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Mental models in word problem‐solving: A comparison between American and Korean sixth‐grade students
Author(s) -
Hong Eunsook
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.2350090203
Subject(s) - psychology , think aloud protocol , word problem (mathematics education) , protocol analysis , mathematics education , word (group theory) , process (computing) , mathematical problem , cognitive psychology , linguistics , computer science , cognitive science , philosophy , usability , human–computer interaction , operating system
Mental model analysis was conducted in word problem solving using American ( n = 42) and Korean ( n = 44) sixth‐graders. Two levels of mental models–the problem model and the mathematical model–constructed in the process of word problem solving were investigated. Categories for correct and incorrect models were developed to be used in think‐aloud protocol analysis. The majority of students who constructed correct problem models classified the problems rapidly according to solution procedures as they read the problems, or restated the problems focusing on the specific words relating them to other statements in the problems. However, significant differences were found between American and Korean sixth‐graders' in some categories of problem and mathematical models. While many Korean sixth‐graders' problem‐solving process steps were proceduralized, this was not the case for American sixth‐graders, even for those who had a readily accessible knowledge base of basic mathematical facts.