DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS: THE USE OF NEWTON’S METHODUS FLUXIONUM ET SERIERUM INFINITARUM IN AN EDUCATION CONTEXT
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2015, Vol 65, Issue 6
Abstract
What is the possible use of history of mathematics for mathematics education? History of mathematics can play an important role in a didactical context, but a general theory of its use cannot be constructed. Rather a series of cases, in which the resort to history is useful to clarify mathematical concepts and procedures, can be shown. A signifcant example concerns differential calculus: Newton’s Methodus fluxionum et serierum infnitarum is a possible access-key to differential calculus. For, many concepts introduced by Newton ought be useful for the pupils/students (last or last but one year at the high school and frst year at the university) to reach a more intuitive, geometrical and problem-oriented approach to calculus. The motivation to consider history of mathematics as an important didactical support is that the pupils/students often learn mathematics in a too formal manner, without understanding the real reasons for the introduction of several mathematical concepts. The problem is that the potential of such support is not exploited. The educational proposal is hence to show a concrete case to highlight what the teaching of mathematics based on history means. The conclusion is that a general theory, as differential calculus, should be considered by the pupils/students as a necessity, deriving from a specifcation, improvement and extension of the techniques used to solve signifcant problems posed and developed in the course of history. In this manner, mathematics appears as a human activity comparable with other activities and not as a merely formal exercise.
Authors and Affiliations
Paolo Bussotti
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP35388
- DOI -
- Views 316
- Downloads 0
FACTORS INFLUENCING PARENTAL CONTROL FOR THE SAFE AND PEDAGOGICAL INTERNET USE AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Due to the increasing children’s use of the Internet at home and at school as well as that inappropriate Internet content may jeopardize their health or safety, the aim of the present study is twofold: a) to examine pare...
PATTERNS OF DIDACTIC DECISIONS MADE BY TEACHERS IN PHYSICAL SCIENCES CLASSROOMS
The purpose of this study is to highlight didactic decisions of teachers in Physical Sciences classrooms. The framework used is teacher mediation of students’ learning. Research questions: (a) what aspects of teaching...
DECREASE IN THE LEVEL OF SYSTEMATIC THINKING OF PUPILS: REVEALING OF THE TENDENCY AND THE ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCING FACTORS
In the article the changes in the development of systematic (regular, logical, analytical) thinking of pupils are analyzed. At the beginning of the article it is explained, why the term “systematic thinking” has been cho...
RESEARCH OF NEW FORmS OF COmPETITIONS IN FOSTERINg THE CREATIVITy OF yOUTH
People working in basic science are rightly concerned about a potential decline in the number of physics students. At the Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, we have prepared a project ent...
CAN AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION AFFECT GRADUATES’ RESIDENCE CHOICES? A COMPARISON OF PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF GRADUATES OF THE ARIEL UNIVERSITY CENTER OF SAMARIA TOWARD THE SAMARIA REGION
This study examines the direct and indirect influence of the Ariel University Center of Samaria on the attitudes of its graduates who did not choose to settle in the geographic region in which the institution is located...