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Article
Mathematicians' Views on Transition-to-Proof and Advanced Mathematics Courses
Faculty Publications
  • Robert C. Moore, Andrews University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Disciplines
Abstract

This study explores mathematicians’ views on 1) knowledge and skills students need in order to succeed in subsequent mathematics courses, 2) content courses as transition-to-proof courses, and 3) differences in the proving process across mathematical content areas. Seven mathematicians from three different universities (varying in geographic location and department size), were interviewed. Precision, sense-making, flexibility, definition use, reading and validating proofs, and proof techniques are skills that the mathematicians stated were necessary to be successful in advanced mathematics courses. The participants agreed unanimously that a content course could be used as a transition-to-proof course under certain conditions. They also noted differences in the proving processes between abstract algebra and real analysis. Results from this study will be used to frame a larger study investigating students’ proof processes in their subsequent mathematics content courses and investigating how these skills can be incorporated into a transition-to-proof course.

Journal Title
Proceedings of the 17th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education
Citation Information
Robert C. Moore. "Mathematicians' Views on Transition-to-Proof and Advanced Mathematics Courses" (2014) p. 1009 - 1013
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/robert_moore/5/