RiSE Center Colloquium, Sept. 22 – Allison Dorko
RiSE Center Colloquium
Monday, Sept. 22, 2014
3:00 pm
165 Arthur St. John Hill Auditorium
Barrows Hall
Speaker: Allison Dorko, Ph.D. candidate at Oregon State University
MST Alumni
Some Ideas about How Calculus Students Generalize from Single- to Multivariable Contexts
Generalization is a critical goal of mathematical thought and thus a goal of instruction. However, most generalization research has been conducted in k-12 mathematics topics such as pattern generalization and algebraic reasoning. My current work involves using actor-oriented transfer to study how students generalize ideas from single- to multivariable calculus. Actor-oriented transfer identifies the similarities students see across mathematical situations as generalizations, even if students’ perceived similarities would not be considered mathematically correct. In this talk, I will discuss findings from two studies: one regarding how students generalize the concepts of domain and range from single-to multivariable functions, and preliminary results from a study about how students generalize integration from one to multiple integrals.