Therefore, there is a need for efforts to improve the skills of mathematics teachers in designing context-based problems. This community service or Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (PkM) activity aims to enhance teachers' skills in designing context-based math problems based on numeracy AKM. This PkM activity was carried out as training involving ten mathematics teachers of Muhammadiyah Junior High School (SMP) in Kartasura District, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia as training participants. In the first stage, the training was conducted online via Zoom Video Conference. Furthermore, the second phase of the activity focused on assisting the teachers of the training participants in compiling context-based junior high school math problems in numeracy AKM, especially on number content. The assistance was carried out using the Schoology Learning Management System (LMS). The results of PkM showed that based on the post-training survey, 75% of participants stated that they understood the concept of numeracy AKM and 100% of participants were ready to integrate numeracy AKM in the implementation and assessment of mathematics learning, especially in number content. The achievement of PkM targets is also reflected in training products as a collection of AKM-oriented mathematics problems on number content. Furthermore, further assistance is needed, focusing on the design of AKM context-based questions on geometry, algebra, and statistical content.

One context fits all? – analysing students’ context choice and their reasons for choosing a context-based task in chemistry education

ABSTRACT Context-based learning has become increasingly influential in science education over the last 40 years. However, it is still unclear which types of contexts foster students’ interests and learning achievements and are appropriate for science classes. While contexts are usually selected by teachers or curriculum developers, this study focusses on the students’ perspective. The central aim of this research project is to analyse which context students choose for their science learning and why they choose a specific context. Therefore, a questionnaire study has been conducted in German grammar schools. The data analysis illustrates that students choose significantly different contexts depending on their individual variables like gender or individual interest in the subject. Additionally, it is possible to identify different reasons for selecting a specific context in chemistry. When comparing students’ individual variables, significant relations between students’ individual interest as well as their last grades in chemistry and their motives for choosing a context can be found. A cluster analysis has produced three clusters for describing students’ explanation patterns for selecting a context. Overall, the results of this study allow first conclusions about the question which types of contexts ought to be implemented in science classes for specific groups of students.

로봇의 센서를 활용한 중학교 그래프 단원의 교수 학습 방안 탐색1)

The graph visually represents a variety of mathematical information and the data literacy interprets this visual information is highlighted as an important diversion for students to have in the 21st century. The 2015 revised mathematics curriculum requires students to deal with graphs in their first year of middle schools before learning functions so that they can draw and interpret graphs in real-life contexts without being tied to algebra. However, the analysis of graph tasks in the textbook shows that although various context-based tasks are presented, the task of selecting variables in relation to graph composition is insufficient, the ratio of graph-composition tasks is low compared to graph-interpretation tasks, and the proportion of graph inference tasks is very low. In addition, a problem situation of each task tended to be presented piece by piece without being linked. In this study, by reinterpreting the graph tasks presented in the textbook and reflecting the implications from the analysis results, we presented and suggested the method of learning the graph unit teaching using the robot sensors so that students can perform meaningful graph composition, interpretation, and reasoning activities. Meanwhile, since the data logging activities using sensors of the robot proposed in this study are also practicable through VRT(Virtual Robotics Toolkits), they are expected to be applicable to the recently active non-face-to-face classes.

Context-based tasks in mathematics textbooks for vocational high school students

This study analyzes the context-based tasks in mathematics textbooks for grade ten and eleven vocational high school students in Indonesia. A vertical analysis was done based on the types of context, types of information, and cognitive demand types. This study is a descriptive qualitative study involving an external coder to ensure its validity and reliability. The data collection was conducted through text analysis and literature study. Whereas the data analysis used is content analysis. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that there are still little tasks with the relevant and essential context in the mathematics textbooks (10% for grade ten and 30% for grade eleven). Regarding vocational high school expertise, the tasks are relevant to vocational high school’s specific expertise. Regarding the types of information, tasks with matching categorized are dominant: 54% in grade ten and 88% in grade eleven. For the types of cognitive demand, grade ten is dominated with reproduction (54%), and grade eleven is dominated with connection (46%). Cohen’s Kappa coefficient on the types of context, types of information, and cognitive demand types in both mathematics books for vocational high school students grades ten and eleven are in a good or excellent category.

