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Research Issues in Undergraduate Mathematics Learning: Preliminary Analyses and Reports (M a a Notes)
Research Issues in Undergraduate Mathematics Learning Preliminary Analyses and Reports - M a a Notes Author:James J. Kaput, Ed Dubinsky Research in undergraduate mathematics education is important for all college and university mathematicians. If our students are to be more successful inunderstanding mathematics, then college faculty need to understand how mathematics can be learned. This knowledge can guide us in curriculum reform and in improving our own teaching. It can help ... more »us make mathematics accessible to all students and it can increase the number of graduate students in mathematics. This volume of research in undergraduate mathematics education informs us about the nature of student learning in some of the most important topics in the undergraduate curriculum: sets, functions, calculus, statistics, abstract algebra and problem solving. Paying careful attention to the troubles students have in learning mathematics will help us to work with students to help them deal with those difficulties. A survey of the literature begins the volume. Becker and Pence have brought together an unusally complete list of references on research in collegiatemathematics. Their comments will guide those attempting to begin or to continue a program of research in student learning. The sad fact that even good calculus students stumble over nonrutine problems is the theme of Selden, Selden, and Mason. Their conclusions point to significant shortcomings in the curriculum. This study of student difficulties is continued by Ferrini-Mundy and Graham who investigate a single student's interactions with the fundamental concepts of the calculus. Baxer studies a group of students to learn how the acquire the concept of set, while Cuoco does the same for the concept of function. Cooperative learning does help the student. That is the conclusion of Bonsangue, who investigates how two carefully matched classes of students in a statistics course perform on exams. How students learn to write proofs in group theory is the subject considered by Hart. Rosamond breaks new ground by comparing how emotions vary in their effect on the problem solving ability of novices and experts. All college faculty should read this book to find how they can help their students learn mathematics.« less