[Maths-Education] Kindle book on Psychology of Mathematics

[Ernest, Paul]

Dear Colleagues

I have just published my first book for Kindle on Amazon. If anybody would like to review it for a journal etc please let me know and I'll send you a copy.  The aim is to reach out to a broader public than just our research community. You don't need a kindle to read kindle books - you can download free kindle reading software for PCs and Macs. I have priced it at $9.99 or equivalent - half that in India


THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MATHEMATICS
How it is Learned and Used

Paul Ernest

Published in Kindle format on Amazon January 2013

OVERVIEW
This book introduces the concepts, theories and research in the psychology of learning and using mathematics. It is organised to reflect the main learning outcomes of mathematics: facts, skills, concepts and conceptual structures, general strategies, attitudes and appreciation. Separating these components makes it much easier to understand what is involved in learning and doing mathematics, and where errors come from. Research shows that different teaching approaches are needed to develop these outcomes because each relies on its own mode of learning. Facts and skills rely heavily on memory, concepts and conceptual structures rely on understanding, and problem solving depends on strategic and metacognitive thinking. Each learning component is treated individually in depth. Constructivism is the leading theory of learning and there is a chapter on what it is as well as its practical applications. Problem solving is acknowledged as the most important mathematical ability and an extended chapter provides a detailed analysis of the mathematical processes, strategies, and thinking involved, including metacognitive thinking – the ability to monitor and control one’s own thinking. A further chapter treats attitudes and the appreciation of mathematics, showing that these are an essential part of mathematical functioning, not an optional add on. The last chapter explores a theme that has recently emerged as vital in the psychology of mathematics, the importance of context. This includes both the representation of ‘real world’ problems in mathematics, and how mathematical ideas are represented mentally. The problem of transfer is central to this area, how the knowledge, skills and abilities learned in school are applied to problems in other situations.

CONTENTS
1   INTRODUCTION
2   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES FOR MATHS
3   LEARNING FACTS AND SKILLS IN MATHEMATICS
4   CHILDREN’S ERRORS AND METHODS IN MATHEMATICS
5   CHILDREN’S LEARNING OF CONCEPTS AND STRUCTURES
6   THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM
7   MATHEMATICAL PROCESSES & STRATEGIES (PROBLEM SOLVING)
8   THE AFFECTIVE DOMAIN (ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS)
9   THE CONTEXT OF LEARNING MATHEMATICS
10   REFERENCES
11   ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Published in Kindle format on Amazon January 2013

Best wishes

Paul
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Paul Ernest
Emeritus Professor, Education, Exeter University, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Visiting Professor at Brunel, Oslo and Liverpool Hope University

http://www.people.ex.ac.uk/PErnest/ for Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal, etc.
New book: The Psychology of Mathematics, Amazon Kindle, 2013.