The Effects of Context-based Problem-solving Tasks on Students’ Interest and Metacognitive Experiences

AbstractPrior knowledge, motivational factors, and metacognition have been long considered basic elements for successful problem-solving process. However, the interplay of these variables with context-based task characteristics has rarely been explored in research. The present study aimed at investigating how context-based task characteristics influence these three elements, and further expands to explore potential differentiated effects across physics’ topics. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted with 232 participants from high-track schools in Germany to investigate the effects of task characteristics and task topic with regard to their motivational and metacognitive variables. Overall results indicated that students’ situational interest and estimate of solution correctness decrease through time as a result from their interaction with the tasks characteristics. Furthermore, between-subject factor analyses revealed important differences across the task topics of mechanics and thermodynamics. Finally, the covariate of prior knowledge was positively significant across all analyses. The findings demonstrate the importance of appropriate design of context-based tasks to positively influence students’ motivation and metacognitive processing. Implications of the results, as well as further lines of research are discussed.

Leaving Obligations Behind: Epistemic Incrementation in Preschool English

ABSTRACT Does language development drive language change? A common account of language change attributes the regularity of certain patterns to children’s learning biases. The present study examines these predictions for change-in-progress in the use of must in Toronto English. Historically, modal verbs like must start with root (deontic) meanings, eventually developing epistemic (probability) meanings in addition. Epistemic uses increase over successive generations, phasing out root uses (incrementation). The modal becomes unambiguously epistemic and eventually disappears from the language. Such cyclic changes are predictable and common across languages. To explore whether children contribute to incrementation and loss, we tested intuitions about must in preschoolers (n = 141) and adults (n = 29). In a picture-preference task (deontic vs. epistemic), children selected epistemic interpretations of ambiguous sentences (e.g., Michelle must swim) at higher rates than adults. Two context-based preference tasks tested children’s overall sensitivity to the presence of modals. We found sensitivity in deontic contexts. In epistemic contexts, where must is optional and functions like an evidential marker, we found little discrimination, and general avoidance of the modal. These results (epistemic overgeneration, must-avoidance) correspond to predictions of the incrementation hypothesis, suggesting children likely play an active role in language change, beyond well-known overregularization processes.

The Performance of Prospective Teachers in Interpreting Graphs on context-based tasks

Graphing ability facilitates students to understand and to connect graphs of data with real-world situations. This ability related to mathematical competencies such as logical thinking and visual representation. One aspect of graphing ability that is important for the student to get meaning from the graph is the interpreting graph. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of prospective teachers in interpreting graphs on context-based tasks. This study uses a descriptive-explorative method involving 24 prospective teacher participants at the Universitas Negeri Surabaya. This article presents the performance of prospective teachers’ interpreting graph abilities based on five levels of graph interpretation by Aoyama. The prospective teachers’ graph interpretation is explained along with the difficulties.

An Examination of Fourth-Grade Elementary School Students’ Number Sense in Context-Based and Non-Context-Based Problems

Research on number sense presents contradictory arguments and results regarding the effects of context-based tasks and activities on students’ number sense. The aim of this study was to examine fourth-grade elementary school students’ number sense as they solve context-based (CB) and non-context-based (NCB) items. A survey design was employed and data collected using CB and NCB tests for this purpose. The results showed that students were more successful on NCB test compared to the CB test. Students performed best on the problems related to the “using a reference point” component of number sense, while they performed worst on the “understanding of the number size” component. The majority of students used rule-based strategies (RBSs) for both CB and NCB tests. Interviews with students who solved CB items using RBSs showed that students were able to recognize and use number sense-based strategies (NSBSs) to some degree when they were asked for alternative solution methods. The variability found in students’ recognition and use of number sense seem to depend on such factors as the lack of number sense, preference to RBS, task structure (e.g. involving visual representations and easy numbers), and task requirements (e.g. asking for estimation or comparison vs. exact answer, requiring additional adjustments on reference points).

