{"title":"Mathematical sense-making through learner choice","authors":"Piera Biccard","doi":"10.4102/PYTHAGORAS.V39I1.424","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Learners often view learning mathematics as non-sense-making (Dienes, 1971; Schoenfeld, 1991). Non-sense-making is distinct from nonsense (no meaning is possible) and is closer to the term senseless (having no meaning). Schoenfeld (1991, p. 316, 320) coined the phrase ‘suspension of sensemaking’ or ‘significant nonreason in students’ school mathematics’ to describe learners’ disengagement with mathematics. The senselessness experienced by learners when trying to engage with mathematics may stem from a disconnection between the learners’ procedural and conceptual understanding. Teachers also mistake procedural competency for conceptual understanding where they see the latter as a natural consequence of the former. Often the senselessness of mathematics comes from this assumption, especially when the problem changes from ‘basics’ (manipulation) to ‘application’ (word problems). Curricula are also often set up to mask procedural ability for conceptual understanding.","PeriodicalId":43521,"journal":{"name":"Pythagoras","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.3000,"publicationDate":"2018-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.4102/PYTHAGORAS.V39I1.424","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pythagoras","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4102/PYTHAGORAS.V39I1.424","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Learners often view learning mathematics as non-sense-making (Dienes, 1971; Schoenfeld, 1991). Non-sense-making is distinct from nonsense (no meaning is possible) and is closer to the term senseless (having no meaning). Schoenfeld (1991, p. 316, 320) coined the phrase ‘suspension of sensemaking’ or ‘significant nonreason in students’ school mathematics’ to describe learners’ disengagement with mathematics. The senselessness experienced by learners when trying to engage with mathematics may stem from a disconnection between the learners’ procedural and conceptual understanding. Teachers also mistake procedural competency for conceptual understanding where they see the latter as a natural consequence of the former. Often the senselessness of mathematics comes from this assumption, especially when the problem changes from ‘basics’ (manipulation) to ‘application’ (word problems). Curricula are also often set up to mask procedural ability for conceptual understanding.
期刊介绍:
Pythagoras is a scholarly research journal that provides a forum for the presentation and critical discussion of current research and developments in mathematics education at both national and international level. Pythagoras publishes articles that significantly contribute to our understanding of mathematics teaching, learning and curriculum studies, including reports of research (experiments, case studies, surveys, philosophical and historical studies, etc.), critical analyses of school mathematics curricular and teacher development initiatives, literature reviews, theoretical analyses, exposition of mathematical thinking (mathematical practices) and commentaries on issues relating to the teaching and learning of mathematics at all levels of education.