Resumen

The purpose of the present study is twofold: first, to review and summarize previous research on the compartmentalization of different registers of representations and problem solving approaches related to the concept of function; second, to provide insights into possible ways to overcome the phenomenon of compartmentalization. To this extent, previous research shows that the majority of high school and university students experience difficulties in flexibly changing systems of representations of function and in selecting and employing appropriate approaches to problem solving. Two previous experimental efforts, by the authors, focusing on the use of non-traditional teaching approaches and on the use of mathematical software respectively, provided some initial strategies for successfully overcoming the phenomenon of compartmentalization.