Capturing and communicating advanced mathematical activity

Authors

  • Peter Samuels Birmingham City University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i0.181

Keywords:

mathematical creativity, advanced mathematical activity, mathematical writing, data capturing techniques, mathematical activity corpus

Abstract

Unlike most other subjects, mathematical activity resides almost entirely within the cognitive processes of a mathematics practitioner and is therefore difficult to characterise. Despite recent interest, the nature of advanced mathematical activity remains something of a black box to educational researchers. In addition, the production of advanced mathematical texts, such as theses or journal articles, is often divorced from mathematiciansââ¬â¢ experiences of creating mathematics which can lead them to a sense of personal alienation from their work. This article proposes four practical techniques for capturing advanced mathematical activity. The timing of the use of these techniques is compared against a model of mathematical creativity and the writing process. The establishment of a new genre for communicating advanced mathematics is proposed which combines the product of the activity with the process of creating it.

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Published

14-11-2012

How to Cite

Samuels, P. (2012) “Capturing and communicating advanced mathematical activity”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. doi: 10.47408/jldhe.v0i0.181.

Issue

Special Edition: Developing Writing in STEM Disciplines

Section

Opinion Pieces

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