‘확률과 통계’ 교과서에 제시된 맥락 기반 과제의 학습기회 분석

In this paper, we analyzed the types of tasks presented in the ‘Probability and Statistics’ textbooks and how the cognitive competences required to perform the tasks provide students with opportunity-to-learn. To this end, the analysis of the 9 books of the 'Probability and Statistics' test textbooks according to the 2015 revised mathematics curriculum showed that the context-based tasks ranged from 67.5% to 78.0% of the total number of tasks in each textbook, but the ratio of relevant and essential tasks related to real life is from 0.4% to 2.0%, it was found that most of the context-based tasks presented in the textbooks were disguised as real life materials. The cognitive competences of context-based tasks ranged from 29.6% to 50.0% in reproduction category, from 33.8% to 54.3% in connection category, and from 8.8% to 20.0% in reflection category. As a result, there was not enough opportunity-to-learn for students to experience reflective cognitive processes.

Opportunity-to-Learn to Solve Context-based Mathematics Tasks and Students’ Performance in Solving these Tasks – Lessons from Indonesia

This study investigated whether providing opportunity-to-learn can improve Indonesian students’ performance in solving context-based mathematics tasks. On the basis of an inventory of Indonesian students’ difficulties with these tasks and an analysis of textbooks and classroom practices, an intervention program for mathematics teachers was developed. This program contained tasks with relevant and essential contexts with missing or superfluous information, but without explicitly given mathematical procedures. The program also comprised guidelines for a consultative teaching approach with metacognitive prompts and questions for discussion to promote reflection in class. A field experiment with a pretest-posttest control-group design was carried out in six junior high schools in Indonesia involving 299 eight-graders. Students in the experimental group made significantly more progress on solving context-based mathematics tasks than students in the control group. Furthermore, an analysis of students’ errors revealed that experimental students made significantly fewer task comprehension errors than control students. These results show that providing opportunity-to-learn, that is offering context-based tasks to students, which require mathematical modeling, and having teachers knowing the characteristics of such tasks and using a consultative teaching approach, can improve students’ ability in solving context-based tasks.

Using model-based scaffolds to support students solving context-based chemistry problems

ABSTRACTContext-based learning aims to make learning more meaningful by raising meaningful problems. However, these types of problems often require reflection and thinking processes that are more complex and thus more difficult for students, putting high demands on students’ problem-solving capabilities. In this paper, students’ approaches when solving context-based chemistry problems and effects of systematic scaffolds are analysed based on the Model of Hierarchical Complexity. Most answers were initially assigned to the lowest level of the model; higher levels were reached without scaffolds only by few students and by most students with scaffolds. The results are discussed with regard to practical implications in terms of how teachers could make use of context-based tasks and aligned scaffolds to help students in this activity.

An analysis of context-based similarity tasks in textbooks from Brazil and the United States

ABSTRACTThree textbooks from Brazil and three textbooks from the United States were analysed with a focus on similarity and context-based tasks. Students’ opportunities to learn similarity were examined by considering whether students were provided context-based tasks of high cognitive demand and whether those tasks included missing or superfluous information. Although books in the United States included more tasks, the proportion of tasks focused on similarity were about the same. Context-based similarity tasks accounted for 9%–29% of the similarity tasks, and many of these contextual tasks were of low cognitive demand. In addition, the types of contexts that were included in the textbooks were critiqued and examples provided.

Teachers’ teaching practices and beliefs regarding context-based tasks and their relation with students’ difficulties in solving these tasks

In this study, we investigated teachers’ teaching practices and their underlying beliefs regarding context-based tasks to find a possible explanation for students’ difficulties with these tasks. The research started by surveying 27 Junior High School teachers from seven schools in Indonesia through a written questionnaire. Then, to further examine teachers’ teaching practices related to context-based tasks, four teachers were observed and video recorded in two mathematics lessons in which they were asked to deal with context-based tasks. The questionnaire data revealed that the teachers had a tendency toward a view on teaching and learning mathematics which includes encouraging students to be actively involved in solving problems in various contexts. Although this finding suggests that the teachers may offer opportunities to learn context-based tasks to students, the questionnaire data also revealed that the teachers saw context-based tasks as plain word problems. Furthermore, the observations disclosed that their teaching was mainly teacher-centered and directive, which is not considered to be supportive for learning to solve context-based tasks. Combining the findings of this study with the results from our earlier study on Indonesian students’ errors when solving context-based tasks, we found a relationship between how Indonesian teachers teach context-based tasks and the errors Indonesian students make in solving these tasks. These findings support the conclusion that insufficient opportunity-to-learn to solve context-based tasks offered by teachers is a possible explanation for students’ difficulties in solving these tasks.

