Senior Middle School Students' Understanding Of The Concept & The Measurement Of The Volume

Through questionnaire survey and interviews, senior middle school students' understanding of the volume concept and volume measurement is investigated in the study.It is found that most high school students'understanding of the concept of the volume remains in the definition memory stage and is not accurate and comprehensive. They have a better understanding of volumes of measurable objects but are confused with the volume and the capacity. Students have difficulties in the following cases:(1) A figure is irregular and the out-in principle is needed to solve problems;(2) The figure representing the geometric solid is not "ideal" and the formula for the volume cannot be applied directly;(3) No figure is given and the students need to construct a figure by themselves.It is quite common that high school students lack of awareness to use the volume methods to solve problems. The linear models impedes their understanding of the increasing and decreasing of the volume. Students of higher grades have more versatile and reasonable strategies, but their understanding of the volume measurement still remains at the stage of the procedural operation and no evident progress is actually made.Based on the research findings and conclusions, some teaching suggestions are given.