Electronic Proceedings of the 12^th Asian Technology Conference in Mathematics

Abstract for 12680

Using Computer Multimedia to Dissolve Cognitive Conflicts of

Mathematical Proof

Authors: Chun-Yi Lee, Ming-Puu Chen

Affiliations: National Taiwan Normal University

Keywords:

This paper exemplified the design of an instructional support by

means of computer-multimedia to dissolve students¡¦ cognitive

conflicts during the process of a mathematical proof problem, the

pasture problem. Cognitive conflicts occur when there are

expectations which are not fulfilled. The pasture problem provides

cognitive conflicts and encourages students to explore and bridge

the gap between conjectures and proofs. In the beginning of the

problem-solving process, students made a conjecture concerning the

solution of the pasture problem and proposed a reason why it was

true. The reason was often rooted in common sense or based on

previous learning. Through multimedia-represented cognitive

conflicts, students are more capable of visualizing and accepting

the new conjecture. Then, it led them to construct a new explanation

for this new conjecture naturally. It is believed that through the

multimedia-supported exploration students were guided to use

deductive reasoning, construct reasons to support the new

conjecture, and be motivated to solve the pasture problem.

Full paper will appear at the second issue of eJMT

(http://ejmt.mathandtech.org)