%0 Journal Article %1 iliada2009geometric %A Elia, Iliada %A Gagatsis, Athanasios %A Panaoura, Areti %A Zachariades, Theodosis %A Zoulinaki, Fotini %D 2009 %J International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education %K algebra geometry learning limit mathematics postviva %N 4 %P 765-790 %T GEOMETRIC AND ALGEBRAIC APPROACHES IN THE CONCEPT OF "LIMIT" AND THE IMPACT OF THE "DIDACTIC CONTRACT" %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10763-009-9149-z %V 7 %X The present study explores students’ abilities in conversions between geometric and algebraic representations, in problem- solving situations involving the concept of “limit” and the interrelation of these abilities with students’ constructed understandingof this concept. An attempt is also made to examine the impact of the “didactic contract” on students’ performance throughthe processes they employ in tackling specific tasks on the concept of limit. Data were collected from 222 12th-grade highschool students in Greece. The results indicated that students who had constructed a conceptual understanding of limit werethe ones most probable to accomplish the conversions of limits from the algebraic to the geometric representations and thereverse. The findings revealed the compartmentalized way of students’ thinking in non-routine problems by means of their performancein simpler conversion tasks. Students who did not perform under the conditions of the didactic contract were found to be moreconsistent in their responses for various conversion tasks and complex problems on limits, compared to students who, as aconsequence of the didactic contract, used only algorithmic processes.

@article{iliada2009geometric, abstract = {The present study explores students’ abilities in conversions between geometric and algebraic representations, in problem- solving situations involving the concept of “limit” and the interrelation of these abilities with students’ constructed understandingof this concept. An attempt is also made to examine the impact of the “didactic contract” on students’ performance throughthe processes they employ in tackling specific tasks on the concept of limit. Data were collected from 222 12th-grade highschool students in Greece. The results indicated that students who had constructed a conceptual understanding of limit werethe ones most probable to accomplish the conversions of limits from the algebraic to the geometric representations and thereverse. The findings revealed the compartmentalized way of students’ thinking in non-routine problems by means of their performancein simpler conversion tasks. Students who did not perform under the conditions of the didactic contract were found to be moreconsistent in their responses for various conversion tasks and complex problems on limits, compared to students who, as aconsequence of the didactic contract, used only algorithmic processes.}, added-at = {2009-10-13T13:26:44.000+0200}, author = {Elia, Iliada and Gagatsis, Athanasios and Panaoura, Areti and Zachariades, Theodosis and Zoulinaki, Fotini}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/21de3e4c93525437a00608bdfedadf673/yish}, description = {SpringerLink - Journal Article}, interhash = {be43812913ba545f7787792de8dfb82c}, intrahash = {1de3e4c93525437a00608bdfedadf673}, journal = {International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education}, keywords = {algebra geometry learning limit mathematics postviva}, month = {august}, number = 4, pages = {765-790}, timestamp = {2009-10-13T13:26:44.000+0200}, title = {GEOMETRIC AND ALGEBRAIC APPROACHES IN THE CONCEPT OF "LIMIT" AND THE IMPACT OF THE "DIDACTIC CONTRACT"}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10763-009-9149-z}, volume = 7, year = 2009 }