Unit:
Διαπανεπιστημιακό ΠΜΣ Διδακτική και Μεθοδολογία των ΜαθηματικώνLibrary of the School of Science
Author:
Μποχώτης Αθανάσιος
Supervisors info:
Θεοδόσιος Ζαχαριάδης Καθηγητής (Επιβλέπων), Δέσποινα Πόταρη Καθηγήτρια, Γεώργιος Ψυχάρης Επίκ. Καθηγητής
Original Title:
Διδασκαλία και μάθηση της κυρτότητας συνάρτησης στη δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση
Translated title:
Teaching and learning of function convexity in secondary education
Summary:
The concept of convexity is widely used not only in many areas of mathematics
but in other sciences as well. Although it is a basic concept, its role is
underexposed. It passes almost unnoticed by the students of grade 12, because
when it is taught the procedures followed are similar to those used in the
preceding paragraph of the textbook about teaching function monotony.
In this research the degree of understanding of the concept of convexity was
examined among students of grade 12.
112 students of grade 12 from seven high schools in Attica participated.
The students were divided according to the statistical analysis done using the
method of Latent Class Analysis, in four classes according to their responses.
Also, the factor analysis of the questionnaire questions was carried out
according to which three factors arose. On condition that each question should
have been answered by at least 50% of the students and also that at least half
of the questions of each factor be answered, an escalation of correct responses
was observed from one class to the next. Moreover, there was a group of seven
students for whom the teaching was based on the geometrical definition of
convexity. They were given the same questionnaire and then the results of each
student were assessed. It was found that these students gave answers that
satisfy at least two of the above three factors.
Keywords:
Convexity, Factor Analysis, Latent Class Analysis
