Integration of computer science and mathematics in upper secondary school: Reflections and realizations

Upper secondary school years have been considered as a critical period for attracting students into future science-related majors and careers; yet, Cambodia is facing a worrisome decline trend in the students’ choice of science track. Through the lens of the making of engineers and scientists conceptual framework, the study aims to investigate the factors affecting Cambodian upper secondary school students’ choice of science track. With self-rating questionnaire survey, which randomly covered 751 11th graders in nine upper secondary schools in three provinces of Cambodia, the researcher collected data on three significant factors namely individual ability and personality, family background and encouragement, and upper secondary school experience and support. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that performance in science and mathematics subjects, attitude towards science, plan to major in STEM, time spent self-studying in science and mathematics subjects, family encouragement, mother’s education, and school location significantly predicted students’ choice of science track. Some important implications for pedagogical orientation were also discussed.

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A Synergy between History of Mathematics and Mathematics Education: A Possible Path from Geometry to Symbolic Algebra

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci10090243 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 243 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emilia Florio

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

Secondary School Students ◽

History Of Mathematics ◽

Upper Secondary School ◽

Analytic Geometry ◽

School Students ◽

Symbolic Algebra ◽

Upper Secondary ◽

History Of ◽

And Mathematics

This paper proposes an experimental path aimed at guiding upper secondary school students to overcome that discontinuity, often perceived by them, between learning geometry and learning algebra. This path contributes to making students aware of how the algebraic language, formalized in the most powerful form by Descartes, grafts itself onto the geometric language. This is realized by introducing a problem included in a text written by Abū Kāmil before the year 870. This awareness acquired by the students, when accompanied by some semiotic considerations, allows the translation of the problem from “spoken” algebra to “symbolic” algebra, and it represents the background for a possible use of the same problem within the framework of analytic geometry. This proposition manifests a didactic and popular efficacy that supports and favors the recognition of the object it is talking about in different contexts, helping to create a unitary vision of mathematics.

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TIMSS Advanced 2008: Fall i fysikk-kompetanse i Norge og Sverige

Nordic Studies in Science Education ◽

10.5617/nordina.244 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 17-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Carl Angell ◽

Svein Lie ◽

Anubha Rohatgi

Keyword(s):

Secondary School ◽

School Level ◽

Upper Secondary School ◽

Upper Secondary ◽

Secondary School Level ◽

International Comparative ◽

And Mathematics ◽

And Algebra ◽

Timss Advanced ◽

Mathematics And Science

TIMSS Advanced 2008 is an international comparative study, and deals with examining student achievement in mathematics and physics in the final year at upper secondary school. The theme of this article is to look at how Norwegian and Swedish students performed in physics in 2008 compared to the study conducted in 1995. The results from the TIMSS Advanced study provide an unambiguous picture. There is a significant decline in the performance in physics since the previous study in 1995 for both Norwegian and Swedish students. One important reason is related to the generally low level of results in science and mathematics at all levels in schools as shown by the downward trend for students in lower grades. The decline in physics performance can thus be explained by the fact that students with significantly weaker skills than before in mathematics and science come into upper secondary school. Lack of knowledge of basic arithmetic and algebra seems to be a contributing factor for this downwards trend in physics at upper secondary school level.

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