期刊名称：International Journal of Social Sciences and Education
印刷版ISSN：2227-393X
电子版ISSN：2223-4934
出版年度：2012
卷号：3
期号：1
出版社：Federal College of Education
摘要：If students under stand and properly communicate using math symbols and notation, their achiev ement in math might improve (Rubenstein & T hompson, 2001). This study inv estigated how the us e of mathematical s ymbols influences unders tanding of math concepts by secondary s chool students in Shurugwi District (Z imbabwe). Convenience s ampling (for the dis trict), simple random s ampling (for the schools), judgemental sampling (for the teachers) and s tratified r andom sampling with propor tional allocation (for the students ) wer e used. T he s ample included six s chools, 120 "O" level students, 27 "A" level students and 7 teachers of those students. The "O" lev el students completed questionnaires and were interviewed as a group at each of the 6 selected schools. "A" level students wrote a diagnostic test and were later inter viewed as a gr oup while the teachers were individually inter viewed. It was found that most s tudents fail to under stand or interpret the meaning of math symbols due to the way they ar e taught to read, pronounce and use them. This misus e (and als o abuse) of symbols may considerably hinder formation, understanding and communication of concepts and might affect achievement; the final outcome desir ed. T eachers are therefore sens itized on appr opriate strategies to take to overcome students' difficulties on the us e of s ymbols. T he str ategies include informed choice of the main class room textbook to us e, integration of math with other subjects and a firmer grasp of the subject matter and its pedagogy
关键词：S ymb ols; symb olism; no tatio n; misuse; a buse; in fluen ce; maths con cepts
