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The Explanatory Power of Examples in Mathematics: Challenges for Teaching

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Instructional Explanations in the Disciplines

Abstract

I use the term ”instructional example,” to refer to an example offered by a teacher within the context of learning a particular topic. The important role of instructional examples in learning mathematics stems firstly from the central role that examples play in mathematics and mathematical thinking. Examples are an integral part of mathematics and a significant element of expert knowledge . In particular, examples are essential for generalization, abstraction, and analogical reasoning. Furthermore, from a teaching perspective, there are several pedagogical aspects of the use of instructional examples that highlight the significance and convey the complexity of this central element of teaching.

The generation or selection of examples is a fundamental part of constructing a good explanation… For learning to occur, several examples are needed, not just one; the examples need to encapsulate a range of critical features; and examples need to be unpacked, with the features that make them an example clearly identified.

(Leinhardt, 2001, p. 347)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education in Technology & Science, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Orit Zaslavsky

  2. Department of Teaching and Learning, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, New York University, New York, USA

    Orit Zaslavsky

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  1. Orit Zaslavsky
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Correspondence to Orit Zaslavsky .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pittsburgh, O'Hara Street 3939, Pittsburgh, 15213, U.S.A.

    Mary Kay Stein

  2. University of Pittsburgh, S. Bouquet Street 230, Pittsburgh, 15260, U.S.A.

    Linda Kucan

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Zaslavsky, O. (2010). The Explanatory Power of Examples in Mathematics: Challenges for Teaching. In: Stein, M., Kucan, L. (eds) Instructional Explanations in the Disciplines. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0594-9_8

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