Proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education · Volume 1
Susanne Digel, Ute Sproesser
Ludwigsburg University of Education
⬇ Download PDFThis study examines the structure and relationships of functional thinking facets, i. e., conceptions of functions and representational competencies. A sample of 678 students completed assessments on both facets. Rasch model comparisons identified all seven theory-based dimensions and showed varied correlations between them. The strongest correlations were found between changes involving situational representation and covariation/object and the weakest between changes with algebraic expressions and correspondence. This suggests that changes with situational representations rely on function conceptions, whereas changes with algebraic expressions often are performed algorithmically. Hence, instruction should cultivate function conceptions and comprehensible representational changes, while deemphasising fragile algorithms.
functional thinkingconceptionsrepresentationsstudent competencyRasch modelling