Multiple Meanings of an Inscription During Group Work on a Geometry Problem

• In Event: 70.066 - Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: 70.066-2 - High School and University Students' Mathematical Thinking

Abstract

When students work in groups on real-world problems in mathematics, they draw upon knowledge of mathematical and contextual information. We examined students’ work on a geometry problem that required them to use a map of their local community to determine the optimal location for a new grocery store. We applied thematic analysis to examine how students assigned meaning to the map according to different sources of prior knowledge. Students used their knowledge of the local community in different ways, which led to students making different connections with the relevant mathematical ideas for solving the problem. This study illustrates how students navigate the contextual information in real-world problems in ways that contribute to their understanding of mathematics.

Authors

• Anna Fricano DeJarnette, University of Cincinnati

• Gloriana Gonzalez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign