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Re: [xmca] Numbers - Natural or Real?



What link do you see, Larry?
andy

Larry Purss wrote:
Andy,
This is a wonderful question which i believe is full of possibility for looking at certain basic ontological assumptions A question I've been struggling with is the purpose of schools [as institutions]? Is there primary mandate to teach "scientific concepts" or is the search for recognition more fundamental? I see a link between this question and your question on teaching numbers as "activity" or "dialogue" [counting or rational] Larry

On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 AM, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net <mailto:ablunden@mira.net>> wrote:

    I don't really have an opinion on this matter, but I would be
    interested in listening in on those who may have an informed opinion.
    I see two different approaches to the teaching of mathematics.

      One takes the /Natural/ Numbers as the basic concept of the subject
      The Other takes the /Rational/ Numbers as the basic concept of the
      subject

      One takes /counting/ as the basic Action
      The Other takes /comparison/ of two lengths as the basic Action.

      One situates the basic Action within a /Discourse/
      The Other situates the basic Action within /Activity/

      One is represented by /Anna Sfard /(see
https://www.msu.edu/~sfard/Thinking%20as%20Communicating%20-%20First%20pages.doc
    <https://www.msu.edu/%7Esfard/Thinking%20as%20Communicating%20-%20First%20pages.doc>)
      One is represented by /V V Davydov/ (eg
      http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_01_09.html)

    Now, I am not really interested in maths teaching, but I am
    interested in the relation between Discourse Analysis and Activity
    Theory. It seems to me that the two concepts, though different,
    are not at all incompatible. Perhaps practical experience with
    these two approaches would shed light on the relation between
    Discourse and Activity and how it could be best reflected in theory?

    Any thoughts my friends?
    Andy

-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    *Andy Blunden*
    Joint Editor MCA:
    http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=g932564744
    <http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title%7Edb=all%7Econtent=g932564744>
    Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ <http://home.mira.net/%7Eandy/>
    Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857
    <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857>
    MIA: http://www.marxists.org <http://www.marxists.org/>

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--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=g932564744
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857
MIA: http://www.marxists.org

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