• Login
    View Item 
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   Home
    • Massey Documents by Type
    • Theses and Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Number sense in secondary school pupils : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies (Mathematics) at Massey University

    Icon
    View/Open Full Text
    01_front.pdf (3.193Mb)
    02_whole.pdf (20.31Mb)
    Export to EndNote
    Abstract
    Number sense refers to a quantitative appreciation of numbers and an ability to perform calculations in creative and original ways. A pupil with number sense will not be bound by learnt procedures when calculating, instead he/she will be able to create self-made solutions that reflect a good understanding of numbers and flexible ways of using operations on them. Number sense development is now recognised as an integral component in the syllabi of many western countries and is promoted as an appropriate and productive way of teaching mathematics. Much of number sense revolves around computational mathematics, at which New Zealand pupils, on a comparative international basis, do not rate highly. This study examines the number sense of a range of New Zealand secondary school-aged pupils by means of a questionnaire, and the processes that pupils use when performing calculations by a series of interviews. Affective factors that have influenced a pupil's mathematical development have also been studied. The qualitative and quantitative data generated enables judgements to be made about the development of number sense and what factors affect this development. Results suggest that many pupils have had little experience with some of the computational aspects of number sense (estimation and mental arithmetic), only partly appreciate the potential of the distributive principle in numerical calculations and are too locked into algorithmic type solutions. By contrast, pupils with well developed number sense demonstrate good number operation knowledge which they employ in a variety of creative ways when solving problems. Indications are that the foundations for this expertise are put in place at an early age by examining the properties of numbers, performing number drill exercises and validating the processes so that a sense making aspect is built into mathematics education.
    Date
    1998
    Author
    Johnston, Noel Francis
    Rights
    The Author
    Publisher
    Massey University
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10179/12848
    Collections
    • Theses and Dissertations
    Metadata
    Show full item record

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1
     

     

    Tweets by @Massey_Research
    Information PagesContent PolicyDepositing content to MROCopyright and Access InformationDeposit LicenseDeposit License SummaryTheses FAQFile FormatsDoctoral Thesis Deposit

    Browse

    All of MROCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Copyright © Massey University
    | Contact Us | Feedback | Copyright Take Down Request | Massey University Privacy Statement
    DSpace software copyright © Duraspace
    v5.7-2020.1-beta1