Demarches de resolution et de simulation face au probleme de la ruine d'un joueur

Prior to large experimentations on the teaching of probability theory, it appeared useful to observe some students working for a fairly long time. This observation should make more precise the difficulties of an important aspect when solving probability problems: the modelling aspect. Does systematic use of simulation produce miracles as it is sometimes said? Are the students naturally sensitive to a frequentist approach of probability theory? This paper contains some results on these questions, for example we pointed out for some students an obstacle to the frequentist approach. The results permit to conceive how using simulation for teaching could contribute to an improvement of students' approach to probability.     

Decomposition as a Complex-Skill Acquisition Strategy in Management Education: A Case Study in Business Forecasting

Graduate business education has been criticized for utilizing simplistic teaching strategies that compromise the presentation of real-world complex skills in the classroom. In this article, we propose that complex management functions can be effectively taught using decomposition strategies. We demonstrate the usefulness of this strategy in the domain of business forecasting by comparing the forecast accuracy of students instructed in decomposition ( RBF - Instructed ) with that of students not exposed to such instruction ( Uninstructed ), as well as with an expert system called Rule-Based Forecasting (RBF). RBF-Instructed students demonstrated significant improvements over Uninstructed students and were at least as accurate as the RBF system. Our findings suggest that academics engaged in teaching complex domains can benefit from building their teaching environment on a decomposition framework. We further suggest strategies for measuring the effectiveness and endurance of classroom knowledge thus imparted. Implications for academia and practice are discussed and a research framework is proposed.     

Uniqueness and existence theorems in thermoelasticity with voids without energy dissipation

In this paper we investigate some qualitative aspects of the solutions of a new theory of thermoelasticity with voids based on the concept of volume fraction derived by Cicco and Diaco [A theory of thermoelasticity with voids without energy dissipation, J. Thermal Stresses 25 (2002) 493–503]. This theory has been established in the frame work of linear thermoelasticity without energy dissipation. The theory permits the propagation of heat as thermal waves at finite speed. By means of the logarithmic convexity method a uniqueness theorem is proved. With the help of the semigroup theory of linear operators an existence result is obtained.     

Production d'exemples et de contre-exemples en analyse: étude de cas en première d'université

The history of mathematics shows that counter-examples have played a substantial role in the development of functional concepts. We undertook a long-term study about the construction of examples and counter-examples in a college level calculus course. The subjects were three pairs of first year students majoring in mathematics/physics at the University of Fes (Morocco). In addition to the instructional role of constructing examples and counter-examples, our research addressed the students' thought processes. For this propose, their interactions, as well as all their verbal and written productions were collected and transcribed. Each sentence was then classified according to the four qualitative variables: Activity, Expression, Content and Correctness. A factor analysis put in evidence two types of strategies that we interpreted as global and local ones. In addition, a qualitative analysis allowed us to distinguish between `winning' and `losing' strategies.