Abstract
This study aims to identify students’ conceptions of mathematics in the Diploma in Actuarial Science programme. It focuses specifically on how Diploma in Actuarial Science students conceptualize aspects of mathematics such as the meaning of mathematics, the meaning of learning mathematics, and the use of mathematics in daily life. This study is based on the universal integrated perspective and uses the case study design. Findings show that the Diploma in Actuarial Science students used the universal integrated perspective to interpret the acquisition of mathematical knowledge but their understandings of mathematical concepts, process of learning mathematics, and proper usage of mathematical ideas are mostly at the surface level, rather then deep understanding.
Highlights
The literature review shows that students find it difficult to learn mathematics and that they often developed misconceptions about the basic ideas in the subject (FitzSimons, Seah, Bishop & Clarkson, 2000; Gordon & Nicholas, 2013; Grootenboer, 2002; Ignacio, Blanco & Barona, 2006; Lim, Fatimah & Munirah 2003; Zan, Brown, Evans & Hanulla, 2006)
The first concept is on the truth of mathematics where majority of the participants agreed that mathematics is in the truth and does not need to be verified
The third concept is the importance of mathematics, where most of the participants concluded that mathematics is an important field within the activities of the daily routine
Summary
The literature review shows that students find it difficult to learn mathematics and that they often developed misconceptions about the basic ideas in the subject (FitzSimons, Seah, Bishop & Clarkson, 2000; Gordon & Nicholas, 2013; Grootenboer, 2002; Ignacio, Blanco & Barona, 2006; Lim, Fatimah & Munirah 2003; Zan, Brown, Evans & Hanulla, 2006). Many critical questions arise in connection with the subject of mathematics and one of it is the deficiency in their comprehension of the various aspects of mathematics. The problem of understanding mathematics is seen connected to the development of images, interpretation, or meaning by individual concerning the nature of mathematics (Nik Aziz, 2008). Comes the idea of learning mathematics for the exams as the education system is exam oriented and not for actualization a form of knowledge. Within this context what is seen among students learning mathematics is that they are doing so as a cognitive challenge rather than viewing it as knowledge gained (Nik Aziz, 2014). An extensive and in depth research is required to gain meaningful understandings on the learning of mathematics and the students’ conception of the structure or mathematical objects
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