Flexibility and coordination among acts of visualization and analysis in a pattern generalization activity

• This study aims at exploring processes of flexibility and coordination among acts of visualization and analysis in students’ attempt to reach a general formula for a three-dimensional pattern generalizing task. The investigation draws on a case-study analysis of two 15-year-old girls working together on a task in which they are asked to calculate the number of blocks in a three-dimensional tower of different heights. The students’ activity was video- and audio-taped, fully transcribed and lasted for 50 min. The analysis discloses several instances of how the students were linking acts of visualization and analysis to reach a general formula. However, regarding flexibility, we found that it was more natural for the students to change visual format than to change analytical position and direction in their attempts to generalize the three-dimensional pattern of the task in a closed formula.

Ämnesord

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics -- Other Mathematics (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik -- Annan matematik (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences -- Pedagogy (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap -- Pedagogik (hsv//swe)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik (hsv//swe)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics (hsv//eng)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Flexibility

coordination

visualization

analysis

pattern generalization

Flexibility; Coordination; Visualization; Analysis; Pattern generalization

Matematikdidaktik

Mathematical Education

Analysis; Coordination; Flexibility; Pattern generalization; Visualization

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