| Goal of this developmental research project is to find out how students can learn the basic principles of calculus and kinematics by modeling movement. The idea is that many of the problems of students concerning these topics have its origin in the traditional transfer method of education. Alternatives to the traditional transfer method stress the importance of modeling activities. In these alternatives two approaches are recognized. One uses simulations for exploratory modeling and the other uses (computer) tools for expressive modeling. In the expressive approach students can express the evolving concepts. This approach has many similarities with the importance of emerging models in realistic mathematics education. The expressive approach does also fit the discussion about the dialectic relation between symbolizing and understanding. In this project we try to find out how these ideas can be implemented, how information technology supports expressive modeling and how students can learn calculus and kinematics in an integrated course in upper secondary education. This research project will result in a dissertation. |
