This study investigates the effects of implementing mathematical problem solving instruction in a regular calculus course taught at the college level. Principles associated with this research are: i) mathematics is developed as a response to finding solutions to mathematical problems, ii) attention to the processes involved in solving mathematical problems helps students understand and develop mathematics, and iii) mathematics is learned in an active environment which involves the use of guesses, conjectures, examples, counterexamples, and cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Classroom activities included use of nonroutine problems, small group discussions, and cognitive and metacognitive strategies during instruction. Prior to the main study, in an extensive pilot study the means for gathering data were developed, including a student questionnaire, several assignments, two written tests, student task-based interviews, an interview with the instructor, and class observations. The analysis in the study utilized ideas from Schoenfeld (1985) in which categories, such as mathematical resources, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and belief systems, are considered useful in analyzing the students' processes for solving problems. A model proposed by Perkins and Simmons (1988) involving four frames of knowledge (content, problem solving, epistemic, and inquiry) is used to analyze students' difficulties in learning mathematics. Results show that the students recognized the importance of reflecting on the processes involved while solving mathematical problems. There are indications suggesting that the students showed a disposition to participate in discussions that involve nonroutine mathematical problems. The students' work in the assignments reflected increasing awareness of the use of problem solving strategies as the course developed. Analysis of the students' task-based interviews suggests that the students' first attempts to solve a problem involved identifying familiar terms in the problem and making some calculations often without having a clear understanding of the problem. The lack of success led the students to reexamine the statement of the problem more carefully and seek more organized approaches. The students often spent much time exploring only one strategy and experienced difficulties in using alternatives. However, hints from the interviewer (including metacognitive questions) helped the students to consider other possibilities. Although the students recognized that it was important to check the solution of a problem, they mainly focused on whether there was an error in their calculations rather than reflecting on the sense of the solution. These results lead to the conclusion that it takes time for students to conceptualize problem solving strategies and use them on their own when asked to solve mathematical problems. The instructor planned to implement various learning activities in which the content could be introduced via problem solving. These activities required the students to participate and to spend significant time working on problems. Some students were initially reluctant to spend extra time reflecting on the problems and were more interested in receiving rules that they could use in examinations. Furthermore, student expectations, evaluation policies, and curriculum rigidity limited the implementation. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome some of the students' conceptualizations of what learning mathematics entails and to propose alternatives for the evaluation of their work that are more consistent with problem solving instruction. It is recommended that problem solving instruction include the participation or coordinated involvement of all course instructors, as the selection of problems for class discussions and for assignments is a task requiring time and discussion with colleagues. Periodic discussions of course directions are necessary to make and evaluate decisions that best fit the development of the course. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Making the transition from calculus to advanced calculus/real analysis can be challenging for undergraduate students. Part of this challenge lies in the shift in the focus of student activity, from a focus on algorithms and computational techniques to activities focused around definitions, theorems, and proofs. The goal of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) is to support students in making this transition by building on and formalizing their informal knowledge. There are a growing number of projects in this vein at the undergraduate level, in the areas of abstract algebra (TAAFU: Larsen, 2013; Larsen & Lockwood, 2013), differential equations (IO-DE: Rasmussen & Kwon, 2007), geometry (Zandieh & Rasmussen, 2010), and linear algebra (IOLA: Wawro, et al., 2012). This project represents the first steps in a similar RME-based, inquiry-oriented instructional design project aimed at advanced calculus. The results of this project are presented as three journal articles. In the first article I describe the development of a local instructional theory (LIT) for supporting the reinvention of formal conceptions of sequence convergence, the completeness property of the real numbers, and continuity of real functions. This LIT was inspired by Cauchy's proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem, and has been developed and refined using the instructional design heuristics of RME through the course of two teaching experiments. I found that a proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem was a powerful context for supporting the reinvention of a number of the core concepts of advanced calculus. The second article reports on two students' reinventions of formal conceptions of sequence convergence and the completeness property of the real numbers in the context of developing a proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT). Over the course of ten, hour-long sessions I worked with two students in a clinical setting, as these students collaborated on a sequence of tasks designed to support them in producing a proof of the IVT. Along the way, these students conjectured and developed a proof of the Monotone Convergence Theorem. Through this development I found that student conceptions of completeness were based on the geometric representation of the real numbers as a number line, and that the development of formal conceptions of sequence convergence and completeness were inextricably intertwined and supported one another in powerful ways. The third and final article takes the findings from the two aforementioned papers and translates them for use in an advanced calculus classroom. Specifically, Cauchy's proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem is used as an inspiration and touchstone for developing some of the core concepts of advanced calculus/real analysis: namely, sequence convergence, the completeness property of the real numbers, and continuous functions. These are presented as a succession of student investigations, within the context of students developing their own formal proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether supplemental instruction and online homework can improve student performance and understanding in a first-semester calculus course at a large urban four-year college. The study examined the metacognitive and study skills and posttest scores of students. The study also focused on students’ and instructor’s perception and experiences of supplemental instruction and online homework using WebAssign. The study used a modified version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) to reveal any significant differences in metacognitive and study strategies between students in a class with supplemental instruction/online homework and students in a traditional class. Students’ scores on their final examination were analyzed to reveal the effect of mathematical achievement between the control and experimental groups. Surveys and interviews were utilized to provide anecdotal evidence as to the overall effectiveness of the online homework management system and supplemental instruction. Results of the study showed no substantial difference between the control group and the experimental group in seven out of eight sub-scales of metacognitive and study strategies: metacognitive self-regulation, time and study environment, effort regulation, help seeking, rehearsal, organization, and critical thinking. But, students with supplemental instruction/online homework showed a higher level of elaboration learning strategies. The interaction of pretest and type of class (traditional or treatment) did not have a significant effect on students’ posttest score. There was no substantial effect of pretest on posttest, but the treatment influenced students’ posttest score. Students’ gender, race, class level, or the number of courses they registered for were insignificant predictors of their posttest scores. The instructor and students agreed that time spent in supplemental instruction sessions and on WebAssign were worthwhile and beneficial. They believed supplemental instruction and online homework using WebAssign may have influenced students’ understanding and performance in the course.

This was a qualitative study carried out with learners from a grade twelve Standard Grade mathematics class from a South Durban school in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The main purpose of this study was to explore learners‟ understanding of the concept of the derivative. The participants comprised one class of twenty seven learners who were enrolled for Standard Grade mathematics at grade twelve level. Learners‟ responses to May and August examinations were examined. The examination questions that were highlighted were those based on the concept of the derivative. Additionally semi-structured interviews were carried out with a smaller sample of four of the twenty seven learners to gauge their perceptions of the derivative. The learners‟ responses to the examination questions and semi-structured interviews were exhaustively analysed. Themes that ran across the data were identified and further categorised in a bid to provide answers to the main research question. It was found that most learners‟ difficulties with the test items were grounded in their difficulties with algebraic manipulation skills. A further finding was that learners overwhelmingly preferred working out items that involved applying the rules. Although the Higher and Standard grade system of assessing learners‟ mathematical abilities has been phased out, with the advent of the new curriculum, the findings of this study is still important for learners, teachers, curriculum developers and mathematics educators because calculus forms a large component of the new mathematics curriculum. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

