نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشجوی دکتری آموزش ریاضی، دانشکده علوم‌پایه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات، تهران، ایران.
2 استادیار گروه ریاضی، دانشکده علوم پایه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد اهر، اهر، ایران.
3 دانشیار گروه آمار، دانشکده علوم پایه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات، تهران، ایران.
4 استادیار گروه ریاضی، دانشکده علوم پایه، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد علوم و تحقیقات، تهران، ایران.
چکیده
کلیدواژه‌ها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Purpose: The present study aims to quantitatively evaluate the research characteristics and analyze the thematic trends of mathematics education theses at Shahid Rajaee University and Islamic Azad University, Tehran Science and Research Branch, to determine the prospects for knowledge development and compare the research trends at these universities.
Methodology: This is a descriptive-analytical study conducted through content analysis, focusing on a statistical population that includes 178 theses from Shahid Rajaee University and 434 theses from Azad University, Science and Research Branch, all in the field of mathematics education. In the first section, we analyzed the research characteristics of the theses, which included production trends, author distribution, statistical population, sample, methodology, and keywords. In the second section, we classified and analyzed their thematic orientations based on the Castro and Gomez model, which categorizes them into four areas: educational levels, educational concepts, foundations of mathematics education, and mathematical content.
Findings: In recent years, thesis production at both universities has experienced a relative decline. The statistical populations studied in these theses primarily include high school students, with cluster and accessible sampling methods being the most frequently used. While the selection and sampling methods have shown greater dispersion and diversity at the University of Sciences and Research, most theses from both universities are descriptive in nature, adopt a quantitative approach, and aim for practical application. These studies typically employ survey and quasi-experimental methods, using questionnaires and tests as tools for data collection. At the University of Science and Research, the five most frequently occurring keywords in the abstracts of theses are, in order, mathematical performance, learning, math anxiety, math education, and academic achievement. Among the theses from Shahid Rajaee University, the most common keywords are students, math education, problem-solving, teachers, problem-posing, and misconceptions. Additionally, the thematic focus of the theses predominantly addresses secondary education. Within the realm of mathematics education, both universities have examined the goals of mathematics education more thoroughly than any other subjects. The most commonly researched educational concepts include learning outcomes, teaching methods, educational resources, understanding, and problem-solving. In terms of mathematical content, a majority of students have focused their research on geometry and algebra topics in their theses.
Conclusion: The results indicate that although the number of thesis papers at Shahid Rajaei University is lower, there is a greater availability of specialized professors to guide students. The research approaches, the nature of research achievements, and the preferences for research trends at both universities are quite similar. A significant focus of learning achievements in school mathematics stands out as a critical aspect of their scientific output. Most postgraduate students at these two universities are teachers who concentrate primarily on educational activities within schools. While the gender distribution in postgraduate studies at Shahid Rajaei University is nearly equal among male and female students, female students at the University of Science and Research significantly outnumber their male counterparts. This difference may be attributed to the university's policy of admitting students without gender segregation. Furthermore, the diversity and dispersion in the selection of the statistical population and sampling methods at the University of Science and Research are more pronounced. In both universities, however, the majority of research topics fall under categories related to the foundations of mathematics education goals. This classification suggests that various aspects of mathematics education principles are not adequately covered for postgraduate students, as research in these areas has not been conducted extensively at either institution. Moreover, while both universities exhibit a high proportion of research focused on geometry and algebra, there is a notable lack of studies in broader concepts such as measurement, mathematical analysis, topology, and STEM education, each of which encompasses several subcategories. The findings also reveal that students at Shahid Rajaei University have often focused more on specific mathematical content topics in their theses, whereas there is less detailed topic selection in the theses produced at the University of Science and Research. Various educational topics pertinent to this field, which warrant further study, have received insufficient attention. These include research on educational systems and policies, educational centers and organizations, teacher professional development, diverse educational approaches, cultural and social learning theories, as well as curriculum design, development, evaluation, and standards. The insights from this study are valuable for identifying gaps, setting priorities, and establishing essential research foundations for future exploration by mathematics education researchers. They can also aid in enhancing planning by stakeholders and practitioners, particularly within universities.
کلیدواژه‌ها [English]
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