Proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education · Volume 1
Femke Sporn, Kristin Litteck, Irene Neumann, Aiso Heinze
Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education
⬇ Download PDFMathematics is encountered both as a deductive discipline, where proofs are central, and as an applied discipline, where reasoning is used to model and solve real-world problems. While arguments based on examples, measurements, or drawings are generally invalid in proofs, they are often legitimate when mathematics is applied in context. This study investigates whether high school students can distinguish between these normative frameworks and apply appropriate sociomathematical norms flexibly. Data from 436 Grade 11 students show that students’ knowledge of proof-related norms does not systematically predict their evaluation of applied mathematical context. However, the results suggest that some students are familiar with proof-related norms but seem to transfer them inappropriately to applied contexts.
Sociomathematical normsProof-related normsApplied mathematical contexts