A Snapshot Of Advanced High School Students' Understanding Of Continuity

Author

Melissa Jo Vela

Graduation Semester and Year

2011

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mathematics

Department

Mathematics

First Advisor

James Epperson

Abstract

We report on a study of sixteen high school calculus and seven precalculus students' concept image and concept definition of continuity after one-trimester of instruction at a large suburban high school in the southwestern United States. The researchers developed a questionnaire based upon the work of Tall and Vinner (1981) to determine if calculus students had developed a more sophisticated concept image and concept definition of continuity than students in pre-calculus after a typical treatment in both courses. Using data from the written assessment it was not evident that calculus students demonstrated a more sophisticated concept image and concept definition than pre-calculus students. However, findings suggest that a weak concept image or concept definition of continuity reflects practices in precalculus and calculus instruction.

Disciplines

Mathematics | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

Recommended Citation

Vela, Melissa Jo, "A Snapshot Of Advanced High School Students' Understanding Of Continuity" (2011). Mathematics Theses. 5.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/math_theses/5