Research in Mathematical Education (한국수학교육학회지시리즈D:수학교육연구)
- Volume 6 Issue 2
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- Pages.117-122
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- 2002
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- 1226-6191(pISSN)
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- 2287-9943(eISSN)
Offer Calculus to High School Students: The Use of Technologies Can Clear up People's Doubts
- Wang, Gaoxia (Department of Mathematics, China three Gorges University) ;
- Zhu, Yan (Nanyang Technological University)
- Published : 2002.09.01
Abstract
From the beginning of the 20th century, calculus is gradually offered to high school students in many countries. However, in Chinese high school, the instruction on calculus is nearly an untouched field. Many people don't believe that high school students can study calculus well. They think calculus knowledge in students' brains is likely to become the “half-cooked food”, and this can produce a bad effect on the study of formal calculus at university. The authors consider that the emphasis of calculus in high school should be the intuitive understanding of fundamental calculus concepts, and it is also the basis of the understanding of formal concepts. Traditional mathematics course with chalk can't meet the needs of calculus teaching. The use of technologies can enhance the calculus teaching, especially the informal and visual calculus teaching, help students understand the underlying concepts. The authors describe how the use of technologies can improve the calculus teaching and learning, and point out that the use of technologies can clear up people's doubts.
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