EMBODIED ARGUMENTATION: CONVINCING YOURSELF, YOUR FRIEND, OR THE SKEPTIC?

An essential function of proofs is to establish conviction in the truth of mathematical statements. However, formal proofs do not always yield personal or interpersonal conviction. This design-based research explores how students can construct convincing proofs through spatial geometry activities with tangible, body-sized models. We identify a phenomenon called embodied argumentation (EA)—the use of bodily movements and interactions with physical objects to construct and present purported proofs. Focusing on an undergraduate student working on the Midsegments in a Cube Task, we examine if EA served to convince (1) oneself, (2) others, and (3) a skeptic. Our findings show that EA can fulfill all these roles, showing its potential to bridge formal proving and conviction.