In a teaching experiment, Japanese Grade 9 students investigated how to measure the height of an aerial balloon using different models involving angles and distances, and also to evaluate the models they developed. As...In a teaching experiment, Japanese Grade 9 students investigated how to measure the height of an aerial balloon using different models involving angles and distances, and also to evaluate the models they developed. As novices to mathematical modelling, they needed to decide which of several possible models were both valid and practicable, and the errors in measurement that are likely to arise. Opportunities to construct and use paper models, as scale reductions of the real situation, and discussing their results in small groups were effective in moving forward the thinking of many students on the dimensions mentioned above. While students were less able to identify different sources of errors, many came to appreciate the need to learn trigonometric techniques that are more suitable in dealing with problems of this kind.展开更多
文摘In a teaching experiment, Japanese Grade 9 students investigated how to measure the height of an aerial balloon using different models involving angles and distances, and also to evaluate the models they developed. As novices to mathematical modelling, they needed to decide which of several possible models were both valid and practicable, and the errors in measurement that are likely to arise. Opportunities to construct and use paper models, as scale reductions of the real situation, and discussing their results in small groups were effective in moving forward the thinking of many students on the dimensions mentioned above. While students were less able to identify different sources of errors, many came to appreciate the need to learn trigonometric techniques that are more suitable in dealing with problems of this kind.
