PROCEEDINGS OF THE 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2014
Denver, Colorado
Why Advanced Mathematics Lectures Often Fail
Page: 137
Research on mathematicians’ pedagogical practice in advanced mathematics is sparse. The current paper contributes to this literature by reporting a case study on a mathematics professor’s presentation of a proof in a real analysis course. By interviewing the professor, we focus on his pedagogical goals when presenting this proof and link those with the actions that he took to achieve these goals. By interviewing six students, we investigate how they interpreted the proof and what they learned from it. Our analysis provides insight into why students did not learn what the professor intended to convey in his presentation.