摘要或動機

Purpose of the Research:\r
1) To determine whether a poor understanding and inability of Grade 7 and 8 learners to apply the BODMAS principle in mathematics, influences scores obtained in a mathematics test.\r
2) To determine whether scores obtained in the given mathematics test can be improved with a BODMAS learning tool.\r
Procedures:\r
1. Get the educators opinion on mathematics in schools. Send a total of 50 questionnaires to four schools.\r
2. Determine what percentage of a mathematical test/examination requires the application of BODMAS\r
3. Do a pre-test at two schools, a total of 370 grade 7 and 8 learners.\r
4. Design a BODMAS learning tool and verify it with three educators.\r
5. Implement the tool at the two schools.\r
6. Do a post-test at the two schools.\r
7. Get all the educators who were at the implementation session to evaluate the session.\r
8. Investigate two other schools, by sending 270 pre-tests to those two schools, to determine whether applying the BODMAS principle correctly is also a problem for learners in those schools.\r
9. Implement the BODMAS learning tool into the intermediate phase syllabus.\r
Data:\r
1. Of the 41 educators in the sample, 52% think the standard of maths in their schools is average.\r
2. 38.9% of a grade 8 mathematics examination paper and 46% of grade 8 mathematics tests contains questions that are BODMAS related.\r
3. The learners achieved an overall average of 22.57% in the pre-test\r
4. The educators evaluated the BODMAS learning tool as very good as it is.\r
5. Learners and educators enjoyed the implementation session of the BODMAS learning tool.\r
6. In the post test learners did much better, the overall average increased by 21.00% to 43.57%.\r
7. Educators were positive about the way in which the tool was explained.\r
8. The learners in the other two schools also struggled with applying the BODMAS principle.\r
9. A second pilot study is being done in four primary schools by the Department of Education for the implementation in the Free State mathematics 2013 syllabus. \r
Conclusion:\r
My hypothesis is supported. \r
1) A poor understanding and inability of Grade 7 and 8 learners to apply the BODMAS principle in mathematics, influenced scores obtained in a mathematics test.\r
2) Scores obtained in the given mathematics test were improved with a BODMAS learning tool.