Definition: What Teaching and Learning Calculus Is About?
The differential and integral calculus is considered as one of the greatest inventions in mathematics. Calculus is taught at secondary school and at university. Learning calculus includes the analysis of problems of changes and motion. Previous related concepts like the concept of a variable and the concept of function are necessary for the understanding of calculus concepts. However, the learning of calculus includes new notions like the notion of limit and limiting processes, which intrinsically contain changing quantities. The differential and integral calculus is based upon the fundamental concept of limit. The mathematical concept of limit is a particularly difficult notion, typical of the kind of thought required in advanced mathematics.
Characteristics
Calculus Curriculum
There have been efforts in many parts of the world to reform the teaching of calculus. In France, the syllabus changed in the 1960s and 1970s due to the...
Keywords
- Calculus key concepts
- Intuitive representations
- Formal definitions
- Intuition of infinity
- Notion of limit
- Cognitive difficulties
- Theoretical dimensions
- Epistemological dimension
- Research in teaching and learning calculus
- Role of technology
- Visualization
- Coordination between semiotic registers
- Role of historical perspective
- Sociocultural approach
- Institutional approach
- Teaching practices
- Role of the teacher
- Transition between secondary school and university
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Kidron, I. (2014). Calculus Teaching and Learning. In: Lerman, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4978-8_18
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