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Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory

This paper describes a small-scale research project based on workbooks designed to support independent study of proofs in a first course on abstract algebra. We discuss the lecturers’ aims in designing the workbooks, and set these against a background of research on students’ learning of group theor...

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Main Authors: Lara Alcock, Gavin Brown, Clare Dunning
Format: Default Article
Published: 2015
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2134/17921
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author Lara Alcock
Gavin Brown
Clare Dunning
author_facet Lara Alcock
Gavin Brown
Clare Dunning
author_sort Lara Alcock (1384308)
collection Figshare
description This paper describes a small-scale research project based on workbooks designed to support independent study of proofs in a first course on abstract algebra. We discuss the lecturers’ aims in designing the workbooks, and set these against a background of research on students’ learning of group theory and on epistemological beliefs and study habits in higher education. We organise our analysis of student responses around three emerging themes: 1) structured support provided by the workbooks, 2) productive forced study of lecture notes, and 3) engaging with proofs. Discussion of our data in terms of these themes suggests several considerations for the design of tasks for independent study of advanced mathematics.
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institution Loughborough University
publishDate 2015
record_format Figshare
spelling rr-article-93683002015-01-01T00:00:00Z Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory Lara Alcock (1384308) Gavin Brown (281874) Clare Dunning (7157930) Undergraduate mathematics Textbooks Reading comprehension Task design Proof comprehension Study habits This paper describes a small-scale research project based on workbooks designed to support independent study of proofs in a first course on abstract algebra. We discuss the lecturers’ aims in designing the workbooks, and set these against a background of research on students’ learning of group theory and on epistemological beliefs and study habits in higher education. We organise our analysis of student responses around three emerging themes: 1) structured support provided by the workbooks, 2) productive forced study of lecture notes, and 3) engaging with proofs. Discussion of our data in terms of these themes suggests several considerations for the design of tasks for independent study of advanced mathematics. 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 2134/17921 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Independent_study_workbooks_for_proofs_in_group_theory/9368300 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
spellingShingle Undergraduate mathematics
Textbooks
Reading comprehension
Task design
Proof comprehension
Study habits
Lara Alcock
Gavin Brown
Clare Dunning
Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title_full Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title_fullStr Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title_full_unstemmed Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title_short Independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
title_sort independent study workbooks for proofs in group theory
topic Undergraduate mathematics
Textbooks
Reading comprehension
Task design
Proof comprehension
Study habits
url https://hdl.handle.net/2134/17921