This thesis investigates the mathematical cognitive errors made in elementary calculus concepts by first-year University of Technology students. A sample of 34 first year students, the experimental group, from the Durban University of Technology Faculty of Engineering were invited to participate in project in elementary calculus using computer technology (CT). A second group, the control group, also consisted of 34 first year engineering students from the same University were given a conventional test in elementary calculus concepts. The experimental group was then given the same conventional test as the control group on completion of the project in elementary calculus using computer technology (CT). The purpose of the analysis was to study the effect of technology on the understanding of key concepts in elementary calculus. The major finding was that technology helps students to make connections, analyse ideas and develop conceptual frameworks for thinking and problem solving. The implications include: • Improvement of curriculum in mathematics at tertiary level; • New strategies for lecturers of elementary calculus; • An improved understanding by students taking the course in elementary calculus. • Redesign of software to improve understanding in elementary calculus. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

Orientador: Eduardo Sebastiani Ferreira / Dissertação (mestrado profissional) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matematica, Estatistica e Computação Cientifica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T03:21:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbosa_EveraldoFernandes_M.pdf: 1794993 bytes, checksum: 01c4bbbd9b51e865b9cd4a4ab2c470e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: O trabalho apresenta uma biografia do marquês de L'Hôpital e de Johann Bernoulli e as discussões sobre o cálculo do limite de uma função racional cujo numerador e denominador tendem a zero (conhecida como Regra de L'Hôpital), publicado no livro Análise dos Infinitamente Pequenos por Linhas Curvas pelo Marquês de L'Hôpital. Apresentamos a demonstração de ambos, L'Hôpital e Bernoulli e a demonstração rigorosa de Cauchy. Discutimos as controvérsias com relação à autoria da regra e as reivindicações de Johann Bernoulli pela sua autoria, pois Bernoulli foi pago para produzir e desvendar os mistérios, que para L'Hôpital, existiam na matemática de Leibniz. Incluímos também a interpretação geométrica que sugere a veracidade da regra e outras variantes que dependem dela. Além disso, são apresentadas discussões com relação ao uso da História da Matemática como material pedagógico para ensino de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral I e a altercação feita nos livros brasileiros e estrangeiros de cálculo sobre a aplicação da regra. / Abstract: The work presents Marquis de L'Hôpital and Johann Bernoulli's biographies and discussions on the calculation of the limit of a rational function whose numerator and denominator tend to zero (known as L'Hôpital's Rule), published in the book Analyse des infiniment petits pour l'intelligence des lignes courbes by Marquis de L'Hôpital. We present the demonstration made by both, L'Hôpital and Bernoulli and rigorous demonstration of Cauchy. We discussed the controversy with respect to the authors of that rule and Johann Bernoulli's claims by its authorship, because Bernoulli was paid to produce and unravel the mysteries, which for L'Hôpital, there were in mathematics from Leibniz. We also included the geometric interpretation that suggests the veracity of the rule and other variants that depend on it. Moreover, discussions are presented in connection with the use of the History of Mathematics as teaching material for education of Differential and Integral Calculus and modification made in Brazilian and foreign calculus books about the rule's application. / Mestrado / Metodologia de Ensino Superior / Mestre em Matemática

D.Phil. / The research problematised the learning of mathematics in South African high schools in a Pedagogical Content Knowledge context. The researcher established that while at best, teachers may command mathematics content knowledge, or pedagogic knowledge, that command proves insufficient in leveraging the learning of mathematics and differentiation. Teachers' awareness of their learners' errors and misconceptions on a mathematics topic is critical in developing appropriate pedagogical content knowledge. The researcher argues that the study of learner errors in mathematics affords educators critical knowledge of the learners' Zones of Proximal Development. The space where learners experience misconceptions as they attempt to assign meaning to new mathematical ideas to which they may or may not have obtained semiotic mediation. In their Zones of Proximal Development learners may harbour concept images that are incompetition with established mathematical knowledge.Educators need to study and understand those concept images (amateur or alternative conceptions), and how learners come to have them, if they are to help learners learn mathematics