Opportunity-to-learn context-based tasks provided by mathematics textbooks

Based on the findings of an error analysis revealing that Indonesian ninth- and tenth-graders had difficulties in solving context-based tasks, we investigated the opportunity-to-learn offered by Indonesian textbooks for solving context-based mathematics tasks and the relation of this opportunity-to-learn to students’ difficulties in solving these tasks. An analysis framework was developed to investigate the characteristics of tasks in textbooks from four perspectives: the type of context used in tasks, the purpose of context-based tasks, the type of information provided in tasks, and the type of cognitive demands of tasks. With this framework, three Indonesian mathematics textbooks were analyzed. Our analysis showed that only about 10 % of the tasks in the textbooks are context-based tasks. Moreover, at least 85 % of these tasks provide exactly the information needed to solve them and do not leave room for students to select relevant information by themselves. Furthermore, of the context-based tasks, 45 % are reproduction tasks requiring performing routine mathematical procedures, 53 % are connection tasks requiring linking different mathematical curriculum strands, and only 2 % are reflection tasks, which are considered as tasks with the highest level of cognitive demand. A linkage between the findings of the error analysis and the textbook analysis suggests that the lacking opportunity-to-learn in Indonesian mathematics textbooks may cause Indonesian students’ difficulties in solving context-based tasks. Based on the results of this study, recommendations are given for improving the opportunities-to-learn to solve context-based tasks as well as for doing further research on this topic.

Analysing task design and students’ responses to context-based problems through different analytical frameworks

Background:Context-based learning approaches are used to enhance students’ interest in, and knowledge about, science. According to different empirical studies, students’ interest is improved by applying these more non-conventional approaches, while effects on learning outcomes are less coherent. Hence, further insights are needed into the structure of context-based problems in comparison to traditional problems, and into students’ problem-solving strategies. Therefore, a suitable framework is necessary, both for the analysis of tasks and strategies.Purpose:The aim of this paper is to explore traditional and context-based tasks as well as students’ responses to exemplary tasks to identify a suitable framework for future design and analyses of context-based problems. The paper discusses different established frameworks and applies the Higher-Order Cognitive Skills/Lower-Order Cognitive Skills (HOCS/LOCS) taxonomy and the Model of Hierarchical Complexity in Chemistry (MHC-C) to analyse traditional tasks and students’ responses.Sample:Upper secondary students (n=236) at the Natural Science Programme, i.e. possible future scientists, are investigated to explore learning outcomes when they solve chemistry tasks, both more conventional as well as context-based chemistry problems.Design and methods:A typical chemistry examination test has been analysed, first the test items in themselves (n=36), and thereafter 236 students’ responses to one representative context-based problem. Content analysis using HOCS/LOCS and MHC-C frameworks has been applied to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data, allowing us to describe different problem-solving strategies.Results:The empirical results show that both frameworks are suitable to identify students’ strategies, mainly focusing on recall of memorized facts when solving chemistry test items. Almost all test items were also assessing lower order thinking. The combination of frameworks with the chemistry syllabus has been found successful to analyse both the test items as well as students’ responses in a systematic way. The framework can therefore be applied in the design of new tasks, the analysis and assessment of students’ responses, and as a tool for teachers to scaffold students in their problem-solving process.Conclusions:This paper gives implications for practice and for future research to both develop new context-based problems in a structured way, as well as providing analytical tools for investigating students’ higher order thinking in their responses to these tasks.

