PROCEEDINGS OF THE 18TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2015
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Effects of engaging students in the practices of mathematics on their concept of mathematics
Page: 556
Two important parts of mathematical proficiency are the individual’s understanding of mathematics and his or her self-efficacy beliefs with respect to mathematics. Understanding the nature of mathematics should include recognizing mathematics as a field of inquiry. However, it is not clear how changes in a student’s understanding of the nature of mathematics might affect the ways that the student perceives his or her mathematical abilities. We designed a 5-week course around inquiry projects in an attempt to promote a more robust understanding of the nature of mathematics. Using surveys and interviews, we gathered information about students’ perceptions of mathematics and about their own mathematical abilities. Our exploratory research suggests that engaging in an inquiry-based course experience helped students to recognize the roles of collaboration and communication in mathematics, but may also have led them to perceive mathematics as inherently more difficult and themselves as less able to communicate mathematically.