RUME 25
2023
Omaha, Nebraska
What Do Students Do To Develop Understanding of Definitions in Proof-Based Courses?
Page: 591
Advanced, proof-based mathematics courses typically include learning goals of developing understanding of the relevant content of the class. The content always includes definitions of concept in that they are foundational to theorems and proofs. This study explores what three students believe it means to understand a definition, the actions they take to develop that understanding, and the rationales they use to explain why their actions are productive. The students held divergent beliefs about what it means to understand a definition. While all cited lecture attendance and homework as critical activities in their learning, they diverged on the use of outside resources and the rationales for why they might or might not be useful.