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      Dynamic assessment of learning potential of Indian adolescents in algebra

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      Scissons_mary_1989.pdf (5.776Mb)
      Date
      1989-07-23
      Author
      Scissons, Mary Bridgid Alice
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      The purpose of the present study was to use an alternate psychoeducational assessment method to examine learning potential of Indian students in an academic domain, specifically Algebra. The study examined six Indian adolescents early in their Year Seven Mathematics. For the purpose of this study, the students were classified as achievers or non-achievers based on Canadian Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) grade equivalent scores, and Grade 7 Mathematics marks on the First Report Card. A cross-case analysis of verbal and nonverbal protocol data gathered from the six Indian achieving and non-achieving Grade Seven students, and reduced through use of a technique developed by Giorgi, yielded information regarding the subjects' internalization processes of algebraic concepts. Vygotsky's zone of proximal development methodology, which was employed in the study, permitted the researcher to investigate processes used by the students during learning, maintenance, and near and far transfer tasks. While verbal and nonverbal communication styles appeared to distinguish achieving from non-achieving students, those same traits did not seem to affect efficiency in problem solving as observed during the present study. Other characteristics such as language usage, questioning techniques, and risk taking were the traits which most clearly affected the students' problem solving skills. During the present study, formal metacognitive data proved hard to collect. This may be attributed to the reluctance of some students to participate in the questioning, and to the difficulty other students experienced In understanding the questions. All students had difficulty at some stage of the study in generating a rule to explain how they had solved the problems. The results of the present study indicated that there were qualitative differences in problem solving between subjects. Those qualitative differences did not follow a pattern of achievement versus non-achievement as delineated by CTBS scores and classroom evaluation in Mathematics. Zone proximal development methodology provided a process assessment which uncovered learning potential profiles that were masked by static standardized tests.
      Degree
      Master of Education (M.Ed.)
      Department
      Education of Exceptional Children
      Program
      Education of Exceptional Children
      Supervisor
      Robertson, Gladene
      Committee
      Shrofel, Salina; Bloom, Barbara
      Copyright Date
      July 1989
      URI
      http://hdl.handle.net/10388/etd-07042007-142951
      Subject
      native education
      zone of proximal development
      assessment of learning potential
      indian students - learning styles
      algebra problem solving ability
      ZPD
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      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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