TMWYF: Building Student-Community Ownership of Proof Validation (Brian Katz)

In order for students to build their mathematical authority, they need to be able to decide for themselves if an argument is convincing and valid. I believe it is important to develop these proof validation skills as extensions of the argumentation skills that the students bring with them to our courses, especially in inquiry courses. In this session, we will explore an activity that I use to help students develop a framework for thinking about proof validation. This activity, based on a paper using Toulmin Analysis by Weber & Alcock, engages key philosophical and sociological elements of proof; it has been a pivotal moment for student ownership of their arguments across both my high school and college teaching.