abstract: The extent of students’ struggles in linear algebra courses is at times surprising to mathematicians and instructors. To gain insight into the challenges, the central question I investigated for this project was: What is the nature of undergraduate students’ conceptions of multiple analytic representations of systems (of equations)? My methodological choices for this study included the use of one-on-one, task-based clinical interviews which were video and audio recorded. Participants were chosen on the basis of selection criteria applied to a pool of volunteers from junior-level applied linear algebra classes. I conducted both generative and convergent analyses in terms of Clement’s (2000) continuum of research purposes. The generative analysis involved an exploration of the data (in transcript form). The convergent analysis involved the analysis of two student interviews through the lenses of Duval’s (1997, 2006, 2017) Theory of Semiotic Representation Registers and a theory I propose, the Theory of Quantitative Systems. All participants concluded that for the four representations in this study, the notation was varying while the solution was invariant. Their descriptions of what was represented by the various representations fell into distinct categories. Further, the students employed visual techniques, heuristics, metaphors, and mathematical computation to account for translations between the various representations. Theoretically, I lay out some constructs that may help with awareness of the complexity in linear algebra. While there are many rich concepts in linear algebra, challenges may stem from less-than-robust communication. Further, mathematics at the level of linear algebra requires a much broader perspective than that of the ordinary algebra of real numbers. Empirically, my results and findings provide important insights into students’ conceptions. The study revealed that students consider and/or can have their interest piqued by such things as changes in register. The lens I propose along with the empirical findings should stimulate conversations that result in linear algebra courses most beneficial to students. This is especially important since students who encounter undue difficulties may alter their intended plans of study, plans which would lead them into careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) fields. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mathematics 2019

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Raquel Santos Silva.pdf: 4380772 bytes, checksum: cab9932dcf76a86c4111d87864a8a3ac (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-11 / This article makes part of the research project for Professional Master´s degree in Mathematical Education from PUC-SP. It has the aim to investigate if the using of a dynamic geometry software, GeoGebra, could contribute for a better comprehension of the mathematical object, the line. They were applied some aspects studied in the Analytical Geometry during the 3rd year of high school (in Brazil). For verifying these aspects, they were used the ideas of Raymond Duval in the Semiotic Registers of Representation theory. A sequence of activities that focuses on the line was built based on the theory. Its different representation forms and the coordination among the algebraic, graphic and natural language registers were considered in addition. For the development of the activities, the students used the software GeoGebra as a support. The students studied in a public school located at the south part of São Paulo city were the target. The methodology used was the Didactics Engineering of Michélle Artigue. The results show off that the use of this software may contribute to the mathematical object apprehension, the line, to facilitate and speed up its study / Este trabalho tem por objetivo investigar se a utilização de um software de geometria dinâmica, o GeoGebra, pode contribuir a partir dos pontos de vista cognitivo e matemático para uma melhor compreensão do objeto matemático reta em relação a geometria analítica, na 3ª série do Ensino Médio. Para essa verificação foram utilizadas as ideias de Raymond Duval na teoria dos Registros de Representação Semiótica. Com base nessas ideias foi construída uma sequência composta por 4 atividades cujo foco principal é o estudo da reta, suas diferentes formas de representação e a coordenação entre os registros algébrico, gráfico e da língua natural. Para o desenvolvimento das atividades os alunos utilizaram como apoio o software de geometria dinâmica GeoGebra. Esta sequência foi aplicada a alunos de uma escola pública estadual. A metodologia utilizada foi a Engenharia Didática de Michèle Artigue. Os resultados apresentados sinalizam que a utilização do software pode contribuir para a apreensão do objeto matemático reta de modo a facilitar e acelerar o seu estudo