better. Besides the socio-cultural v1ew, the study presumed that the misconceptions formed by learners in mathematicsmay also beexplained within a constructivist perspective of learning. The constructivist perspective of learning assumes that learners interpret new knowledge on the basis of the knowledge they already have. However, some of the knowledge that learners construct though meaningful to them may be full of misconceptions. This may occur through overgeneralisation of prior knowledge to new situations. The researcher presumed that the ideas that learners have of particular mathematical concepts were concept images they construct. Though some of the concept images may be deficient or defective from a mathematics expert's point of view, they are still used by the learners to learn new mathematics concepts and to solve mathematics problems. The lack of success in mathematics that results in the application of erratic concept images ultimately leads to unsuccessful learning of mathematics with the danger of snowballing if there are no practicable interventions. Differentiation is a new topic in the South African mathematics curriculum and most teachers and learners have registered problems in teaching and learning it. Hence it was imperative to do research on this topic from an angle of learner errors on that topic. The significance of the study is that this research isolated the differentiation learner errors and misconceptions that teachers can focus on for the improvement of learning and achievement in the topic of introductory differentiation. The research focused on the nature of errors and misconceptions learners have on introductory differentiation as exhibited in their 2008 examination scripts. It sought to identify, categorise (form a database) and discuss the errors and their conceptual links. A typology of errors and misconceptions in introductory calculus was constructed. The study mainly used qualitative methods to collect and analyse data. Content analysis techniques were used to analyse the data on the basis of a conceptual framework of mathematics and calculus errors obtained from literature. One thousand Grade 12, Mathematics Paper 1 examination scripts from learners of both sexes emanating from diverse social backgrounds provided data for the study. The unit of analysis was students' errors in written responses to differentiation examination items.

Covariational reasoning is a cognitive activity that attends to two or more varying quantities and how their changes are related to each other. Previous studies indicate that covariational reasoning seems to have levels. Content analysis was used to examine the pedagogy and development of covariational reasoning levels in the sections that conceptually introduce derivatives in four calculus textbooks. One widely used calculus textbook was selected for the study in each of the four categories: U.S. college, U.S. high school, China college, and China high school. Two qualified investigators and I conducted the study. We used a framework of five developmental levels for covariational reasoning. The conceptual analysis of four calculus textbooks found that the U.S. college and the U.S. high school textbooks emphasize the average and instantaneous rate of change. However, both lack development of the direction and magnitude of change. On the other hand, this study's Chinese high school calculus textbook has a greater degree of development in the direction and magnitude of change while having a deficit in the average rate of change. This study's Chinese college calculus textbook does not have any meaningful development regarding covariational reasoning pedagogy. The relational analysis of the concepts previously identified in the conceptual analysis phase revealed that this study's U.S. college calculus textbooks provide abundant examples and exercises to transition between the average and instantaneous rate of change. On the other hand, all other calculus textbooks in this study lack any significant transition among passages that stimulate covariational reasoning. The textbook analysis in this study provides insights into the current focus of calculus textbooks in both the U.S. and China. In addition, the study has implications for learning and teaching calculus at both high school and college, as well as future editions of calculus textbooks. Finally, limitations and recommendations are discussed.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-08-02T14:32:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcio Vieira de Almeida.pdf: 5322268 bytes, checksum: 95a05019d55b263aef725a9ef6402f5e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-02T14:32:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcio Vieira de Almeida.pdf: 5322268 bytes, checksum: 95a05019d55b263aef725a9ef6402f5e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This thesis presents a material for the teaching of Differential and Integral Calculus, composed by seven activities, which were based on theoretical references of Mathematical Education. The concepts of function, continuity, differentiability, solution of a differential equation, integral and limit of sequences were approached in these activities. The intention was to defend that one of the ways to establish the narrowing of the relation of theory and practice in this area of investigation