Search

Toulmin's argumentation model is an effective tool in the description of one step of an argument. However, there is a need to consider more than this model to portray a comprehensive argumentation process. The purpose of the study is to investigate types of global argumentation structures that emerged while prospective middle school mathematics teachers were working on conjecture-generation activities related to geometry. The participants were junior prospective middle school mathematics teachers at a state university in Ankara, Turkey. The eight global argumentation structures that emerged via conjecture-generation activities of two groups were classified as mono structures and hybrid structures. According to the findings, three types of mono structures, which are the reservoir-structure, the funneling-structure, and the branching-structure, were seen among four possible cases. Three types of hybrid structures were observed among eleven possible combinations of the mono structures, namely, the reservoir-funneling-structure, the line-branching-structure, and the line-reservoir-branching-structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to investigate the statistical literacy of seventh grade students regarding the concepts of average and variation on bar and line graphs presented in alternative real-life contexts. To this end, the statistical literacy levels of the seventh grade students were initially determined. Subsequently, definitions, interpretations and evaluations generated by the students at varying levels of statistical literacy were examined in further depth. More specifically, a qualitative survey study was conducted with 164 seventh graders from two public middle schools in Ankara, Turkey. The data, collected by means of a-five-item instrument, were analyzed by utilizing the modified version of the six-hierarchical-level framework developed by Watson and Callingham (Statistics Education Research Journal, 2(2), 3–46, 2003). The findings revealed that most of the students' statistical literacy levels were identified as either Level 3 or Level 4 in the framework with respect to the concept of average, and either Level 1 or Level 2 with respect to the concept of variation. Hence, it can be inferred that while many of the students could interpret average in the given contexts, they had difficulty in interpreting variation. Although definitions and evaluations related to both concepts were found difficult by seventh graders, the graphs, particularly bar graphs, which students were provided with, were observed to be helpful for students in their evaluation of variation. Additionally, students benefitted from some of the contexts they were provided while evaluating variation. Finally, the analysis revealed some discrepancies among students' definitions and their interpretations or evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the nature of global argumentation structures of prospective middle school mathematics teachers in a technology enhanced environment. A qualitative case study was conducted with 8 participants from an Elementary Mathematics Education undergraduate program of one of the public universities in Ankara. Two implementations, 1 of which included 2 geometry tasks on triangles and another which included 2 geometry tasks based on circles, were conducted. Subsequently, global argumentation structures were revealed via data analysis. The findings indicated that the prospective middle school mathematics teachers resort frequently to simple global argumentation structures since their mathematical reasoning was insufficient. On the other hand, technology had a positive impact on argument construction and global argumentation structures of prospective middle school mathematics teachers. However, it was deduced that prospective middle school mathematics teachers need to be challenged on argumentation and about how to facilitate argumentation effectively in their future classroom experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]