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ABSTRACT. This article reports the results of a study that investigated pre-service
mathematics teachers’ modelling processes in terms of representational fluency in a modelling
activity related to a cassette player. A qualitative approach was used in the data collection
process. Students’ individual and group written responses to the mathematical modelling
activity, video-taped and transcribed group discussions, and classroom observations, were the
main sources of data. This study was conducted during the spring semester in 2010. Fifty-five
pre-service teachers were the participants in the study. Systematic coding and descriptive
statistics were used in analysing the data. The data showed that a difficulty with modelling was
closely related to the difficulty in the transformation of semiotic representations. During the
modelling process, the two types of transformations, which were the treatments within a register
and conversions between registers, occurred concurrently. In addition, the challenging and
motivating nature of the modelling process in terms of directing participants to form consistent
transformations between and within different representation registers was observed.
INTRODUCTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
2003; Lingefjärd, 2002; Schorr & Lesh, 2003). The study by Zbiek &
Conner (2006) on mathematical modelling activities provided pre-service
teachers with the opportunity to deeper learning of curricular mathematics
and the motivation to learn new curricular mathematics.
We could not find any study focusing directly on modelling and
representational fluency. However, a few studies investigated representa-
tional fluency in problem solving and some specific content domains. Elia,
Gagatsis, and Demetriou (2007) have investigated the possible effects of
introducing the problem with different modes of representations (e.g.
pictures, in spoken language or words and symbols) on young students’
problem solving performances. Translation of a problem situation into
another mode of representational system was the main difficulty and this was
interpreted as a significant factor influencing students’ problem solving
performances by the authors. In addition, some research studies in specific
content domains such as algebraic equations (Suh & Moyer, 2007),
derivative (Santos & Thomas, 2001) and functions (Elia, Panaoura,
Eracleus & Gagatsis, 2007) have investigated how the flexible use of
multiple representations determines students’ understanding of particular
mathematical topics. In these studies, conceptual understanding of a concept
is associated with fluency in operating between different representations.
This study, as a part of a method course covering teaching methods
in mathematics, one of which is mathematical modelling, investigates
pre-service teachers’ use of multiple representations in the modelling
process. We do not directly deal with pre-service teachers’ pedagogical
developments related to modelling. Pre-service teachers’ ways of
thinking and the difficulties which appeared during a modelling
activity are investigated from the perspective of the transformation of
representations.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Mathematical Modelling
As discussed previously, the term mathematical modelling is the process of
mathematizing, interpreting, verifying, revising and generalizing real-life
situations or complex systems. However, there is not a homogeneous
INVESTIGATING REPRESENTATIONAL FLUENCY
Representational Fluency
Lesh’s translation model suggests that mathematical ideas can be represented
in different modes, which include pictures, real-life contexts, verbal symbols
and written symbols (cited in Cramer, 2003). According to this model, the
ability to represent mathematical ideas in multiple ways and the ability to
translate within and between different modes of representations are the
indicators of meaningful understanding. The ability to establish meaningful
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
Representational fluency includes the ability to translate across representations, the ability
to draw meaning about a mathematical entity from different representations of that
mathematical entity, and the ability to generalize across different representations. (p.1192)
METHODOLOGY
A qualitative approach is used in the data collection and data analysis process.
A case study method is used to make an in-depth examination of the
transformation of representations through the modelling process (Cohen,
Manion & Morrison, 2000).
Participants
The study was conducted with 55 pre-service secondary mathematics
teachers attending a 2-year mathematics teacher certification program in a
state university in Istanbul. All the participants are graduates from a 4-year
mathematics major during which they had completed about 25 mathematics
courses and attended a 2-year certification program for becoming mathe-
matics teachers in high schools. The research was conducted in the
“Teaching Methods in Mathematics Education” course in the 2010 spring
semester. Modelling activities are included in the content of the course for
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
Consider an ordinary cassette placed in a tape recorder. When the tape is played, it is
transferred from one reel to the other at a constant speed. Try to explain the changes in
the radii of the roll of the tape on both reels mathematically.
Note: The figure was not provided to participants during the implementation.
We have to mention the concepts and processes that will be required in
the solution process as the pre-analysis for the task. In this problem,
participants are expected to explain the working system of a tape recorder
mathematically. The problem seems so simple that everyone at any grade
can say something about it. However, higher order mathematical and
physical concepts are included in the problem too. Any student at earlier
grades can explain the working system in words, something like “the
radius of one of reels increases while the other’s radius decreases”, and
come to learn something about an application of the concept of an inverse
INVESTIGATING REPRESENTATIONAL FLUENCY
Data Analysis
In the analysis of data, at first, the pre-service teachers’ individual and group
written solutions, and the transcribed videotaped group discussions were
carefully examined by the researchers to obtain a general sense of the data.
Later, we began the detailed analysis with a coding process by which the data
was organized and prepared for generating descriptions with regard to the
transformation of representations in the modelling process (Creswel, 2003). The
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
codes were formed by analysing written solutions and the annotated group
discussion. Two researchers coded the data separately at first and later the
common coding was decided in agreement. The coding and categories were
determined for two domains, which were the iconic representations and other
semiotic representations, collated separately. The codes were developed by the
authors in agreement and checked by an external researcher. Descriptive
statistics (frequency tables) were used for narrating and representing the themes
of the data within each coding system, and the qualitative data, supported with
episodes from group discussions, were provided. The episodes from the group
discussions and individual written solutions quoted were translated from
Turkish to English by the researchers and checked by an experienced translator
who was also an academic staff member. All the participants were assigned a
number from 1 to 55 and the codes S1 to S55 were used in place of their names.
