Premium
Graphical Representations of Speed: Obstacles Preservice K‐8 Teachers Experience
Author(s) -
Billings Esther MH,
Klanderman David
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/j.1949-8594.2000.tb17332.x
Subject(s) - confusion , mathematics education , construct (python library) , interpretation (philosophy) , context (archaeology) , graph , psychology , algebraic number , cognition , computer science , pedagogy , mathematics , theoretical computer science , paleontology , mathematical analysis , neuroscience , psychoanalysis , biology , programming language
This study examines the difficulties college students experience when creating and interpreting graphs in which speed is one of the variables. Nineteen students, all preservice elementary or middle school teachers, completed an upper‐level course exploring algebraic concepts. Although all of these preservice teachers had previously completed several mathematics courses, including calculus, they demonstrated widespread misconceptions about the variable speed. This study identifies four cognitive obstacles held by the students, provides excerpts of their graphical constructions and verbal interpretations, and discusses potential causes for the confusion. In particular, misconceptions arose when students interpreted the behavior and nature of speed within a graphical context, as well as in situations where they were required to construct a graph involving speed as a variable. The study concludes by offering implications for the teaching and learning of speed and its interpretation within a graphical setting.