The purpose of this research was to examine the negotiation of social norms in a university mathematics problem solving class. The beliefs and patterns of action which the participants in this class negotiated to define their learning environment were seen as defining the taken-to-be-shared social norms. / Each class session was video recorded to accompany field notes. Video recorded interviews were conducted with the instructor after each class session and with four students periodically throughout the semester. / Lectures were not given nor were procedures imposed. Each learner constructed his/her mathematics and this construction was enhanced by their interaction with other participants in the classroom. / The research includes descriptions of each class session, as well as an examination of the beliefs and actions of the instructor and the four students interviewed. In investigating this mathematics class that focused upon mathematics as a sense making activity, opportunities were identified that encouraged mathematical thinking. / The set of norms negotiated in this class included collaboration, intellectual autonomy, students devising their own methods, students determining the viability of their solutions rather than the instructor, students initiating the presentation of multiple solutions and ideas, students focusing upon heuristics and strategies rather than answers, and an expectation for all solutions and ideas to make sense even those presented by the instructor. The successful negotiation of these social norms were effective in establishing a rich mathematics learning environment. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-03, Section: A, page: 0500. / Directors: Grayson H. Wheatley; Norma Presmeg. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1994.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77120 |
| Contributors | Trowell, Sandra Davis., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 246 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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