Calculus for Coloring

Carlos A.  Valentim; Sergio A.  David; Juan L.  Linares

doi:10.4236/ce.2013.44037

Sergio A. David¹^*, Carlos A. Valentim¹, Juan L. Linares²

Abstract: Professors who administer the differential and integral calculus classes in the hard sciences courses and in the most diverse kinds of engineering, not rarely, are faced by the lack of motivation to learning and difficulties in absorbing the concepts of the discipline. With the purpose of contributing to the teaching-learning process related to calculus classes, this paper looks for synthesizing a process of elaboration and trial of an artwork destined for coloring, which content is specifically related to the discipline “Calculus with Applications IV”, from the Biosystems Engineering course, of the University of Sao Paulo (USP)-Brazil. The material, always prepared in the form of pairs of pages, one displaying the picture to be colored (the artwork) and the other one like its twin (the text), was individually rated by the apprentices students. The obtained results point to the possibility of facing the paradigm and showing that projects like “calculus for coloring” are not only possible, but also a quality complement in the learning-teaching process.

Keywords: Calculus; Coloring; Education; Learning Process; Mathematics

Cite this paper: David, S. , Valentim, C. & Linares, J. (2013). Calculus for Coloring. Creative Education, 4, 254-258. doi: 10.4236/ce.2013.44037.

References

[1] Alcamo, I. E., & Elson, L. M. (1997). The microbiology coloring book. New York: Harper Collins.

[2] Boyce, W. E., & Di Prima, R. C. (2008). Elementary differential equations and boundary value problems (9th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

[3] Brandt, L., et al. (2001). The impact of concept mapping and visualization on the learning of secondary school chemistry students. International Journal of Science Education, 23, 1303-1313. doi:10.1080/09500690110049088

[4] Chapman, O. (2012). Challenges in mathematics teacher education. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 263-270. doi:10.1007/s10857-012-9223-2

[5] Dogan, M. (2012). Prospective Turkish primary teachers’ views about the use of computers in mathematics education. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 329-341. doi:10.1007/s10857-012-9214-3

[6] Elson, L. M., & Kapit, W. (2001). The anatomy coloring book (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.

[7] Gutiérrez, A., & Boero, P. (2006). Handbook of the research on the psychology of mathematics educations: Past, present and future (pp. 205-235). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

[8] Kapit, W., Macey, R. I., & Meisami, E. (1999). The physiology coloring book (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings.

[9] Kreyszig, E. (2006). Advanced engineering mathematics (9th ed.). Hoboken: Wiley.

[10] Mayer, R. E. (1997), Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? Educational Psychologist, 32, 1-19.

[11] Ponte, J. P. (2012). A practice-oriented professional development programme to support the introduction of a new mathematics curriculum in Portugal. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 317-327. doi:10.1007/s10857-012-9219-y

[12] Taylor, E. V. (2012). Supporting children’s mathematical understanding: professional development focused on out-of-school practices. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 271-291. doi:10.1007/s10857-011-9187-7

[13] Zoest, L. R. V., Stockero, S. L., & Taylor, C. E. (2012). The durability of professional and sociomathematical norms intentionally fostered in an early pedagogy course. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 293-315. doi:10.1007/s10857-011-9183-y