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Demonstration of the use of variation to scaffold abstract thinking. Anne Watson ICMI Study 22 O xford 2013. Principles. Inductive reasoning (pattern) -> structural insight Relational reasoning ( covariation ) -> structural insight. Generalise for 100 number grid.
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Demonstration of the use of variation to scaffold abstract thinking Anne Watson ICMI Study 22 Oxford 2013
Principles • Inductive reasoning (pattern) -> structural insight • Relational reasoning (covariation) -> structural insight
New question-types • On an 9-by-9 grid my tetramino covers 8 and 18. Guess my tetramino. • What tetramino, on what grid, would cover the numbers 25 and 32? • What tetramino, on what grid, could cover cells (m-1) and (m+7)?
New question-types • What is the smallest ‘omino’ that will cover cells (n + 1, m – 11) and (n -3, m + 1)?
Variations and their affordances • Shape and orientation (comparable examples) • Position on grid (generalisations on one grid) • Size of number grid (generalisations with grid size as parameter) • Object: grid-shape as ‘new’ compound object to be acted upon (abstraction as a new object-action) • Nature of number grid (focus on variables to generalise a familiar relation) • Unfamiliar number grid (focus on relations between variables)
Role of variation • Awareness of variation as generating examples for inductive reasoning • Using outcomes of inductive reasoning as new objects for new variations • Twin roles of presenting variation and directing questions • (cf. also the paper by Hart in Theme C)
ATM resources • mcs.open.ac.uk/jhm3 (applets & animations)