{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9556"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9556","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"A learning theory approach to students' misconceptions in calculus","abstract":"This study analyses students' errors in calculus through the lens of learning theories. The subjects in this study were 117 students enrolled in a calculus course for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds at the University of Cape Town. A coding scheme to categorise the errors that these students made in the final examination was developed. This categorisation was supported by error data generated through the administration of a conceptual test and follow-up interviews. The pattern of errors in the coding scheme suggests that the students' perception of algebra is largely that of a \"game of letters\". As a result of this their construction of calculus knowledge is based on the rehearsal of algorithmic procedures. Their errors indicate that they develop linking and extending mechanisms to deal with the multiplicity of rules that are generated from this process of rehearsal.","abstract_html":"This study analyses students' errors in calculus through the lens of learning theories. The subjects in this study were 117 students enrolled in a calculus course for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds at the University of Cape Town. A coding scheme to categorise the errors that these students made in the final examination was developed. This categorisation was supported by error data generated through the administration of a conceptual test and follow-up interviews. The pattern of errors in the coding scheme suggests that the students' perception of algebra is largely that of a "game of letters". As a result of this their construction of calculus knowledge is based on the rehearsal of algorithmic procedures. Their errors indicate that they develop linking and extending mechanisms to deal with the multiplicity of rules that are generated from this process of rehearsal.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Bowie, Lynn Heather"],"institution":"Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Ensor, Paula","Webb, John"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1998,"date_issued":"1998","date_published":"1998","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:46Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9556","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Ensor, Paula","Webb, John"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Bowie, Lynn Heather"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-11-11T12:55:52Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-11-11T12:55:52Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1998"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["MSc"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9556"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Bibliography: leaves 129-138."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study analyses students' errors in calculus through the lens of learning theories. The subjects in this study were 117 students enrolled in a calculus course for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds at the University of Cape Town. A coding scheme to categorise the errors that these students made in the final examination was developed. This categorisation was supported by error data generated through the administration of a conceptual test and follow-up interviews. The pattern of errors in the coding scheme suggests that the students' perception of algebra is largely that of a \"game of letters\". As a result of this their construction of calculus knowledge is based on the rehearsal of algorithmic procedures. Their errors indicate that they develop linking and extending mechanisms to deal with the multiplicity of rules that are generated from this process of rehearsal."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A learning theory approach to students' misconceptions in calculus"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Ensor, Paula","Webb, John"],"dc:creator":["Bowie, Lynn Heather"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-11-11T12:55:52Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-11-11T12:55:52Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1998"],"dc:description":["Bibliography: leaves 129-138."],"dc:description.abstract":["This study analyses students' errors in calculus through the lens of learning theories. The subjects in this study were 117 students enrolled in a calculus course for students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds at the University of Cape Town. A coding scheme to categorise the errors that these students made in the final examination was developed. This categorisation was supported by error data generated through the administration of a conceptual test and follow-up interviews. The pattern of errors in the coding scheme suggests that the students' perception of algebra is largely that of a \"game of letters\". As a result of this their construction of calculus knowledge is based on the rehearsal of algorithmic procedures. Their errors indicate that they develop linking and extending mechanisms to deal with the multiplicity of rules that are generated from this process of rehearsal."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9556"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher.department":["Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Cape Town"],"dc:title":["A learning theory approach to students' misconceptions in calculus"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Masters"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["MSc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:46Z"}