The Meanings of the Integral Developed by Engineering Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35763/aiem30.8519Keywords:
Calculus teaching, Cognitive conflicts, Engineering training, Integral calculus, Mathematical practicesAbstract
This article identifies how engineering students interpret the concepts of the definite and indefinite integral. The primary goal is to identify the meanings they use when solving open-ended problems related to the various partial meanings developed over time in integral calculus. A qualitative approach is employed, and the data are analyzed using the onto-semiotic approach to mathematical cognition and instruction (OSA). The findings reveal that students mainly depend on partial meanings of the integral related to calculating areas and the inverse of differentiation, while other meanings are only briefly referenced. These results emphasize the need to create teaching strategies that promote a more comprehensive understanding of the integral in engineering education
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Copyright (c) 2026 Víctor Larios Osorio, Rosa Elvira Páez Murillo, Angélica Rosario Jiménez Sánchez, Ricardo Iván Castañón Martínez
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