A SRP on linear programming in business high school

Title: A study and research path on linear programming in business high school

Candidate: Minna Olivia Christensen

Supervisor: Carl Winsløw

External censor: Claus Michelsen SDU

Abstract: 

In this thesis we discuss an explanation and analysis of a tested Study and Research Path (SRP) within the topic of linear programming. The mathematical topic of linear programming is closely related to several other disciplines within business, and is highly applicable/usable within these elds. The hypothesis is that the students through an SRP will get
insight into the usability of Linear Programming in a social context. This will be possible through the help of the generating question "How can we analyze and optimize the company G.G.-grs mathematically?".

The Anthropological Theory of Didactics (ATD) has been used as a theoretical framework for the study. First, I have designed a website which the SRP will revolve around. I have developed this website as I, myself tried to perform my own study and research of the question, so that there are several possible paths to take. I have then designed a teaching sequence and made an a priori analysis of it. Then I have tested the design and from the data collected, made an a posteriori analysis of the realized teaching sequences, looking at the path taken by the students and the students' praxologies. I found that in the first lessons, many of the questions posed by students are similar to my a priori analysis, but the longer we get into the teaching sequences the more the students' questions dier (or are not formed) from the a priori analysis. Even though many of the anticipated questions were raised, the approach to answer the questions was different.