PROCEEDINGS OF THE 19TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2016
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Teaching and learning linear algebra in terms of community of practice
Page: 928
Communities of practice (CoP) are defined as groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who interact in an ongoing basis to deepen their knowledge and expertise. The purpose of this study is to examine the process of teaching and learning linear algebra within this theoretical framework. In this research, we used an ethnographic case study design to study three linear algebra instructors and their students at a large public university. The instructors have different educational and cultural backgrounds. Data included observations, a Linear Algebra Questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. We observed significant differences in teaching methods between the instructors.