An Analysis of the Development of Slope across a Textbook Series
Open Access
Author:
Fisher, Thomas
Area of Honors:
Secondary Education (Behrend)
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Dr. Courtney Nagle, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Courtney Nagle, Thesis Honors Advisor Jodie Lynn Styers, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
slope rate of change math math education covariational reasoning ratio
Abstract:
This thesis explores the development of the mathematical concept of slope across a textbook series. A reform-based textbook series spanning pre-algebra to precalculus was selected for this study. References to slope in the series were coded for type and level of covariational reasoning as well as other characteristics. The results of this coding were compiled and analyzed to more fully understand the way in which a textbook series develops slope. This is part of a larger body of research on the concept of slope that has already studied teachers, students, and educational standards. The collective goal of these studies is to understand how slope can best be taught and understood by students. In this research, it was found that while slope was well-covered in many areas (covariational reasoning, connection to real world applications), there were areas for improvement (lack of visual representations for slope, overwhelmingly procedural practice problems involving slope, little attention given to steepness of a line, limited extension of slope to non-linear functions). The conclusions of this thesis research were presented at the Mathematical Association of America Allegheny Mountain Section student talks.
