0000000000306950
AUTHOR
Aaron Gaio
showing 2 related works from this author
Discrete Mathematics in Lower School Grades? Situation and Possibilities in Italy
2017
This paper presents an overview of the Italian situation in teaching discrete mathematics in primary and middle school, taking into account the national teaching guidelines and their connection with the subject. We describe research conducted with about 150 teachers, interviewed in a preliminary questionnaire. The data collected shows, for all teaching grades, interest in having more discrete mathematics in the school curriculum even if there are some difficulties in teaching it and in inserting it in the usual mathematical activities at school, mostly related to teachers’ knowledge and self-confidence about the subject. We also discuss results and future plans for a continuing research pro…
SORTING ALGORITHMS FOR 5TH AND 6TH GRADE STUDENTS: GREEDY OR COOPERATIVE?
2016
Our main research goal lies in a proposal to discuss the lack of, and improve, activities in the Italian school curriculum about discrete mathematics, computer algorithms and cryptography, especially for 3rd to 8th grade students. Activities of this kind are missing almost entirely, both in the school programs and in textbooks, despite many agree that they can be really useful to improve both general skills, such as reasoning and modeling, and skills particular to discrete mathematics, such as algorithmic and recursive thinking. A survey among various grades teachers confirmed this. The activity we are going to describe fits into a wider research project. Design research, chosen as the meth…