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate opportunities to learn (OTL) algebra by grade ten learners at three Catholic secondary schools in South Africa. Performance in mathematics is poor and is a great cause for concern. Despite the government’s effort to make education open and available to all, underperformance has continued among the black majority who were previously marginalised in the former regime. This thesis focuses on the OTL which are afforded learners who are given the chance to attend classes. This thesis met its aims through an extensive review of related literature and the implementation of practical research. The latter was carried out through case studies conducted in three schools where lessons were observed and interviews conducted with the respective teachers. Literature on how OTL mathematics are created is lacking in South Africa. Real OTL still needs to be created if the expected level of performance is to be achieved. The research produced a number of key findings: the learners were given the right to attend class but were subjected to different OTL, learning to convert within and between the different registers of representation of algebraic concepts is necessary to provide learners with OTL, it is not enough for learners to master certain facts and procedures, and learning is enhanced if the means to make the conversion necessary for concept building is developed and the OTL provided. The teacher’s approach influences the way OTL are realised and utilised by learners. The main conclusion drawn from this research is that the OTL afforded the grade ten learners were not the same and that different chances to make conversion within and between registers of representation of algebra concepts were given. Giving the teachers guidelines without expounding the meaning of specific terms such as ‘convert’ leaves gaps in their practices and results in some learners receiving adequate OTL and others not. This research argues for a more involved capacity building programme for in-service teachers to acquaint them with the expected learner-centred approaches to lesson delivery as well as familiarise them with the terminology used in defining terms in the syllabus. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marcia.pdf: 567454 bytes, checksum: 549773993b0ea2b0efbe76289c983b75 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-11-19 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This work is about Mathematics teacher education. It ains to offer a contribution in this area, in terms of understanding the processes by which new mathematical content is adquired and existing knowledge extended. We hope that it helps teachers to develop suitable strategies for working with Geometry in the classroom. This study is founded in BROUSSEAU s theory of situations and in DUVAL s studies about the use of several registers of semiotic representation. We prepared a workshop composed of activities whose focus was quadrilaterals, which was attended by a group of teachers from elementary and secondary school levels. During the workshop, we discussed the theoretical references that had served as a base for selectiing the activities and for the manners in which these were presented. The research question is: how can we work with teachers in ways which result in the acquisition of geometrical knwledge and, at the some time, provide them with inherent didactic knowledge related the geometrical content? Our main hypothesis is that the proposed activities will contribute to the content acquisition and the discussion of the theoretical references to the didactic knowledge improvement. Analyses of the teachers behavior and discussion, during 33 workshop hours, reveals that the activities provoked considerations about definitions, assumpitions, properties of quadrilaterals, theorems and proofs, as well as helping teachers to discover the difficulties they have in using different registers of representation in Geometry. The discussion of the theoretical references made the teachers understand that in their classroom they have usually omitted the action, formulation and validity stages, discussed by BROUSSEAU, presenting Geometry in an institutionalized way / Esse trabalho trata da formação de professores de matemática. Nosso objetivo é oferecer uma contribuição nessa área, tanto no que se refere à aquisição de conteúdos, quanto no aprimoramento de conhecimentos que auxiliem os professores na elaboração de estratégias adequadas para o trabalho com geometria em sala de aula. Fundamentados na Teoria das situações de BROUSSEAU e nos estudos de DUVAL sobre a utilização de diversos registros de representação semiótica, elaboramos uma oficina composta por atividades envolvendo os quadriláteros e a desenvolvemos com um grupo de professores do ensino fundamental e médio. Durante o desenvolvimento da oficina, discutimos com os participantes o referencial teórico que embasou a seleção das atividades e a maneira utilizada para apresentar o conteúdo. A questão investigada é: como trabalhar com formação de professores de forma a contribuir com a aquisição de conteúdos em geometria, proporcionando ao professor conhecimentos didáticos inerentes a esses conteúdos? Nossas principais hipóteses supõem que o desenvolvimento das atividades contribuirá com a aquisição de conteúdos, e a discussão do referencial teórico, com aprimoramento de conhecimentos didáticos inerentes à geometria. A análise das discussões e comportamento dos professores durante as trinta e três horas de oficina, revelaram-nos que as atividades provocaram reflexões sobre definições, conjeturas, propriedades dos quadriláteros, teoremas e demonstrações, bem como ajudou os professores a descobrirem a dificuldade que têm em utilizar diferentes registros de representação em geometria. A discussão do referencial teórico fez com que os professores notassem que, geralmente, têm omitido em suas aulas, as fases de ação, formulação e validação discutidas por BROUSSEAU, apresentando a geometria de forma já institucionalizada

