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Proof and Proving in Mathematics Education pp 327–346Cite as

Teachers’ Professional Learning of Teaching Proof and Proving

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Part of the book series: New ICMI Study Series ((NISS,volume 15))

Abstract

This chapter reviews studies on teachers’ professional learning of teaching proof and proving. From them we conceptualise three essential components of successful teaching: teachers’ knowledge of proof, proof practices and beliefs about proof. With respect to each component, we examine research studies of primary and secondary teachers. We also discuss the challenges teachers may face in teaching proof and proving, as well as teachers’ professional learning activities. Throughout, we argue that the three components are interrelated in successful teaching of proof and proving. This argument raises a new challenge for further research.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The “Hanoi Tower” puzzle requires the user to move a conical stack of n discs from one of three pegs (A, B, C) and reconstruct it on another, moving only one disc at a time and never placing a larger disc on a smaller, and using the third (spare) peg as a way station when necessary.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Fou-Lai Lin & Kai-Lin Yang

  2. Department of Mathematics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, USA

    Jane-Jane Lo

  3. School of Education, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Pessia Tsamir & Dina Tirosh

  4. Department of Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    Gabriel Stylianides

Authors
  1. Fou-Lai Lin
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  2. Kai-Lin Yang
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  3. Jane-Jane Lo
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  4. Pessia Tsamir
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  5. Dina Tirosh
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  6. Gabriel Stylianides
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Correspondence to Fou-Lai Lin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Gila Hanna

  2. Faculty of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood Campus, Ashwood, South Africa

    Michael de Villiers

Additional information

NB: References marked with * are in F. L. Lin, F. J. Hsieh, G. Hanna, & M. de Villiers (Eds.) (2009). ICMI Study 19: Proof and proving in mathematics education. Taipei, Taiwan: The Department of Mathematics, National Taiwan Normal University.

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Lin, FL., Yang, KL., Lo, JJ., Tsamir, P., Tirosh, D., Stylianides, G. (2012). Teachers’ Professional Learning of Teaching Proof and Proving. In: Hanna, G., de Villiers, M. (eds) Proof and Proving in Mathematics Education. New ICMI Study Series, vol 15. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2129-6_14

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