TY - JOUR
T1 - Undergraduate students' conceptions of mathematics
T2 - An international study
AU - Petocz, Peter
AU - Reid, Anna
AU - Wood, Leigh N.
AU - Smith, Geoff H.
AU - Mather, Glyn
AU - Harding, Ansie
AU - Engelbrecht, Johann
AU - Houston, Ken
AU - Hillel, Joel
AU - Perrett, Gillian
PY - 2007/9
Y1 - 2007/9
N2 - In this paper, we report on an international study of undergraduate mathematics students' conceptions of mathematics. Almost 1,200 students in five countries completed a short survey including three open-ended questions asking about their views of mathematics and its role in their future studies and planned professions. Responses were analysed starting from a previously-developed phenomenographic framework (Reid et al., 2003) which required only minor modification. Students' conceptions of mathematics ranged from the narrowest view as a focus on calculations with numbers, through a notion of mathematics as a focus on models or abstract structures, to the broadest view of mathematics as an approach to life and a way of thinking. Broader conceptions of mathematics were more likely to be found in later-year students (p<0.001) and there were significant differences between universities (p<0.001). The information obtained from the study not only confirms previous research, but also provides a basis for future development of a monitoring questionnaire.
AB - In this paper, we report on an international study of undergraduate mathematics students' conceptions of mathematics. Almost 1,200 students in five countries completed a short survey including three open-ended questions asking about their views of mathematics and its role in their future studies and planned professions. Responses were analysed starting from a previously-developed phenomenographic framework (Reid et al., 2003) which required only minor modification. Students' conceptions of mathematics ranged from the narrowest view as a focus on calculations with numbers, through a notion of mathematics as a focus on models or abstract structures, to the broadest view of mathematics as an approach to life and a way of thinking. Broader conceptions of mathematics were more likely to be found in later-year students (p<0.001) and there were significant differences between universities (p<0.001). The information obtained from the study not only confirms previous research, but also provides a basis for future development of a monitoring questionnaire.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34047106134&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10763-006-9059-2
DO - 10.1007/s10763-006-9059-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34047106134
SN - 1571-0068
VL - 5
SP - 439
EP - 459
JO - International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
JF - International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
IS - 3
ER -