Symbolic Discourse and Understanding in a College Classroom

This research focused on studentsÕ understandings of lectures and symbolic notation in a college mathematics course. Videotaped segments of lectures were replayed individually to the instructor and to students who were then interviewed. Test results on the course material were compared with the quality of studentsÕ explanations, which resulted in discrepancies. Discussion focuses on the nature of symbolic discourse in college mathematics classes as well as the often limited performance expectations for students by instructors, particularly in mathematics courses.