The study on reflective journal writing (RJW) and its benefits as assessed by the teachers has long been an inclination in mathematics education. However, little research has been done to explore the feelings of students towards RJW and how such has an effect on their mathematics learning. This study aimed to describe the feelings of the students about RJW. Being a qualitative type of research study, data were acquired through focus group discussion and were analyzed using axial coding. Results revealed that RJW (i) provided opportunities for the students to construct meaning and express personal views and ideas; (ii) built a connection between the teacher and the students; (iii) through the use of prompts, allowed the students to relate mathematics to real-life facts improving their understanding of the subject; (iv) helped the students build association of ideas using their prior knowledge and experiences; and (v) enabled the students to develop self-awareness. The findings suggest that when students are engaged in reflective writing experiences which explicitly promote meaning-making or self-questioning, teachers create an opportunity for them to see how the process of writing can enrich their mathematical learning.

<p>Despite the efforts to confirm the effectiveness of writing in learning mathematics, analysis on common errors in mathematical writings has not received sufficient attention. This study aimed to provide an account of the students’ procedural explanations in terms of their commonly committed errors in mathematical writing. Nine errors in mathematical writing were pre-defined -- namely, misuse of mathematical terms, misuse of mathematical symbols, incorrect notation, incorrect grammar, incorrect capitalization, no or incorrect punctuation, vague term, incorrect term, and lack of term or phrase. This study used qualitative method of research to keep a record of errors in mathematical writing. Conducted in the College of Education Arts and Sciences of De La Salle Lipa, the study involved twelve BS Mathematics students enrolled in Advanced Calculus 1 class as respondents. Results revealed that the most committed errors done in mathematical writing are incorrect grammar and misuse of mathematical symbols. Certainly, intervention programs on mathematics writing will bring favorable outcomes. Language courses in the students’ curriculum which tackle proper grammar usage may be integrated with writing about mathematics as part of the student activities. Such will provide the students with writing experiences fitted to their discipline.</p>

The study investigated the influence of journal writing on the senior high school students’ attitude toward mathematics. A mixed-method approach, particularly the convergent parallel design, was used in this study. Using Scale on Attitude Toward Mathematics (SATM) (Guce &amp; Talens, 2013), the students’ attitude toward the subject was measured in four subscales—liking or disliking mathematics, tendency to engage in or avoid mathematical activities, belief that one is good or bad in mathematics and belief that mathematics is useful or useless. Using focus group discussion, the insights of the students on journal writing as a mathematics class activity were gathered. Results using quantitative data revealed positive significant differences in the attitude of the respondents in terms of (i) liking mathematics and (ii) having the tendency to engage in mathematical activities. This aligned with the result in the focus group discussion which suggested that students perceive journal writing as a helpful tool for them to enjoy mathematics and engage in it. The activity, thus, may be regarded as a means to improve students’ attitude toward mathematics.