Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 2010
We describe the practices of a team of U.S. university teacher/researchers who were invited to at... more We describe the practices of a team of U.S. university teacher/researchers who were invited to attempt to alleviate students’ proving difficulties in an undergraduate real analysis course by offering a voluntary “proving skills supplement.” We analyze what happened in the supplement and why it happened in terms of our theoretical perspective concerning actions in the proving process. This perspective includes that the proving process is a sequence of actions, some of which are not visible or are difficult to recall, and that understanding the justification for an action differs from a tendency to execute it autonomously. Also, the real analysis course and that teacher’s somewhat traditional style of teaching are briefly described, and a comparison is made between proofs co-constructed in the supplement and proofs assigned in the real analysis course. Finally, some student difficulties, views of the supplement given by three students, and the effect of the supplement are briefly discussed.
We described our attempt to alleviate students’ real analysis proving difficulties through a volu... more We described our attempt to alleviate students’ real analysis proving difficulties through a voluntary supplement during which students co-construct proofs. We view proving as a sequence of actions, some of which are not visible or difficult to recall. Also, we note that understanding the justification for an action is different from a tendency to execute it autonomously. The course and the teacher’s instruction are described and a comparison is made between students’ work in the supplement and in the course. Also, the teacher’s and three students’ views were reported.
Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 2010
We describe the practices of a team of U.S. university teacher/researchers who were invited to at... more We describe the practices of a team of U.S. university teacher/researchers who were invited to attempt to alleviate students’ proving difficulties in an undergraduate real analysis course by offering a voluntary “proving skills supplement.” We analyze what happened in the supplement and why it happened in terms of our theoretical perspective concerning actions in the proving process. This perspective includes that the proving process is a sequence of actions, some of which are not visible or are difficult to recall, and that understanding the justification for an action differs from a tendency to execute it autonomously. Also, the real analysis course and that teacher’s somewhat traditional style of teaching are briefly described, and a comparison is made between proofs co-constructed in the supplement and proofs assigned in the real analysis course. Finally, some student difficulties, views of the supplement given by three students, and the effect of the supplement are briefly discussed.
We described our attempt to alleviate students’ real analysis proving difficulties through a volu... more We described our attempt to alleviate students’ real analysis proving difficulties through a voluntary supplement during which students co-construct proofs. We view proving as a sequence of actions, some of which are not visible or difficult to recall. Also, we note that understanding the justification for an action is different from a tendency to execute it autonomously. The course and the teacher’s instruction are described and a comparison is made between students’ work in the supplement and in the course. Also, the teacher’s and three students’ views were reported.
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