Number, Endless, and Something: Interpreting College Students' Conceptual Metaphors of Infinity

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Research on the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics

Abstract

Interpreting students’ conceptual metaphors of infinity posit a challenge due to its dynamic nature. There are diversity and variation among students’ process-object perceptions. The fluctuations between students’ views, however, reveal an undeveloped duality conception. This study examined college students’ spontaneous conceptions in understanding and representing infinity with the intent to categorize students’ views of infinity across the Calculus sequence. Data for the study were collected using Infinity questionnaire from N=188 college students enrolled in Calculus sequence courses. Data were analyzed by three independent experts using a meaning coding scheme and it was further checked for inter-rater reliability. Results of this study reveal that college students’ experiences in traditional Calculus sequence courses are not supportive of the development of duality conception.

Authors

• Mourat Tchoshanov, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Grace Babarinsa, The University of Texas - El Paso

• Gulshat Shakirova, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University

• Valeriya Stepashkina, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University