Using Solution Strategies to Examine and Promote High School Students’ Understanding of Exponential Functions: One Teacher’s Attempt

Authors

Jonathan L. Brendefur, Boise State UniversityFollow
Kim Bunning, Boise State University
Walter G. Secada, University of Miami

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-8-2014

Abstract

Much research has been conducted on how elementary students develop mathematical understanding and subsequently how teachers might use this information. This article builds on this type of work by investigating how one high-school algebra teacher designs and conducts a lesson on exponential functions. Through a lesson study format she studies with her colleagues how other algebra students have mathematically modeled a bacteria growth problem with no prior formal instruction. Analysis revealed that the teacher was able to use students’ algebraic thinking to structure her class and begin promoting mathematical understanding. The implications for building on students’ conceptions of algebra are explored throughout the paper.

Copyright Statement

This document was originally published by International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning in International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Copyright restrictions may apply.

Publication Information

Brendefur, Jonathan L.; Bunning, Kim; and Secada, Walter G.. (2014). "Using Solution Strategies to Examine and Promote High-school Students’ Understanding of Exponential Functions: One Teacher’s Attempt". International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning.