Using the History of Mathematics as a Motivational Factor in Teaching Math
No TL;DR found
Abstract
Several studies have explored the importance and benefits of teaching the history of mathematics as part of regular math classes. Some of these studies addressed the question of using the history of mathematics as a motivational factor. For instance, some found that teaching or using the history of mathematics boosted students‟ interest in the topics, lowered mathematical anxiety, and increased motivation, as well as supporting student learning and increasing the understanding of mathematical concepts. In the present paper, we analyze the positive effects that integrating elements of the history of mathematics into regular math classes could have on student motivation. We argue that students could greatly benefit from the inclusion of topics from the history of mathematics in regular classes.