Analysis of Errors in Student Solutions of Context-Based Mathematical Tasks

Analysis of Errors in Student Solutions of Context-Based Mathematical Tasks

Difficulties in solving context-based PISA mathematics tasks: An analysis of students’ errors

The intention of this study was to clarify students’ difficulties in solving context-based mathematics tasks as used in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The study was carried out with 362 Indonesian ninth- and tenth-grade students. In the study we used 34 released PISA mathematics tasks including three task types: reproduction, connection, and reflection. Students’ difficulties were identified by using Newman’s error categories, which were connected to the modeling process described by Blum and Leiss and to the PISA stages of mathematization, including (1) comprehending a task, (2) transforming the task into a mathematical problem, (3) processing mathematical procedures, and (4) interpreting or encoding the solution in terms of the real situation. Our data analysis revealed that students made most mistakes in the first two stages of the solution process. Out of the total amount of errors 38% of them has to do with understanding the meaning of the context-based tasks. These comprehension errors particularly include the selection of relevant information. In transforming a context-based task into a mathematical problem 42% of the errors were made. Less errors were made in mathematical processing and encoding the answers. These types of errors formed respectively 17% and 3% of the total amount of errors. Our study also revealed a significant relation between the error types and the task types. In reproduction tasks, mostly comprehension errors (37%) and transformation errors (34%) were made. Also in connection tasks students made mostly comprehension errors (41%) and transformation errors (43%). However, in reflection tasks mostly transformation errors (66%) were made. Furthermore, we also found a relation between error types and student performance levels. Low performing students made a higher number of comprehension and transformation errors than high performing students. This finding indicates that low performing students might already get stuck in the early stages of the modeling process and are unable to arrive in the stage of carrying out mathematical procedures when solving a context-based task.

How Mood and Task Complexity Affect Children's Recognition of Others' Emotions

Previous studies examined how mood affects children's accuracy in matching emotional expressions and labels (label-based tasks). This study was the first to assess how induced mood (positive, neutral, or negative) influenced 5- to 8-year-olds' accuracy and reaction time using both context-based tasks, which required inferring a character's emotion from a vignette, and label-based tasks. Both tasks required choosing one of four facial expressions to respond. Children responded more accurately to label-based questions relative to context-based questions at 5 to 7 years of age, but showed no differences at 8 years of age, and when the emotional expression being identified was happiness, sadness, or surprise, but not disgust. For the context-based questions, children were more accurate at inferring sad and disgusted emotions compared to happy and surprised emotions. Induced positive mood facilitated 5-year-olds' processing (decreased reaction time) in both tasks compared to induced negative and neutral moods. Results demonstrate how task type and children's mood influence children's emotion processing at different ages.

Integration of Reward-Based and Context-Based Decision Making in Human Prefrontal Cortex

Event Abstract Back to Event Integration of Reward-Based and Context-Based Decision Making in Human Prefrontal Cortex S. Duverne1* and E. Koechlin1 1 INSERM, Ecole normale superieure , Canada The lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) implements task selection based on contextual information, whereas medial PFC is involved in selection based on reward information. Little is known, however, on how reward-based and context-based selection processes are integrated together. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we recorded brain activity in twenty-three participants responding to letter stimuli by choosing between two tasks based on either contextual cues or variable reward history associated with each task. We found that the lateral PFC regions were involved in both reward-based and context-based task selection. Reward-based trials, however, involved additional medial PFC regions, while lateral PFC activations increased in reward-compared to context-based trials. The results suggest that medial PFC regions contribute to decision-making by biasing selection processes in the lateral PFC according to rewarding values of task-sets, while lateral PFC integrates contextual and motivational signals to achieve task-set selection underlying executive control of behavior. Conference: The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes, Toronto, Canada, 22 Mar - 26 Mar, 2010. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Cognitive Neuroscience Citation: Duverne S and Koechlin E (2010). Integration of Reward-Based and Context-Based Decision Making in Human Prefrontal Cortex. Conference Abstract: The 20th Annual Rotman Research Institute Conference, The frontal lobes. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2010.14.00103 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 29 Jun 2010; Published Online: 29 Jun 2010. * Correspondence: S. Duverne, INSERM, Ecole normale superieure, Paris, Canada, sandrine.duverne@ens.fr Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers S. Duverne E. Koechlin Google S. Duverne E. Koechlin Google Scholar S. Duverne E. Koechlin PubMed S. Duverne E. Koechlin Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.