ERIC Number: EJ1296701
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0020-739X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Good Errors in Mathematics Education
Leron, Uri; Ejersbo, Lisser Rye
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, v52 n5 p752-766 2021
Research in psychology and in mathematics education has documented the ubiquity of "intuition traps" -- tasks that elicit non-normative responses from most people. Researchers in cognitive psychology often view these responses negatively, as a sign of irrational behaviour. Others, notably mathematics educators, view them as necessary steps towards deeper understanding, but still as obstacles to be overcome. Still others, especially those with evolutionary bend, view them as the outcome of an intelligent system that has been tricked by atypical conditions (hence our term "traps"). As researchers and practitioners in mathematics education, we tend to sympathize with the latter and, moreover, consider these intuition traps as a potentially fertile resource in the mathematics classroom. This article thus presents theoretical and practical support for the two sides of the same coin: Intuition traps as representing a good "source" and a good "resource."
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Intuition, Teaching Methods, Error Patterns, Educational Theories, Inferences, Schemata (Cognition), Problem Solving, Mathematical Logic, Task Analysis, Cognitive Psychology, Logical Thinking, Peer Relationship, Validity, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Teacher Student Relationship
Taylor & Francis. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A