In collegiate mathematics education my main interest has been in learning abstract algebra. My Ph.D. dissertation (1995) analyzes the understanding of abstract algebra concepts by undergraduate students. A theoretical framework for describing students’ understanding of concepts in this field was developed based on the data analysis (Hazzan, 1999). According to this framework, students’ responses can be interpreted as a result of reducing the level of abstraction.
My post-doctorate research (1995-1996, Educational Development Center, Boston, USA) links information technologies with the learning of mathematics. As the person in charge of the research aspects of two research and development NSF-funded projects, I analyzed epistemological aspects of learning mathematics with interactive computational environments.
Currently I am working on the application of the theme of reducing abstraction for the analysis of learners’ understanding of concepts in computer science (look at my Computer science education research page).