ERIC Number: EJ999482
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jun
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0732-3123
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Understanding the Integral: Students' Symbolic Forms
Jones, Steven R.
Journal of Mathematical Behavior, v32 n2 p122-141 Jun 2013
Researchers are currently investigating how calculus students understand the basic concepts of first-year calculus, including the integral. However, much is still unknown regarding the "cognitive resources" (i.e., stable cognitive units that can be accessed by an individual) that students hold and draw on when thinking about the integral. This paper presents cognitive resources of the integral that a sample of experienced calculus students drew on while working on pure mathematics and applied physics problems. This research provides evidence that students hold a variety of productive cognitive resources that can be employed in problem solving, though some of the resources prove more productive than others, depending on the context. In particular, conceptualizations of the integral as an addition over many pieces seem especially useful in multivariate and physics contexts. (Contains 2 tables and 12 figures.)
Descriptors: Physics, Calculus, Mathematics Instruction, Mathematical Concepts, Cognitive Processes, Problem Solving, Concept Formation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A