PROCEEDINGS OF THE 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2017
San Diego, California
Transitioning to proof with worked examples
Page: 796
In this study, I explored the use of a worked-examples-based proof-writing framework as a pedagogical tool to improve undergraduate students’ ability to construct proofs. Over the course of three months, I ran a series of three workshops with five undergraduate students who had no prior experience with formal mathematical proof. In each workshop, participants worked through worksheets containing completed worked examples of mathematical proofs, followed by partially completed worked examples of proofs (to be completed by the participants), and, lastly, exercises. I collected and coded participants’ written work and reflections and explored changes in student proof-writing across workshop sessions. In this paper, I describe themes across student work and provide qualitative data supporting the benefits of incorporating the use of such a worked-examples-based proof-writing framework when introducing students to mathematical proof.