Dissertation Abstract

 

 

 

An Investigation In The Use Of Semiotic To Analyze Manipulative-Based Activities Recommended For The Teaching Of Middle School Mathematics

by

Sondra Johnson Yarbrough

 

Degree:           Ph.D.

Year:             2001

Pages:            00172

Institution:      The University of Alabama; 0004

Advisor:          Dennis W. Sunal, Vivian R. Moody

 

Source:           DAI, 62, no. 09A (2001): p. 2997

Standard No:      ISBN:             0-493-39263-7

 

The semiotic developed by Charles S. Peirce was used to examine ways in which a theory of signs can inform mathematics educators in regard to the use of manipulatives as representations of mathematical concepts. Peirce's theory of signs, including the ten classes of signs found in his semiotic, was described as a part of this study. Activities recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics for teaching mathematics at the middle school level were selected and analyzed in accordance with Peirce's semiotic. Semiosical characteristics of the manipulative-based activities were identified and the ways in which the manipulatives represent mathematics were classified according to the ten classes of signs. The analysis indicated that examining manipulative-based activities from a semiosical perspective can illuminate some general characteristics of manipulative use, aid in the identification of important features of individual activities, and add clarity to the discourse on the use of manipulatives as representations of mathematics.

 

SUBJECT(S)

Descriptor:       EDUCATION, MATHEMATICS

EDUCATION, SECONDARY

Accession No:     AAI3027392

Provider:        OCLC

Database:         Dissertations