ERIC Number: EJ1428362
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0020-739X
EISSN: EISSN-1464-5211
Available Date: N/A
Students' Beliefs on Empirical Arguments and Mathematical Proof in an Introduction to Proof Class
David Miller; Joshua Case; Ben Davies
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, v55 n8 p1853-1874 2024
We report findings from a longitudinal study of students' beliefs about empirical arguments and mathematical proof. We consider the influence of an 'Introduction to Proof (ITP)' course and the consequences of the observed changes in behaviour. Consistent with recent literature, our findings suggest that a majority of the thirty-eight undergraduate students in this study do not find empirical arguments convincing, even at the beginning of their ITP course. We use Sankey diagrams to show that, while many were unconvinced by these arguments at the start and end of the course, others began the course endorsing empirical arguments as similar to their own, shifting toward deductive-symbolic arguments by the end. Finally, we consider the value of Sankey diagrams for understanding changes in population behaviours, and the consequences of our work for future research on the role of empirical arguments in the classroom.
Descriptors: Mathematical Logic, Validity, Mathematics Instruction, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Mathematical Concepts, Persuasive Discourse
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A