Cognitive styles, learning and teaching mathematics
Résumé
The aim of this communication is to presents an "action-research" like study conducted in
France by a team of about ten Mathematics teachers from three Lycées (high schools) in Burgundy
on the "cognitive styles" of pupils in a classroom situation. The pupils concerned are first, second
and third year pupils. Most of them are 16-18 years old.
The study originated, first in the difficulties encountered by teachers in teaching their pupils
Mathematics, and secondly in the introduction of a new organisation in the schoolwork : the
creation of "modules" in the pupils' timetable aiming at offering them individual help in their
learning Mathematics.
The reflection and work on the notions of "cognitive style" and "cognitive profile", of "learning
style" and "teaching style", of "educational differentiation" seemed to them attractive prospective
fields, likely to offer pragmatic answers to their educational difficulties. This approach must be
considered more in a praxeological way then in a "fundamentalist" one. Thé notion of "cognitive
style" developed by psychology must not be given a theoretical basis but must rather be used as a
factor whose knowledge by thé teacher and thé learner is likely to increase thé efficiency of thé
didactic séquences.
This prospect has led thé towards some problematics of praxeological nature based on thé
following main questions :
Presupposing thé existence of "cognitive styles" among individuals,
- how can be thé teacher clarify thé "cognitive profile" of thé learner in thé complex context
of thé classroom ?
- what links are there between thé "cognitive profile" of a learner and his attitudes in
learning Mathematics ?
- how can thé didactic séquences be built, bearing in mind thé double constraint of thé teaching
style linked to thé "cognitive profile" of thé teacher-subject and each learning style linked to thé
"cognitive profile" of rhe each learner-subject ?
- how can thé teacher help thé leamer capitalise on this knowledge of his own "personality" in
thé learning process ?
Thé communication will présent thé pragmatic answers provided by thé group whose teaching
pratice involves différenciation, and their assessment methods. A thirty-page detailed article will
be to anybody interested.
France by a team of about ten Mathematics teachers from three Lycées (high schools) in Burgundy
on the "cognitive styles" of pupils in a classroom situation. The pupils concerned are first, second
and third year pupils. Most of them are 16-18 years old.
The study originated, first in the difficulties encountered by teachers in teaching their pupils
Mathematics, and secondly in the introduction of a new organisation in the schoolwork : the
creation of "modules" in the pupils' timetable aiming at offering them individual help in their
learning Mathematics.
The reflection and work on the notions of "cognitive style" and "cognitive profile", of "learning
style" and "teaching style", of "educational differentiation" seemed to them attractive prospective
fields, likely to offer pragmatic answers to their educational difficulties. This approach must be
considered more in a praxeological way then in a "fundamentalist" one. Thé notion of "cognitive
style" developed by psychology must not be given a theoretical basis but must rather be used as a
factor whose knowledge by thé teacher and thé learner is likely to increase thé efficiency of thé
didactic séquences.
This prospect has led thé towards some problematics of praxeological nature based on thé
following main questions :
Presupposing thé existence of "cognitive styles" among individuals,
- how can be thé teacher clarify thé "cognitive profile" of thé learner in thé complex context
of thé classroom ?
- what links are there between thé "cognitive profile" of a learner and his attitudes in
learning Mathematics ?
- how can thé didactic séquences be built, bearing in mind thé double constraint of thé teaching
style linked to thé "cognitive profile" of thé teacher-subject and each learning style linked to thé
"cognitive profile" of rhe each learner-subject ?
- how can thé teacher help thé leamer capitalise on this knowledge of his own "personality" in
thé learning process ?
Thé communication will présent thé pragmatic answers provided by thé group whose teaching
pratice involves différenciation, and their assessment methods. A thirty-page detailed article will
be to anybody interested.
Domaines
Education
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