Seminar notice

ENANGEL who-is-at cityu.edu.hk
Tue, 09 Jul 1996 15:11:39 +0800

If you happen to be in Hong Kong, this will probably interest you:
Cheers,
Angel

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CITY UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

EDUCATIONAL DISCOURSE / TESL RESEARCH GROUP


SEMINAR

Friday, 12 July, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Rm Y7544 (English Department Conference Room)



THE COLLABORATIVE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELEGANT ALGEBRAIC

EXPRESSION



Professor Barbara Graves
Laboratory of Applied Cognitive Science
Department of Educational Psychology
McGill University, Montreal, Canada


This talk will examine how the discourse practices of Grade
5 students mediate their reasoning processes in an inquiry
mathematics classroom. The focus is on the collaborative
exchange as a mechanism for conceptual change as students
engage in a difficult problem-solving activity. From the
research perspective because discussion and collaboration
draw heavily on language, specifically conversation, an
increasing number of researchers are investigating the role
of discursive practices in classrooms in relation to the
construction of mathematical understanding. Of particular
interest is how students draw on their shared knowledge and
interest to maintain the discussion and how the role of
genuine inquiry within the talk resulted in the construction
of what we have designated an elegant algebraic expression.

ALL ARE WELCOME