Task Comprehension Strategies in Proof Construction – Methodological and Educational Issues
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22426784 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Katharina Kirsten (0000-0003-1237-9743, University of Münster, corresponding author), Silke Neuhaus-Eckhardt (0000-0003-0015-7449, University of Würzburg) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1571-0068 • E-ISSN: 1573-1774 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10763-026-10679-7 |
| OpenAlex | W7162561551 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 56 |
Many students have difficulty constructing proofs. To overcome these difficulties, developing a rich mental representation of the proving task could be helpful. Thus, using task comprehension strategies that support building such a mental representation could relate positively to proof construction. However, it is an open question how the use of these strategies can be measured in a large sample. Therefore, we addressed (a) methodological issues of measuring task comprehension strategies, before investigated the relationships between task comprehension strategies and (b) prior knowledge, and (c) performance on proof construction. Our results from a sample of 152 second-semester university students in Germany, who had already taken two proof-based courses, indicate that students’ self-reports of their strategy use and performance tests on their strategy use measure different abilities. In addition, we found that prior knowledge influences performance on more advanced task comprehension strategies, such as inferring or evaluating examples, and proof construction. However, we could not confirm our hypotheses regarding the relation between strategy use for both measurements and performance on proof construction. In discussing these results and the limitations of our study, practical implications are also highlighted.
Comprehension · Mental model · Proof of concept · Task Analysis · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills · Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
Cognitive Interviewing
Understanding and solving word arithmetic problems.
Testing and refining the direct and inferential mediation model of reading comprehension.
Knowledge as a formative construct
High-achieving ninth grade students’ self-reported strategy use and its relation to strategic reading behavior
Reliability and Predictive Validity of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (Mslq)
| Highly cited | No |
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