ERIC Number: EJ1051094
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0126-7663
EISSN: N/A
A Teaching Experiment in Constructing the Limit of a Sequence
Nam, Pham Sy; Stephens, Max
Journal of Science and Mathematics Education in Southeast Asia, v37 n1 p1-20 2014
"Limit" is a difficult mathematical concept, even for good students. It is also a key foundational idea for the study of advanced mathematics. It holds a central position as a foundation of the theory of approximation, of continuity, and of differential and integral calculus. However, the difficulty for teachers is how to organise teaching and learning. Using a constructivist approach, this study used a Teaching Experiment, supported by the use of Dynamic Geometry Software, to identify important steps for students in the development of the concept of a finite limit sequence. The results show that teaching using dynamic manipulations helps to identify shortcomings in students' thinking while challenging them to form and verify their hypotheses and conclusions about a finite limit.
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Mathematical Concepts, Constructivism (Learning), Concept Formation, Computer Software, Educational Technology, Geometry, Teaching Methods
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Centre for Education in Science and Mathematics (SEAMEO RECSAM). Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 11700 Gelugor, Penang, Malaysia. Tel: +011-60-4-658-3266; Fax: +011-60-4-657-2541; e-mail: director@recsam.edu.my; Web site: http://www.recsam.edu.my/index.php/resources/journal-of-science-and-mathematics-education-in-southeast-asia
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A