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:58:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 armando.pdf: 485665 bytes, checksum: e5f3992597d7f0fffbdcf84e5f0e6a67 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-11-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In light of the emphasis that the term problem-solving has received in the mathematics education community as well as research results indicating the various difficulties students exhibit in solving problems, we embarked on this study. The study aims to investigate whether students, at the end of the Ensino Médio (High School) are able to resolve optimisation problems. For all of the problems investigated, it was possible to obtain the solution by applying concepts and procedures already studied by the students, among them, systems of inequalities of the first degree. To test our hypothesis that some students would experience difficulties in resolving these problems, we applied a diagnostic test to a group of 33 students. Analysis of students' responses indicated that none of the students were able to resolve the optimisation problems. Our next step was to investigate if, as proposed by Duval (1993), activities concerning the treatment, the conversion and the co-ordination between registers of representation of a certain object contribute to the processes of learning and teaching this object. To this end, we designed a didactic (teaching) sequence. After a second group of 10 students worked through the sequence, they completed a post-test. We conducted a comparative analysis between the responses of the first group to the diagnostic test and the post-test responses given by the second group of students. This analysis showed that, while the first group of students failed to solved the optimisation problems, all the students in the second group approached the problems and most were able to resolve them. These results suggest that the activities of treatment, conversion and co-ordination of registers of representation of the mathematical object system of inequality make an important contribution to the formation of the concept and its application in the resolution of optimisation problems / Em vista do destaque que o termo resolução de problema tem tido na Educação Matemática e de algumas dificuldades dos alunos em resolvê-los, iniciamos essa pesquisa investigando se os alunos que estão terminando o Ensino Médio resolvem alguns problemas de programação linear que podem ser solucionados com conceitos e procedimentos já estudados, entre eles o sistema de inequações do 1º grau. Tendo como hipótese que alguns alunos teriam dificuldades em resolver esses problemas, fizemos um teste diagnóstico para confirmar a nossa hipótese. Depois de confirmada a hipótese e tendo como questão de pesquisa observar se, como proposta por Duval (1993), as atividades que consideram o tratamento, a conversão e a coordenação entre os registros de representação de um determinado objeto contribuem no processo ensino-aprendizagem desse objeto, elaboramos uma seqüência didática. Após o desenvolvimento dessa seqüência-didática, em uma outra turma da 3ª série, aplicamos o pós-teste e fizemos uma análise comparativa entre o teste diagnóstico da primeira turma e o pós-teste aplicado na segunda turma. Essa análise nos evidenciou que, enquanto os alunos da primeira turma não obtiveram sucesso na resolução dos problemas de programação linear e somente resolveram corretamente algumas das atividades sobre inequações do 1º grau, os alunos da segunda turma abordaram os problemas e a maioria deles obtiveram sucesso na resolução. Sendo assim pudemos inferir que as atividades de tratamento, conversão e coordenação dos registros de representação do objeto matemático sistema de inequações, trazem uma importante contribuição para a formação do conceito e a aplicação dele na resolução de problemas de programação linear

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate opportunities to learn (OTL) algebra by grade ten learners at three Catholic secondary schools in South Africa. Performance in mathematics is poor and is a great cause for concern. Despite the government’s effort to make education open and available to all, underperformance has continued among the black majority who were previously marginalised in the former regime. This thesis focuses on the OTL which are afforded learners who are given the chance to attend classes. This thesis met its aims through an extensive review of related literature and the implementation of practical research. The latter was carried out through case studies conducted in three schools where lessons were observed and interviews conducted with the respective teachers. Literature on how OTL mathematics are created is lacking in South Africa. Real OTL still needs to be created if the expected level of performance is to be achieved. The research produced a number of key findings: the learners were given the right to attend class but were subjected to different OTL, learning to convert within and between the different registers of representation of algebraic concepts is necessary to provide learners with OTL, it is not enough for learners to master certain facts and procedures, and learning is enhanced if the means to make the conversion necessary for concept building is developed and the OTL provided. The teacher’s approach influences the way OTL are realised and utilised by learners. The main conclusion drawn from this research is that the OTL afforded the grade ten learners were not the same and that different chances to make conversion within and between registers of representation of algebra concepts were given. Giving the teachers guidelines without expounding the meaning of specific terms such as ‘convert’ leaves gaps in their practices and results in some learners receiving adequate OTL and others not. This research argues for a more involved capacity building programme for in-service teachers to acquaint them with the expected learner-centred approaches to lesson delivery as well as familiarise them with the terminology used in defining terms in the syllabus. