The effect of integrating elements of history of mathematics on students' attitude towards mathematics. (c2005)

Abstract

This pilot study is divided into two parts. The first is a qualitative action research that studies the effect of using mathematics history elements on students' attitudes towards mathematics in an eighth grade at a private school in Beirut. The participants are 14 female Lebanese students. The researcher coordinated with the teacher the use of historical anecdotes and problems, and general historical knowledge while explaining two new mathematics chapters. The researcher used observations, interviews, and test grades to detect any change in students' attitudes. The results of this action research show that there is a positive change in students' attitudes towards mathematics chapters when appended with mathematics history elements. Based on the results of this action research, the researcher developed two mathematics chapters: "Pythagoras' Theorem" and "Equations". The researcher depends on the Lebanese official curriculum textbook Building Up Mathematics.