Analyzing Effects of Status Difference in Mathematical Discourse.pdfVIP

Analyzing Effects of Status Difference in Mathematical Discourse David Hasson and Eric Hsu San Francisco State University davidhasson@, erichsu@ Introduction. Power differences in mathematical conversations with an authority such as a teacher or tutor create unintended effects that may alter or interfere with a students reasoning during problem solving. Using ideas from Vygotsky, Sfard and Oehrtman, we analyze transcripts of an authority interviewing second semester calculus students as they attempt to solve a covariational reasoning problem. Following Sfard, we present a framework for analyzing object-level discourse (i.e. student linguistic and cognitive adaptations to an authoritys scientific use of language) and meta-level discourse (i.e. actions directed toward maintaining the social relationship, such as probes for cues of approval of linguistic adaptations, and attempts to save face if such adaptations appear unapproved). Mathematical authorities bring to a conversation a well-defined and highly organized way of communicating. The words that mathematical authorities use are full of hidden meaning, each word hinting at a complex system of interconnections acquired through many years of self reflective study. In accordance with the research of L.S. Vygotsky (1986), such use of language will be referred to as scientific. Calculus students, on the other hand, come to a conversation possessing their own, possibly idiosyncratic use of words. These uses may be formed mostly through years of everyday experience, absent of conscious reflection. Again, in accordance with L.S. Vygotsky (1986), such use of language will be referred to as spontaneous. It is worthwhile to distinguish between scientific uses of language and what may colloquially be thought of as scientific language. For example, the word “corner” is not considered to be scientific language. However, the word “corner” can be used scientifically as a way of signifying