Evaluation of the high school students' algebraic knowledge in terms of procedural and conceptual knowledge

Evaluation of The High School Students' Algebraic Knowledge in Terms of Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge. The aim of the study is to evaluate the nature of algebraic knowledge of high school students in terms of procedural and conceptual knowledge. For this purpose, two different questionnaires had been developed including ten algebra questions selected from numbers polinoms, factoring, functions and linear equations in 9 th grade Mathematics Curriculum as a result of the pilot study carried out at the Sürmene High School. These questionnaires were implemented to 250 students at 5 different high schools. In this meaning, knowledge of students who had learned the same things was tried to be understood through classroom by the researcher via action research method. In the light of data analysis the finding can be summarized as belows: It is shown that most students' conceptual and procedural knowledge in algebra are not in balance. Students are much good at procedural knowledge. It has been appeared that who have enough conceptual knowledge in algebra had good performance in solving problems required procedural knowledge. On the other hand, students who lack of conceptual knowledge in algebra appeared to unsuccessful in solving the same problems. The students who have conceptual knowledge appeared to possess adequate procedural knowledge as well. In contrast, the students who have procedural knowledge appeared to not develop conceptual understanding in algebra. Thus, the nature of algebraic knowledge students appear to be based on procedural knowledge. In the light of the findings, we can conclude that mathematical understanding rely on the conceptualizing mathematical procedures, structures and meanings rather than knowing how to use formulae and carrying out the calculation. School mathematics couldn't accomplish this kind of mathematical understanding. In order to do this, school mathematics should be based on conceptual understanding rather than procedural understanding. So, mathematical learning isn't just procedural. It should be in balance between procedural and conceptual knowledge. Key Words: Mathematical Learning, Procedure and Concept Knowledge, Learning of Procedural and Conceptual. VI