Students’ difficulties in the context of proofs in elementary set theory.

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dc.contributor.authorShaker, Hedieh
dc.contributor.authorBerger, Margot
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-13T08:26:28Z
dc.date.available2016-07-13T08:26:28Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractIn this paper we explore first-year students’ difficulties with the use and interpretation of definitions of mathematical objects as they attempt proof construction exercises in the area of elementary set theory. The participants are students at a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa. In this study the activities and utterances of 10 students who took part in consultative group sessions were observed and analysed. Consultative sessions were organised so as to encourage and develop students’ active participation while engaging in the task of proof construction. The framework that was used to analyse students’ proof comprehension and construction actions and contributions, particularly their interpretation and use of definitions, is described in the paper. The findings of the study resonate closely with those of researchers in the developed world. Students’ difficulties with definitions of mathematical objects include their misinterpretation of definitions of objects such as the union of sets and the Cartesian product and their association of mathematical objects with a word or symbol contained in their definitions.en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationShaker, H., & Berger, M. (2016). Students’ difficulties in the context of proofs in elementary set theory. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 20(1), 80-90. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10288457.2016.1145449en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1811-7295 (Print)
dc.identifier.issn2469-7656 (Online)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10539/20566
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.subjectMathematics learning – higher education – conceptual difficulties – South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectMathematical definitions – teaching and learningen_ZA
dc.subjectElementary set theory – proof construction – teaching and learningen_ZA
dc.titleStudents’ difficulties in the context of proofs in elementary set theory.en_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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