Comprehending Leron’s Structured Proofs

• In Event: Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: Mathematical Reasoning and Proof Across Grades

Abstract

Our study investigates how structured proofs might aid or hinder students' comprehension. In a qualitative study, we investigated what students found positive/negative about structured proofs. In particular, some students valued the summaries contained in structured proofs, but many complained that structured proofs "jumped around" and required them to scan different parts of the proof to coordinate information. In a larger quantitative study, we found that students reading a structured proof were better than students reading a linear proof at identifying a good summary of the proof, but performed slightly (although not statistically reliably) worse on questions concerning justifications within the proof, transferring the ideas from the proof to another setting, and illustrating the ideas of the proof using examples.

Authors

• Evan Fuller, University of California - San Diego

• Keith Weber, Rutgers University

• Juan Pablo Mejia-Ramos, Rutgers University

• Kathryn Rhoads, Rutgers University

• Aron Samkoff, Rutgers University