Education Essay - Understanding Student Misconceptions

Understanding Student Misconceptions

Part One: Understanding Student Misconceptions
A majority of students has the misconception that mathematics and sciences related to mathematics are difficult to master compared to arts, languages, and social sciences. However, this is not the case in reality because mathematics and the associated sciences are normal subjects in school curriculums, and students can understand them if they eliminate their negative attitude. The misconception about mathematics triggers an interest in the factors that make students develop this misconception. Disabilities in the area of mathematics develop from the early stages of the student’s life in school. Many scholars attribute the misconception can stem from the environmental factors because there is no neurobiological proof asserting that some people are incompetent at mastering mathematics (Geroch, 2009, p. 2). For instance, the skill used in the dissemination of mathematical concepts may be inappropriate in some schools based on the ability of the student to master the concept.
Incomplete mastery of the numerical facts and models applied to their manipulations also makes students perceive mathematics as a difficult subject. Number facts refer to the elementary computations done on numerical data to make it meaningful and enable the user to derive meaningful conclusions from it. If the students find it difficult to work on data that requires the application of a series of simple formulae, then it is difficult for such a student to carry out complex computations. Complex computations occur at higher level of learning, and they include concepts such as regression analysis, calculus, and the matrices. Students develop the misconception due to the computational weakness that they have.
In spite of the ability to understand mathematics, students may find it difficult to maintain consistency when they are working on data that requires computation. Their inconsistency leads to results into inaccurate results, which makes it hard to earn all the marks in an examination context (Geroch, 2009, p. 3). Students make many errors because they do not read the signs involved very, which leads to wrong interpretation of the problem in question. It takes practice for the student to maintain consistency and those who can do this dedicate much time to working on practical mathematical problems. Lastly, students develop a negative attitude towards mathematics because of the difficulty involved in the transfer of mathematical knowledge from the tutors in educational institutions. Sometimes, students have a hard time keeping pace with the instructors who have an in-depth understanding of the concepts.

Part 2: The Backward Design Approach

The backward design approach is also called backward mapping or backward planning. It originated from Wiggins and McTighe (2000) and they suggested that the experiences an individual or institutions should plan the experiences and objectives of learning with an orientation towards the result of the lessons in mind (5). One should start from the end and, which has the desired standards and goals, and then derive a curriculum based on their desire. The evidences in the process of learning help in the development of a comprehensive curriculum based on the standard that the learner must attain. The final standards define the roles that the teacher and the student must play to facilitate the achievement of the objectives in question.
Beginning with the result in mind enables the teacher to mitigate the challenge of planning from one unit to the preceding one. If they do not plan to start from the end, teachers often find that some of the students are ready for the final tests and assessments while some are not. The backward design involves the following three steps, which are important for the functionality of the design:
1. Identification of the desired objectives and results
2. Determining the acceptable evidence that students are learning the concepts in questions.
3. Designing the learning instruction and experiences
The backward design helps in the creation of courses that focus on the objective (Learning) and not the process involved (Teaching).

Part 3: Eradicating Obstacles to Future Understanding

Learning is a different process from understanding. An individual may understand concepts fully or partially. In fact, they may learn but fail to understand. The first measure to improve understanding is seeking advice from tutors (Reid & Green, 2009, p.4). Tutors provide guidance to learners regarding the manner in which they can approach and handle certain concepts based on the professional expertise that they have.
They have expertise in the area that the learner is interested in, and they can provide an insight regarding the mechanisms they used to excel and master concepts in a particular area. Advice from tutors may work because they will recommend appropriate measures in cases where the learner makes a mistake.
Secondly, the leaner should read extensively (Reid & Green, 2009, p. 34). Reading provides various approaches and perspectives on dealing with different problems. The learner should not limit himself or herself to a specific set of information. Reading widens the scope of reason and evaluating concepts for a learner. Lastly, it is important for the learner to practice. Practice improves the ability master the concepts enshrined in a particular subject. As much as learners need to read extensively, they should also allocate adequate time to the practical aspects.

References

Geroch, R. (2009). Perspectives in Computation. Chicago: U of Chicago P.
Reid, G., & Green, S. (2009). Effective Learning. New York: Continuum International Pub. Group.
Wiggins, G., McTighe, J., Kiernan, L., & Frost, F. (n.d.). Understanding by Design. Alexandria.