Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah
The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institute of Research, Development and Commercialization (IRDC)
2007
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| Online Access: | https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/ |
| _version_ | 1848803219996672000 |
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| author | Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah |
| author_facet | Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah |
| author_sort | Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah |
| building | UiTM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics
learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students
exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term
concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A person S
concept image can differ greatly from the formal mathematical definitions of
the concept. This study explores an aspect of understanding the concept of
functions related to this theme. One hundred and ninety university students
from two different universities and with a different academic background
participated in the study. The first group of students were diploma students in
their second semester of engineering programme. The second group were first
year students enroll in science based degree in another higher institutions.
Data were gathered from questionnaires which asked students to identify
functions in graphic and algebraic forms. They were also requested to give
reasons for their choices. A large number of students indicated a strong
tendency to observe function only as a formula between x and y. Their
justification for rejecting or accepting representations of functions showed a
rather rigid and limited understanding of the concept. Many were unable to
give clear reasoning explaining their choices according to the formal definition
from their previous learning. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T21:35:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | uitm-13026 |
| institution | Universiti Teknologi MARA |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T21:35:46Z |
| publishDate | 2007 |
| publisher | Institute of Research, Development and Commercialization (IRDC) |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | uitm-130262016-06-15T03:10:53Z https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/ Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah smrj Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah Teaching aids and devices Institutions of higher education Malaysia The concept of functions is one of the most important topics in mathematics learning. However many studies have indicated various difficulties students exhibited in learning the concept of functions. Tall & Vinner used the term concept images to describe how students think about concepts. A person S concept image can differ greatly from the formal mathematical definitions of the concept. This study explores an aspect of understanding the concept of functions related to this theme. One hundred and ninety university students from two different universities and with a different academic background participated in the study. The first group of students were diploma students in their second semester of engineering programme. The second group were first year students enroll in science based degree in another higher institutions. Data were gathered from questionnaires which asked students to identify functions in graphic and algebraic forms. They were also requested to give reasons for their choices. A large number of students indicated a strong tendency to observe function only as a formula between x and y. Their justification for rejecting or accepting representations of functions showed a rather rigid and limited understanding of the concept. Many were unable to give clear reasoning explaining their choices according to the formal definition from their previous learning. Institute of Research, Development and Commercialization (IRDC) 2007 Article PeerReviewed text en https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/1/AJ_SITI%20AISHAH%20SHEIKH%20ABDULLAH%20SMRJ%2007%201.pdf Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah (2007) Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah. (2007) Social and Management Research Journal (SMRJ) <https://ir.uitm.edu.my/view/publication/Social_and_Management_Research_Journal_=28SMRJ=29.html>, 4 (1). pp. 67-76. ISSN 1675-7017 https://smrj.uitm.edu.my/ |
| spellingShingle | Teaching aids and devices Institutions of higher education Malaysia Sheikh Abdullah, Siti Aishah Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title | Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title_full | Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title_fullStr | Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title_short | Conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / Siti Aishah Sheikh Abdullah |
| title_sort | conceptions of functions among first degree and diploma students / siti aishah sheikh abdullah |
| topic | Teaching aids and devices Institutions of higher education Malaysia |
| url | https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/ https://ir.uitm.edu.my/id/eprint/13026/ |