Abstract:
Research shows that the interpretation skills of learners involving the observation and description of the behaviour of a graph over an interval, and not just at a point, are poorly developed. This study examines the intended and implemented curriculum as opposed to the attained curriculum. An analysis of the concepts and skills required for the command of graphs, and of the relevant contents of the intended and implemented curriculum is undertaken. An investigation is made into the attained curriculum, focusing on learners' grasp and mastery of functional concepts and skills. The following trends can be observed: point-wise skills are better developed that global skills; real situations are generally a facilitating factor; functional terminology is largely unknown to learners; the gradient/rate of change concept produces severe comprehension and application problems; pupils have a tendency to use numerical rather than geometrical strategies in most translations; and the qualitative description of change in a table is well handled. Several recommendations are made.
