Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah

The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A p...

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Κύριος συγγραφέας: Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah
Μορφή: Άρθρο
Γλώσσα:English
Έκδοση: Institute of Research, Development and Commercialization (IRDC) 2007
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Διαθέσιμο Online:https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/1/AJ_SITI%20AISHAH%20SHEIKH%20ABDULLAH%20SMRJ%2007%201.pdf
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author Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah
author_facet Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah
author_sort Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah
collection UITM
description The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A person S concept image can differ greatly from the formal mathematical definitions of the concept. This study explores an aspect of understanding the concept of functions related to this theme. One hundred and ninety university students from two different universities and with a different academic background participated in the study. The first group of students were diploma students in their second semester of engineering programme. The second group were first year students enroll in science based degree in another higher institutions. Data were gathered from questionnaires which asked students to identify functions in graphic and algebraic forms. They were also requested to give reasons for their choices. A large number of students indicated a strong tendency to observe function only as a formula between x and y. Their justification for rejecting or accepting representations of functions showed a rather rigid and limited understanding of the concept. Many were unable to give clear reasoning explaining their choices according to the formal definition from their previous learning.
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spelling oai:ir.uitm.edu.my:130262016-06-15T03:10:53Z https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/ Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah smrj Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah Teaching aids and devices Institutions of higher education Malaysia The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A person S concept image can differ greatly from the formal mathematical definitions of the concept. This study explores an aspect of understanding the concept of functions related to this theme. One hundred and ninety university students from two different universities and with a different academic background participated in the study. The first group of students were diploma students in their second semester of engineering programme. The second group were first year students enroll in science based degree in another higher institutions. Data were gathered from questionnaires which asked students to identify functions in graphic and algebraic forms. They were also requested to give reasons for their choices. A large number of students indicated a strong tendency to observe function only as a formula between x and y. Their justification for rejecting or accepting representations of functions showed a rather rigid and limited understanding of the concept. Many were unable to give clear reasoning explaining their choices according to the formal definition from their previous learning. Institute of Research, Development and Commercialization (IRDC) 2007 Article PeerReviewed text en https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/1/AJ_SITI%20AISHAH%20SHEIKH%20ABDULLAH%20SMRJ%2007%201.pdf Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah. (2007) Social and Management Research Journal (SMRJ) <https://ir.uitm.edu.my/view/publication/Social_and_Management_Research_Journal_=28SMRJ=29/>, 4 (1). pp. 67-76. ISSN 1675-7017 https://smrj.uitm.edu.my/
spellingShingle Teaching aids and devices
Institutions of higher education
Malaysia
Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah
Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title_full Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title_fullStr Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title_full_unstemmed Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title_short Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
title_sort conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students siti aishah sheikh abdullah
topic Teaching aids and devices
Institutions of higher education
Malaysia
url https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/1/AJ_SITI%20AISHAH%20SHEIKH%20ABDULLAH%20SMRJ%2007%201.pdf
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