Present study investigates college students' covariational reasoning in light of five mental actions described in covariation framework introduced by Marilyn P. Carlson. More specifically, this study focuses on college students' understanding and reasoning about simultaneous changes of two variables when they interpret a functional situation and use their interpretations to demonstrate simultaneous changes of two variables in graphical representations. Two high performing college students' reasoning was investigated in a multiple case study design. Data was obtained from a detailed examination of students' thinking and reasoning processes through the task based in-depth clinical interviews. Data obtained from students' verbal expressions and graphical representations were analyzed in light of the theoretical lens. Carlson et al.'s (2002) covariation framework provided a skeletal structure for the description and interpretation of findings in each case. Specifically, five mental actions defined in the framework were used to describe each student's covariational reasoning. Analysis of data disclosed that functional situations are conceived as static rather than dynamic. This static approach prevents students from evaluating the whole process as it is happening at once. In other words, students have difficulties to represent continues changes of two variables in a functional situation and coordinate the simultaneous changes of two variables on entire domain. In addition, students' difficulties in graphical representations produce inconsistencies between interpretations and representations of simultaneous changes of two variables. It is also revealed that Students' strong procedural tendency hinders reasoning and meaningful interpretations about change in functional situations. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle and Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2007. / January 3, 2007. / Reasoning, Covariation / Includes bibliographical references. / Elizabeth Jakubowski, Professor Directing Dissertation; Sande Milton, Outside Committee Member; Leslie Aspinwall, Committee Member; Kenneth Shaw, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_181079 |
| Contributors | Koklu, Onder (authoraut), Jakubowski, Elizabeth (professor directing dissertation), Milton, Sande (outside committee member), Aspinwall, Leslie (committee member), Shaw, Kenneth (committee member), Department of Middle and Secondary Education (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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