RESULTS
The reporting of the results starts with the descriptive data showing
participants’ preferences for various semiotic representations along with
their usage frequencies. We also provide descriptive data for the transfor-
mation of semiotic representations by also evaluating the consistency of
semiotic representations along with the mathematical object that were used
to be described. We also provided qualitative data from group discussions
and solution reports to better articulate the dynamics of the transformation of
semiotic representations during the modelling processes.
Pictorial Representation
Participants created a picture of the cassette player to better visualize the
situation during individual and group work. From Duval’s (2006) semiotic
representation perspective, pictures created by participants are iconic represen-
tations resulting from the non-discursive operations in multi-functional registers.
Four different kinds of iconic representation of the cassette player appeared in
individual and group solutions (Table 1). When we looked at these iconic
representations provided by the pre-service teachers, we observed different
pictures showing completely different mechanical systems when compared to
the true system of a playing cassette. The visual appearance and explanations of
the categories are as follows:
These different pictures express completely different mechanical
systems. When the working system of a cassette player is considered,
the reels on both side turn in the same direction, there is a transfer from
INVESTIGATING REPRESENTATIONAL FLUENCY
TABLE 1
The categories of pictorial representations provided by participants
Coding of Description of categories Pictorial representations of
Categories categories
one side to the other and there is a change in radius, and in angular speed
of the reels on both sides. Only picture 3 conveys these ideas at the same
time. Therefore, the iconic representations coded as P1, P2 and P4 do not
represent the true working system of a tape recorder.
As can be seen in Table 2, 33 % of all pre-service teachers did not provide an
iconic representation, and so 67 % of them drew a picture. Only 38 % of the pre-
service teachers provided a correct picture of the situation that is coded as P3. In
group work, 60 % of groups provided the correct picture of the situation. This
shows that pre-service teachers benefitted from these iconic representations at
the beginning of the mathematical analysis of the changes in the radii of the
reels.
TABLE 2
Percentages of pictorial representations
P1 P2 P3 (correct) P4 NR
Individual (N=55) 4 9 38 16 33
Group (N=15) 0 20 60 13 7
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
TABLE 3
Conversion of semiotic representations used by participants to graphical form
Coding of Description of categories Graphical representations of categories
Categories
M1 The representation fits the Model 1
(In natural language: There is a linear
relationship between two radii as a function of
time)
TABLE 4
Percentages of representations used in individual and group studies
Semiotic representations
Nind =55
Ngrp =15 Verbal Graphical Algebraic Tabular
In Gr In Gr In Gr In Gr
M1 51 27 25 13 13 27 0 6
M2 0 6 5 13 0 0 0 0
M3 18 27 2 13 7 13 2 0
M4 2 0 2 0 7 0 0 0
M2-M3 4 20 11 20 0 0 0 0
Total 75 80 45 60 27 40 2 6
NR 25 20 55 40 73 60 98 94
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
Figure 3. Graphing as M2
S5: Hmmm, then (pointing to the second reel) the graph should be symmetrical with this
(concave upward) one? (indicating dashed curve on Fig. 4) (Converting verbal to graph
and revisiting the graph)
…When reel A turns an “α” degree angle, it releases the length of the “x” unit band in “t”
times. Reel B has to wrap this band (having a length of an “x” unit) also in “t” times. If we
consider that reel B wrapped this length by turning a “β” angle, it is clear that β 9 α. So,
the angles α and β are directly proportional to the speeds of both reels. An increasing
change in the speed of reel A and a decreasing change in the speed of reel B will continue
until the radius of both reels becomes equal. The instantaneous speeds will be equal at the
time the radii become equal, and later the wrapping process will continue where reel A
will be faster than reel B. The important point here is that the speed of the band is different
from the turning speed of the reels. (S10, Episode from individual written report,
translated from Turkish)
ALI DELICE AND MAHMUT KERTIL
The cassette activity revealed that the pre-service teachers had many
difficulties with the transformation of semiotic representations, which
resulted in difficulty in mathematical modelling. To visualize the
mechanical system of a cassette player, most of the participants started
the activity by drawing iconic representations most of which were
inappropriate for indicating the real situation. Verbal explanations from
the multi-functional register were commonly used in individual written
reports and during group discussions. In individual reports, the partici-
pants’ inability to convert the verbal explanation to a graphical or
symbolic form was observed. In addition, some inappropriate implica-
tions were drawn between the semiotic representations and the real
situation. The number of representations used in individual and group
INVESTIGATING REPRESENTATIONAL FLUENCY
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
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Ali Delice
Atatürk Faculty of Education, Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education
Department
Marmara University
Kadikoy, Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail: alidelice@marmara.edu.tr
Mahmut Kertil
Secondary School Science and Mathematics Education Department
Marmara University
Kadikoy, Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail: mkertil@marmara.edu.tr