Narrative analysis of college students' inconsistecies in representing duality of infinity

Abstract

Interpreting students? views of infinity posits a challenge for researchers due to the dynamic nature of the conception. There is diversity and variation among the students? process-object perceptions. The fluctuations between students? views however reveal an undeveloped duality conception. This paper seeks to examine college students? conception of duality in understanding and representing infinity with the intent to elucidate strategy that could guide researchers in categorizing students? views of infinity into different levels. Data for the study were collected from N=69 college pre-calculus students at one of the southwestern universities in the U.S. using self-report questionnaire and interviews. Data was triangulated using multiple measures analyzed by three independent experts using self-designed coding sheet to assess students? externalization of the duality conception of infinity.