Papers by Marianna Tzekaki
The aim of this study is to investigate how a teaching intervention that familiarizes pre-schoole... more The aim of this study is to investigate how a teaching intervention that familiarizes pre-schoolers in the four-steps process of problem solving improves their problem-solving skills. The problemsolving skills of 20 preschool children, attending a public kindergarten, were assessed before and after the intervention by task-based interviews on three problems. Results indicates that preschool children can advance their skills and become better problem solvers when they get familiar with PS's four-steps process of better understanding a problem, devising a solution plan, carrying out the plan, and checking the outcome, while working with their peers on challenging problems.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Feb 1, 2017
ion and generalization, lying at the heart of mathematical activity, attract the interest of many... more ion and generalization, lying at the heart of mathematical activity, attract the interest of many researchers who mostly examine generalizing processes in patterns and algebra. Given that earlier approaches questioned the possibility of developing generalizing capabilities in early ages, in our research we attempt to examine if an appropriate teaching intervention could change this initial assumption. For the needs of this work, 23 preschoolers participated in a seven months teaching intervention with relevant tasks in various topics: figures, patterns, measures and numbers. In this paper only for length measurement is presented. The children were pre and post examined in tests designed to examine their knowledge and initial generalizing abilities in this topic. The results indicated that their long-term involvement helped these young children to improve their abilities to (a) reflect on their own activity, (b) express their ideas and (c) reach to some concluding remarks, first related to their own personal experiences and later to more general thoughts.
FIGURES AND THEIR DRAWING PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE FOR INTRODUCING GEOMETRIC CONCEPTS. THE FACT TH... more FIGURES AND THEIR DRAWING PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE FOR INTRODUCING GEOMETRIC CONCEPTS. THE FACT THAT DRAWING ACTIVITIES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE WAY STUDENTS APPREHEND AND INTERPRET GEOMETRIC INFORMATION HAS LED US TO DESIGN AND DEVELOP AN ORIGINAL MICROCOMPUTER PROGRAM OF GEOMETRIC CONSTRUCTIONS. WE INTENDED TO CREATEA SPECIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OF GEOMETRIC CONSTRUCTION WHICH INTRODUCES RESTRICTIONS IN THE DRAWING ACTIVITY ATTEMPTING TO MAKE STUDENTS COMPREHEND THE THEORETICAL CONSTRUCTION WITH THE RYLER AND THE COMPASS. IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THE VALIDITY OF THIS ASSUMPTION WE HAVE OBSERVED STUDENTS WHO HAD BEEN INITIATED TO THE PROGRAM AND DREW FIGURES BY APPLYING IT. BEFORE THAT, STUDENTS HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO DRAW THE SAME FIGURES IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY AND TO DEPICT THEIR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN A, SO CALLED, "CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM". THESE THREE ACTIVITIES WERE TESTED IN ELEVEN FIGURES WHICH HAD BEEN SPECIFICALLY SELECTED FOR THISPURPOSE. THE STUDENTS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN...
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Feb 6, 2019
Research in the field of early arithmetic and relevant international educational programs present... more Research in the field of early arithmetic and relevant international educational programs present a variety of approaches (activities, tasks and material) that aim at teaching children from early age to count verbally or count quantities or to recognize and compare without counting, etc. However, a deeper insight into underlying arithmetic thinking, reasoning and early generalization always remains required. In our study, 23 preschoolers (of 5 to 6 years) participated in a program focusing on generalizing in early arithmetic. Task-based interviews before and after this program were conducted to examine children's improvement in conceptual development and generalization related to numbers. Findings indicate that appropriated teaching approaches with relevant tasks and discussion supported children to extract more general ideas about numbers, their properties and interrelations.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Feb 2, 2022
This paper attempts to summarize the research related to patterning in early childhood (4-8 years... more This paper attempts to summarize the research related to patterning in early childhood (4-8 years). In doing so, the basic concepts, rationales, methods, and findings are systematized to provide a foundation for forthcoming design. The purpose of this presentation and the suggested discussion is not to present new data but to systematize existing as a guide for future research.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Feb 6, 2019
Proceedings of the 37th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 2013
Teachers' interventions during pupils' engagement with a mathematical task in the class... more Teachers' interventions during pupils' engagement with a mathematical task in the classroom affect considerably the mathematical meaning constructed by the latter. In the present study, a categorization of these interventions is attempted and then used to analyze teaching episodes. The results of this analysis indicate that the dominant interventions are of a very directive character and often initiated by the teacher, thus canceling students' initiatives.
ZDM, 2008
The present work reports on an attempt to empirically identify the epistemological status of math... more The present work reports on an attempt to empirically identify the epistemological status of mathematical knowledge interactively constituted in the classroom. To this purpose, three relevant theoretical constructs are employed in order to analyze two lessons provided by two secondary school teachers. The aim of these analyses was to enable a comparative reading of the nature of the mathematical knowledge under construction. The results show that each of these three perspectives allows access to specific features of this knowledge, which do not coincide. Moreover, when considered simultaneously, the three perspectives offer a rather informed view of the status of the knowledge at hand.
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 1997
The present study is classified within the framework of investigations of the pedagogical quality... more The present study is classified within the framework of investigations of the pedagogical quality of physical space, which can combine the space of the learning process and generally the space of the child's development. Physical space is considered as a material unit which forms for the child:•a material space of daily life, resulting from the sociocultural processes and exists independently
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 1996
... Ainsi, notre dtude essaie d' appr~hender la logique particuliOre des jeunes enfants, en ... more ... Ainsi, notre dtude essaie d' appr~hender la logique particuliOre des jeunes enfants, en se centrant sur leurs explications relatives aux ... los nifios y nifias generalmente construyen un sistema de pensamiento 'coherente' y 'logico', que estd directamente ligado a su experiencia. ...
The aim of this study is to provide a deeper insight related to the features of mathematical acti... more The aim of this study is to provide a deeper insight related to the features of mathematical activity in early childhood. In general, preschoolers are encouraged to get involved in tasks, games or situations with mathematical objects or content, e.g., to measure a distance, or to count a number of objects, to recognize shapes or find the next element in a pattern, in order to develop initial mathematical ideas. However, whether young children think or act mathematically or develop mathematical concepts depends on how thinking and acting mathematically are considered. In this study, we first attempt to specify the characteristics of genuine mathematical activity in early years and then to emphasize the importance of generalization as an essential component of this activity. Finally, we present examples and results of teaching practices supporting generalization. The study is based on research findings used to clarify suggestions, but it is not a research study.
Research on classroom teaching practices is mainly focused on teachers' knowledge, beliefs an... more Research on classroom teaching practices is mainly focused on teachers' knowledge, beliefs and practices paying limited attention to a crucial aspect of the instructional activity, that is, on the mathematical meaning constructed in the classroom. The present study examines three highly motivated and professionally active primary teachers' instructional practices and their reflections on them in an attempt to identify critical elements shaping classroom mathematical meaning construction. The results show that all three teachers, intentionally or not, make instructional choices, which tend to restrict the mathematical meaning under negotiation. These choices could be attributed to their desire to provide children with an 'easy', 'safe' and 'pleasant' learning environment.
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Papers by Marianna Tzekaki