Assessment of Students' Conceptual Knowledge in Limit of Functions

Autor/inn/en	Sebsibe, Ashebir Sidelil; Feza, Nosisi Nellie
Titel	Assessment of Students' Conceptual Knowledge in Limit of Functions
Quelle	In: International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 15 (2020) 2, (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1306-3030
Schlagwörter	Knowledge Level; Concept Formation; Mathematical Concepts; Calculus; Barriers; Grade 12; Science Instruction; Natural Sciences; Cognitive Processes; Foreign Countries; Algebra; Misconceptions; High School Students; Ethiopia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Wissensbasis; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Analysis; Differenzialrechnung; Infinitesimalrechnung; Integralrechnung; School year 12; 12. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 12; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Naturwissenschaften; Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess; Ausland; Missverständnis; High school; High schools; Student; Students; Oberschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Studentin; Äthiopien
Abstract	Conceptual understanding of calculus is crucial in the fields of applied sciences, business, and engineering and technology subjects. However, the current status indicates that students possess only procedural knowledge developed from rote learning of procedures in calculus without insight of core ideas. Hence, this paper aims to assess students' challenges and to get insight on common barriers towards attaining conceptual knowledge of calculus. A purposive sample of 238 grade 12 natural sciences students from four different schools in one administrative Zone of Ethiopia were selected to participate in this study. An open ended test about limit of functions at a point and at infinity was administered and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings reveal a number of factors about students' knowledge such as: lack of conceptual knowledge in limit of functions, knowledge characterized by a static view of dynamic processes, over generalization, inconsistent cognitive structure, over dependence on procedural learning, lack of coherent and flexibility of reasoning, lack of procedural fluency and wrong interpretation of symbolic notations. Students' thinking strategies influencing these challenges originate from their arithmetic thinking rather than algebraic, linguistic ambiguities, compartmentalized learning, dependence on concept image than concept definition, focus in obtaining correct answers for wrong reasons, and attention given to lower level cognitive demanding exercises. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01