Abstract:

At all types of schools, erroneous judgments among pupils can be observed. These judgments are not caused by poor knowledge of mathematics but by imperfections in pupils’ logical thinking. The ability of logical thinking based on the perception of basic logical connections is, in fact, very often neglected or misinterpreted. In this article, the questions regarding what logical connections are understandable for pupils of lower secondary school and whether it is possible to positively influence the level of awareness of these connections by targeted treatment are discussed. Also the question of the impact of logical connection awareness or of logical thinking level of pupils on their school evaluation is discussed. As a result, some of the attributes of logical thinking can be significantly reflected in the pupils’ assessments and thus, affect their math grades. The research was based on a quantitative analysis of data obtained from the test of logical thinking. It was attended by 200 pupils from 13 different schools in the Czech Republic. Due to the interpretation of some of the conclusions of this investigation, the elements of qualitative research, such as interviews with pupils and direct observation, were supplemented.

Keywords:

Logical connections, logical thinking, school assessment, math knowledge.