PROCEEDINGS OF THE 18TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2015
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Linear algebra in the three worlds of mathematical thinking: The effect of permuting worlds on students’ performance
Page: 581
Linear algebra is a required course for STEM majors. Many undergraduate students struggle with the sudden exposure to abstraction which is almost an unavoidable feature of the course. Although research on students’ conceptual understanding of linear algebra is going forward, no research has focused on how students react to the order in which the concepts are taught. In this study, we use Tall’s three-world model of mathematical thinking to examine students’ performance in a first year linear algebra course. The study examined two sections of a linear algebra course simultaneously while the instructor changed the order in which she taught the concepts in each class. The result of this investigation so far suggests no significant difference on students’ performance.