RUME 14 (Volume 2)
2011
Portland, Oregon
MATHEMATICIANS’ PEDAGOGICAL THOUGHTS AND PRACTICES IN PROOF PRESENTATION
Page: 283
This descriptive study investigates the ways in which proofs are presented in upper division proof-based undergraduate mathematics courses at a large comprehensive research university in the Midwest. To pursue this inquiry, four faculty members who were teaching such courses were interviewed and three of the four participated in video-taped observations periodically throughout the course of the semester. Interview data were used to construct a framework with which to analyze the observation data. The observation data were analyzed to determine the level of engagement that the professor seemed to expect of the students, and to identify some proof presentation strategies that were used.