A Study On The Conceptions Of Mathematics Study Of Junior High School Students

At present,a new turn of basic education reform has already been launched in a nationwide scale. The biggest difference of the curriculum reform is that not only there is enormous adjustment in curriculum system but also the reform reflects a revolutionary change education thoughts, namely, through the curriculum reform teachers'teaching approaches and students'learning approaches are urged to be changed fundamentally so that the school teaching can step onto the track of quality education in a real sense. The new curriculum reform proposes many new education ideas. As to learning approaches, it requires autonomy, exploration and cooperation, which causes great changes to classroom teaching in high schools. Under this background, students'conception of mathematics study also undertakes great changes.This research is for the purpose of investigating the conceptions of mathematics study held by junior high school students who join in the new curriculum reform and understanding the dimensions and current situation of junior high school students'conceptions of mathematics study and also the differences of math-learning conceptions between junior high school students of different grades, genders, cities, schools, and achievements. The goal is to cause the teachers to reflect upon their to own mathematics teaching and to provide some references for mathematics-teaching reform in junior high school.This research takes students from junior high school students in Changchun and Jilin as the objects of study and uses the self-made "Mathematics Study Conception Meter for Junior High Students" to conduct the research on the conception of mathematics study of the Grade-Three junior high school students. This meter divides into three dimensions: conception of the attitude towards mathematics study, conception of the nature of mathematics knowledge, conception of the process of mathematics study. After examining, this meter has proved to possess good validity and reliability and is qualified to be the research instrument of this paper. The findings indicated that, the mathematics study processes of students of Changchun and Jilin tend to be structuralist. Although they are not quite interested in math learning, yet they know well that math knowledge is changing and developing all the time and is inter-related. Even when they learn in a receptive way, they still pay attention to independent learning. Differences grades exert great influence upon conception of the nature of mathematics knowledge and conception of the process of mathematics study. As the grade rises, students'conceptions of mathematics study become more and more structuralist. Gender also remarkably influences students'conceptions of the attitude towards mathematics study and conceptions of the process of mathematics study. Girl students'conceptions of mathematics studyv are better than that of boys. City difference also affects students'conceptions of mathematics study and the differences are quite salient between schools in different cities, that is to say, the development of cities and the rank of schools have great influence upon students'conceptions of mathematics study. Junior high school students'performance in math learning also affect their conceptions of mathematics study.Based upon the results above, teachers should pay attention to guarantee free activity for students, enhance communication, lessen students'pressure properly and enable students to have fun in math learning.