Acta Didactica Napocensia
Volume 10 Number 1, pages 17-34
Published: 30 May 2017
Matija
Lokar, Paul Libbrecht
Abstract: Mathematical formulae are information objects that can be entered in a computer, visualized, and evaluated. Thus, by the majority of (mostly occasional) users it is also expected that they are transferable through the simple copy-paste procedure. This transfer is particularly interesting when users are involved in tasks that span different mathematical activities or domains. For example, when performing computations and writing a report about them, or when performing algebraic computations from geometric constructions. Essentially, using copy-paste also allows users to use a particular mathematical software for the tasks that it does best.
To uncover the
possible difficulties within this process, we approached students who are
beginning to learn the use of mathematical tools. Through analysing their
home-work where they report on the usage of various tools we observed their use
of the copy-paste transfer procedure, both from their reports and from the
dialogue they had with the teachers. Their attempts show a multitude of issues
which we try to explain. It appears that the copy-paste procedure is often
useless, especially for inexperienced users.
Key words: copy-paste, transfer, representation, input