Lower secondary school students’ understanding of algebraic proof

Kunimune, Susumu, Kumakura, Hiroyuki, Jones, Keith and Fujita, Taro (2009) Lower secondary school students’ understanding of algebraic proof. In Proceedings of the 33rd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME33). International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. pp. 441-448 .

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

Secondary school students are known to face a range of difficulties in learning about proof and proving in mathematics. This paper reports on a study designed to address the issue of students’ cognitive needs for conviction and verification in algebraic statements. Through an analysis of data from 418 students (206 from Grade 8, and 212 from Grade 9), we report on how students might be able to ‘construct’ a formal proof, yet they may not fully appreciate the significance of such formal proof. The students may believe that formal proof is a valid argument, while, at the same time, they also resort to experimental verification as an acceptable way of ‘ensuring’ universality and generality of algebraic statements

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Published date: 2009

Additional Information: The pagination of this final proof copy is almost exactly as it appears in the published version. The paper is in volume 3.

Venue - Dates: conference; gr; 2009-07-19; 2009-07-24, Thessaloniki, Greece, Greece, 2009-07-19 - 2009-07-24

Keywords: teaching, learning, pedagogy, curriculum, students, algebra, algebraic, geometry, geometrical, thinking, development, grade 8, keith jones, southampton

Organisations: Mathematics, Science & Health Education