This paper describes what a sample of university teachers in science conceive to be the role of memorising and the relationship between memorising and understanding in their disciplines. Sixteen, purposively selected university teachers were interviewed in depth. The university teachers were from three disciplines--mathematics, physiology and physics. Analysis of the data was undertaken from a phenomenographic perspective (Marton, 1988) and indicates a set of conceptions of memorising including memorising as rote learning for reproduction, as facilitating learning--a way to progress--and as a key component of the learning process. Opposing views of the relationship between memorising and understanding were expressed; these were viewed either as unrelated processes or as dynamically interwoven.
We extend an earlier study on the role of memorising in learning science with three case studies on mathematicians’ experiences as learners of mathematics and their views on memorising in students’ learning. Each report reflects a different view of memorising — from a minimal role in learning mathematics, to a ‘stepping stone’ role to memorising as a key learning strategy. The mathematicians’ views about memorising in their students’ learning appears consistent with their reports on memorising in their own learning. Our data leads to the conjecture that personal experiences of memorising underpin attitudes to memorising in teaching mathematics and that further investigation is warranted on this little researched aspect of “coming to know” mathematics.
We extend an earlier study on the role of memorising in learning science with three case studies on mathematicians’ experiences as learners of mathematics and their views on memorising in students’ learning. Each report reflects a different view of memorising — from a minimal role in learning mathematics, to a ‘stepping stone’ role to memorising as a key learning strategy. The mathematicians’ views about memorising in their students’ learning appears consistent with their reports on memorising in their own learning. Our data leads to the conjecture that personal experiences of memorising underpin attitudes to memorising in teaching mathematics and that further investigation is warranted on this little researched aspect of “coming to know” mathematics.