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Au niveau postsecondaire, les concepts mathématiques avancés seraient des concepts difficiles à appréhender pour beaucoup d’étudiants. Le concept de série fait partie de ces concepts avancés que les étudiants rencontrent pour la première fois de façon formelle dans leurs études postsecondaires (au niveau collégial, Cégep, dans le contexte québécois). Ce concept a un très grand nombre d’applications et ce, aussi bien en mathématiques que dans le domaine scientifique. Cependant, sa complexité propre et sa nature contre-intuitive font qu’il est très difficile à appréhender par certains étudiants. Parmi les difficultés d’appréhension, dans un grand nombre de cas, on peut trouver la conception que la somme d’une infinitude de termes donnera une quantité qui ne peut être qu’infiniment grande. Étant donné l’importance et la complexité de ce concept, on pourrait s’attendre à ce qu’il soit pris en compte avec une grande attention par la recherche. Cependant, notre recension d’écrits montre qu’il y a très peu d’études centrées sur le concept de somme infinie. Dans ce mémoire, nous allons présenter des résultats d’une analyse effectuée sur dix-sept manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps du Québec. Les résultats de cette analyse nous ont permis de prendre conscience que les manuels utilisés par l’enseignement actuel font rarement usage du registre graphique et que le registre algébrique est souvent privilégié. Ainsi, la plupart des manuels utilisés dans les Cégeps utilisent rarement les représentations visuelles qui pourraient être un outil important pouvant contribuer dans une appréhension complète du concept de série et les graphiques sont pratiquement absents dans tous les exercices et problèmes que ces manuels proposent. Par ailleurs, les résultats de notre recherche montre que les applications mathématiques et extramathématiques sont rares, et ce, bien que les sommes infinies soient un concept essentiel dans l’introduction d’autres concepts mathématiques et qu’elles permettent de modéliser plusieurs phénomènes. De plus, parmi le peu d’applications extramathématiques qui apparaissent dans les dix-sept manuels, beaucoup sont peu utiles à l’appréhension du concept en question étant donné que celles-ci sont artificielles (applications difficiles à réaliser dans la vie quotidienne). Enfin, nos résultats de recherche nous révèlent que le contenu des manuels en lien avec le concept de série mériterait d’être réajusté afin de permettre aux étudiants une meilleure appréhension de ce concept. / At the post high school level, advanced mathematical concepts are difficult to grasp for many students. The series concept is one such advanced concept that students meet for the first time formally in their postsecondary studies (Cégep in the Québec context). This concept has a very large number of applications both in mathematics and in science. However, its own complexity and nature against-intuitive make it very difficult to understand by some students. Among the difficulties to apprehend it, in many cases, we can find the idea that the sum of an infinite number of terms will give a quantity which will necessarily be infinitely large. Given the importance and complexity of this concept, one might expect it to be considered with great attention by the research. However, our literature review shows that there are very few studies focusing on the concept of infinite sum. In this Masters thesis, we will present the results of an analysis carried out on seventeen textbooks used in Cégeps in Quebec. The results of this analysis have allowed us to realize that the textbooks used by the current education rarely make use of the graphic register and that the algebraic register is often favored. Thus, most of the textbooks used in Cégeps rarely use visual representations that could be an important tool that can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the concept of series and graphics are virtually absent in all the exercises and problems that these books offer. Furthermore, the results of our research show that mathematical and extramathematical applications are scarce, although infinite sums are a key concept in the introduction of other mathematical concepts and they allow modeling several phenomena. Moreover, among the few extramathematical applications that appear in the seventeen textbooks, many are of little use to the understanding of the concept in question since they are artificial (difficult applications to perform in daily life). Finally, our research results reveal that the content of textbooks in connection with the concept of series deserves to be readjusted to allow students a better understanding of this concept.