ERIC Number: EJ973340
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Feb
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1072-0839
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
To Infinity. . .and beyond!
Larson, Jeffrey M.; Jacobson, Michael S.; Den Ouden, Katherine M.; Basile, Carole G.
Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, v17 n6 p346-351 Feb 2012
Developmentally, middle school students progress from being concrete thinkers and learners to abstract thinkers. Traditional middle school mathematics instruction introduces a curriculum that is intuitive and taught within a natural trajectory of the content. However, with this traditional approach, students may miss out on being exposed to challenging and complex topics from advanced mathematics that can greatly expand the way that students think mathematically. Concepts such as infinite sets can be counterintuitive, but they can hold the interest of most students. Perhaps this is because of their inherent eccentricity, which is counter to students' natural ability to easily adapt to finite objects and events. Although there are various avenues to introduce these complex mathematical topics, the authors propose an activity about the concept of infinity that highlights the importance of proof and reasoning and expands the learner's abstract thinking. (Contains 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Mathematics Instruction, Middle School Students, Secondary School Mathematics, Teaching Methods, Thinking Skills, Mathematics Activities, Mathematics Curriculum, Mathematical Logic, Validity, Cognitive Development
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

Peer reviewed
Direct link