is done through the elaboration of materials for teaching with this goal. The concepts of generic organizer, cognitive root, and Three Worlds of Mathematics by Tall and collaborators and the idea of resource of Documental Genesis of Gueudet and Trouche were used. The use of the computer and the construction of tools on GeoGebra were productive procedures to obtain a material with the planned qualities. The research, which had as a result the material for teaching, followed the methodological orientation of a type of fundamental research, in which the goal is the filling of gaps in knowledge related to the solution of problems through practice. An explanatory, theoretical posture was adopted, the construction of considerations with rigor and logical coherence to validate the obtained results. In the scope of theoretic-methodological references seven activities were elaborated for the teaching of Calculus organized in three components which, compose a resource (mathematics, material and didactics) in the conception of Documental Genesis, incorporating cognitivist ideas of Tall and his associates. Using the components (mathematics, material and didactics) allows that the material may configure itself as an element of the set of resources, according to the Documental Genesis, which a teacher of Calculus can use for the development of a class. As a result it is possible to demonstrate that the way of elaboration proposed for a material for teaching, in which theories of Mathematical Education are elaborated and adequate software is used, may be a powerful way to favor the integration of theory and practice, pursued and necessary for Mathematic Education, besides contributing with learning / Esta tese apresenta um material para o ensino de Cálculo Diferencial e Integral composto por sete atividades que foram embasadas em referenciais teóricos da Educação Matemática. Nelas, foram abordados os conceitos de função, continuidade, diferenciabilidade, solução de uma equação diferencial, integral e limite de sequências. Pretendeu-se defender que uma das formas de se estabelecer o estreitamento da relação teoria e prática nessa área de investigação é feita por meio de elaboração de materiais para o ensino com essa finalidade. Foram utilizadas as noções de organizador genérico, raiz cognitiva e Três Mundos da Matemática de Tall e colaboradores, e a noção de recurso da Gênese Documental de Gueudet e Trouche. O uso do computador e a construção de ferramentas no GeoGebra foram procedimentos férteis para se obter um material com as competências planejadas. A pesquisa, que teve por resultado o material para o ensino, seguiu orientação metodológica de uma do tipo pesquisa fundamental, na qual se objetiva o preenchimento de lacunas no conhecimento relativo à solução de problemas advindos da prática. Adotou-se uma postura teórica exploratória, a da construção de argumentos com rigor e coerência lógica para validar os resultados obtidos. Nesse âmbito de referenciais teórico- metodológicos, foram elaboradas sete atividades para o ensino de Cálculo, organizadas em três componentes, as quais compõem um recurso (matemática, material e didática) na concepção da Gênese Documental, incorporando noções cognitivistas de Tall e seus associados. A utilização das componentes (matemática, material e didática) possibilita que o material possa se configurar em um elemento do conjunto de recursos, conforme a Gênese Documental, de um professor de Cálculo, para o desenvolvimento de uma aula. Como resultado pode-se demonstrar que o modo de elaboração proposto para um material para o ensino, em que se incorporam teorias da Educação Matemática e se utiliza um software adequado, pode ser um meio potente para favorecer a integração teoria e prática, almejada e necessária pela Educação Matemática, além de contribuir com a aprendizagem

It has been held that heuristic training alone is not enough for developing one's mathematical thinking. One missing component is a mathematical point of view. Many educational researchers have proposed problem-based curricula to improve students' views of mathematical thinking. The present study reports findings regarding effects of a problem-based calculus course, using historical problems, to foster Taiwanese college students' views of mathematical thinking. The present study consisted of three stages. During the initial phase, 44 engineering majors' views on mathematical thinking were tabulated by a six-item, open-ended questionnaire and nine randomly selected students were invited to participate in follow-up interviews. Students then received an 18-week problem-based calculus course in which mathematical concepts were problematized in order to challenge their personally expressed empirical beliefs in doing mathematics. Several tasks and instructional approaches served to reach the goal. Near the end of the semester, all participants answered the same questionnaire and the same students were interviewed to pinpoint their shift in views on mathematical thinking. It was found that participants were more likely to value logical sense, creativity, and imagination in doing mathematics. Further, students leaned toward a conservative attitude in the certainty of mathematical knowledge. Participants focus seemingly shifted from mathematics as a product to mathematics as a process. / Graduation date: 2003