The Secondary-Tertiary Transition in Mathematics. What are our current challenges and what can we do about them?

Abstract

Background information on STTMany university mathematics lecturers feel that teaching first-year university mathematics courses, such as real-analysis and linear algebra, is often a more difficult, frustrating and disappointing experience than they would had expected or would have liked them to be. In a recent survey of the state of the art with respect to the teaching and learning of proof, Stylianides, Stylianides, and Weber (2017) conclude that students at all levels struggle with proof writing, have difficulty translating informal reasoning into valid arguments, are often unable to validate proofs, and generally lack many of the competencies needed for proving. It is thus not surprising that many mathematicians characterize their firstyear students as unprepared, unable or unwilling to cope with challenges of university-level mathematics (Nardi, 2008).

Uma análise do estado da arte das pesquisas sobre transição na educação matemática

“…Essa visão inclui não só a universalidade do conteúdo a ser ensinado, como também a homogeneidade nas relações entre alunos e professores no espaço da sala de aula. As pesquisas com enfoques epistemológicos por vezes se articulam em ações didáticas; e predominam as pesquisas de intervenção em sala de aula, planejadas e desenvolvidas pelo próprio pesquisador (ver, por exemplo, Gueudet, 2008;Koichu & Pinto, 2019;Palis, 2010).…”

Towards an Accessible Mathematics Working Environment Based on Isabelle/VSCode

“…In Germany a much discussed public letter [20] on mathematics education complains that schools take apart mathematical problem solving and split it up into different "fundamental competencies" [33] such that too many students are unable to cope with complex mathematical problems encountered in studies for engineering, biology, computer science, etc 9 . In many countries similar complaints pushed educational institutions into efforts at the Secondary-Tertiary Transition (STT) [19].…”

ERME column

“…We posit that the work of the TWG23 is relevant to the readers of the EMS Magazine -particularly those mathematicians involved in tertiary mathematics education and in projects aimed at enhancing teaching mathematics at school level -because of the difficulties that students, including high-achievers, experience in moving from secondary to tertiary education. Such a transition has been identified as a major issue for mathematics departments across Europe and their students (Koichu-Pinto [5]), and described as an educational crisis (Gregorio et al [3]). This situation suggests a reconsideration and reform of both school and university mathematics teaching practices.…”