4.3 Visualisation in Teaching Mathematics

Introduction

Mathematics is of central importance to modern society. It provides the vital underpinning of the knowledge economy. It is essential in the physical sciences, technology, business, financial services and many areas of ICT. It is also of growing importance in biology, medicine and many of the social sciences. Mathematics forms the basis of most scientific and industrial research and development. Increasingly, many complex systems and structures in the modern world can only be understood using mathematics and much of the design and control of high-technology systems depends on mathematical inputs and outputs. Mathematics provides a powerful universal language and intellectual toolkit for abstraction, generalisation and synthesis. It is the language of science and technology. It enables us to probe the natural universe and to develop new technologies that have helped us control and master our environment, and change societal expectations and standards of living. Mathematical skills are highly valued and sought after. Mathematical training disciplines the mind, develops logical and critical reasoning, and develops analytical and problem solving skills to a high degree.

This section will be presented in one part as illustrated in the table below:

Title

Text Resources
Media Resources

Visualisation of Mathematics Content

Uses of Java Applets in Mathematics Education
http://www.falstad.com/dotproduct/

The Role of Visualisation in Mathematics Education: Can Visualisation Promote the Causal Thinking

Visualization in Mathematics: Claims and Questions towards a Research Program
http://www.math.yorku.ca/Who/Faculty/Whiteley/
Visualization.pdf

The Story of Pi - Die Geschichte von Pi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zoqL2iOpvo

Amazing Math Methods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eKY9YKaAj8

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this section, you should be able to have an appreciation of the power of visualisation in the teaching of mathematics.

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