Improving awareness about the meaning of the principle of mathematical induction

This work is based on our conviction that it is possible to minimize difficulties students face in learning the principle of mathematical induction by means of clarifying its logical aspects. Based on previous research and theory, we designed a method of fostering students’ understanding of the principle. We present results that support the effectiveness of our method with teachers in training who are not specializing in mathematics. Fomentar la conciencia sobre el significado del principio de inducción matemática Este trabajo está basado en nuestra convicción de que es posible minimizar las dificultades de los alumnos cuando se enfrentan al aprendizaje del principio de inducción matemática mediante la clarificación de sus aspectos lógicos. Basándonos en la investigación y teoría previas, diseñamos un método para fomentar la comprensión del principio por los alumnos. Presentamos resultados que respaldan la efectividad de nuestro método con profesores en formación no especializados en matemáticas.Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10481/350

Students' reflections on the design of digital resources to scaffold metacognitive activities

In this paper we investigate the efficiency of the design of a digital resource aimed at scaffolding students’ metacognitive processes during problem solving activities. We develop this investigation by focusing on students’ a-posteriori reflections on their interaction with the digital resource. Through the analysis of students’ reflections, we highlight the digital meta-scaffolding elements that are relevant for students and their level of awareness about the provided metacognitive support

Digital resource design as a problem solving activity: the key-role of monitoring processes

In this paper we analyse upper secondary school students’ design of digital resources by interpreting digital resource design as a problem solving activity strongly influenced by the process of instrumental genesis. Our research questions concern the monitoring processes activated by students-designers. Through our analysis, we identified different levels of monitoring during digital resource design, highlighting how monitoring processes are influenced by the students’ systems of conceptual and procedural knowledge and by the artifact’s constraints

Digital resource design as a problem solving activity: the key-role of monitoring processes

In this paper we analyse upper secondary school students’ design of digital resources by interpreting digital resource design as a problem solving activity strongly influenced by the process of instrumental genesis. Our research questions concern the monitoring processes activated by students-designers. Through our analysis, we identified different levels of monitoring during digital resource design, highlighting how monitoring processes are influenced by the students’ systems of conceptual and procedural knowledge and by the artifact’s constraints

Introduction to the papers of TWG22: curricular resources and task design in mathematics education

This contribution discusses the scope and focus of the working group TWG 22 (Curricular resources and task design in mathematics education) during Cerme 12 conference. By recalling the issues addressed during the sessions of the TWG, we propose our reflections on possible directions for future research

ICME international survey on teachers working and learning through collaboration

This article presents preliminary results from a survey commissioned for ICME 13 (2016) focusing on "Teachers Working and Learning Through Collaboration". It takes as a starting point a previous survey, commissioned for ICME 10 in 2004 that focused on Mathematics Teacher Education. The current survey focuses centrally on teachers involved in collaborations, sometimes in formal settings of professional development, but also in a more diverse range of collaborative settings including research initiatives. The roles of teachers involved in the collaboration, survey methods, decisions and limitations are described. While some of the findings to date resonate with those of the earlier survey, other findings highlight characteristics and issues relating to the differing ways in which teachers collaborate, either with other teachers or the various 'others', most notably mathematics teacher educator researchers. The roles and relationships that contribute to learning in such collaborations, as well as theories and methodologies found in survey sources, are a focus of the findings presented here. Studies rarely theorised collaboration, and few of those that did so reported explicitly on how their theoretical frame shaped the design of research methodologies/approaches guiding activities with teachers. One significant outcome has been the difficulty of relating teachers' learning to collaboration within a project, although many initiatives report developments in teaching, teacher learning and students' learning