2008/03/06

Appropriating mathematical tools through problem solving in collaborative small-group settings

This is the title of a new PhD thesis in mathematics education, written by Martin Carlsen, University of Agder. Carlsen defended his thesis last Friday (February 29).

A main element in this thesis is the perspectives on learning mathematics through collaborative problem solving. This perspective has received attention by several of Carlsen's colleagues in Agder in the past (see e.g. Bjuland, 2004; Borgersen, 1994; Borgersen, 2004). Carlsen presents an analysis of how upper secondary students engage in problem-solving processes in order to achieve mathematical understanding, and he presents four separate studies within this field.

References:
Bjuland, R. (2004). Student teachers' reflections on their learning process through collaborative problem solving in geometry. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 55(1):199-225.
Borgersen, H. E. (1994). Open ended problem solving in geometry. Nordisk Matematikkdidaktikk, 2(2): 6-35.
Borgersen, H. E. (2004). Open ended problem solving in geometry re-visited. Nordisk Matematikkdidaktikk, 9(3), 35-65.
Carlsen, M. (2008). Appropriating mathematical tools through problem solving in collaborative small-group settings. PhD thesis, University of Agder, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Kristiansand, Norway.

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