• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.125-143
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• 2014

In this study, we analyzed a mathematical discussion in the Calculus II course of the Gifted Science Academy and individual interviews to determine the relationship between cognitive conflicts and commognitive conflicts. The mathematical discussion began with a question from a student who seemed to have a cognitive conflict about the osculating plane of a space curve. The results indicated that the commognitive conflicts were resolved by ritualizing and using the socially constructed knowledge, but cognitive conflicts were not resolved. Furthermore, we found that the cause of the cognitive conflict resulted from the student's imperfect analogical reasoning and the reflective discourse about it could be a learning opportunity for overcoming the conflict. These findings imply that cognitive conflicts can trigger the appearance of commognitive conflicts, but the elimination of commognitive conflicts does not imply that cognitive conflicts are resolved.