Open AccessCapturing and communicating advanced mathematical activity
Author(s) -
Peter Samuels
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of learning development in higher education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1759-667X
DOI - 10.47408/jldhe.v0i0.181
Subject(s) - creativity , process (computing) , product (mathematics) , mathematical problem , computer science , alienation , mathematics education , cognition , mathematics , psychology , social psychology , programming language , geometry , neuroscience , political science , law
Unlike most other subjects, mathematical activity resides almost entirely within the cognitive processes of a mathematics practitioner and is therefore difficult to characterise. Despite recent interest, the nature of advanced mathematical activity remains something of a black box to educational researchers. In addition, the production of advanced mathematical texts, such as theses or journal articles, is often divorced from mathematiciansââ¬â¢ experiences of creating mathematics which can lead them to a sense of personal alienation from their work. This article proposes four practical techniques for capturing advanced mathematical activity. The timing of the use of these techniques is compared against a model of mathematical creativity and the writing process. The establishment of a new genre for communicating advanced mathematics is proposed which combines the product of the activity with the process of creating it.