ERIC Number: EJ771240
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Aug
Pages: 13
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0309-877X
EISSN: N/A
Animation as an Aid for the Teaching of Mathematical Concepts
Taylor, M.; Pountney, D.; Malabar, I.
Journal of Further and Higher Education, v31 n3 p249-261 Aug 2007
Mathematics can be perceived as being a difficult subject to learn due to the conceptual leaps required to understand particular mathematical topics. In some areas of mathematics, part of the difficulty may be associated with applying sufficient imagination to visualize a particular mathematical concept, and applying sufficient visio-spatial abilities to apply the concept to practical use. In this paper we examine the potential use of animation as an aid for the teaching of mathematical concepts at undergraduate level. An experiment was conducted with a group of UK undergraduate computing students to ascertain if and how animation can potentially be used to support the teaching of mathematical concepts in areas such as rotational symmetry and matrices. In general, the results of the experiment appeared to indicate that animated learning materials can prove more useful than static representations for such topics. (Contains 9 figures and 1 table.)
Descriptors: Mathematical Concepts, Animation, Mathematics Instruction, Teaching Methods, Visualization, Spatial Ability, Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, College Mathematics, Symbols (Mathematics), Geometric Concepts, Matrices, Computer Uses in Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A