Cryptology Design research

This study is an extension of a Master’s study, entitled Realistic Mathematics Education and the strategies grade 8 learners develop for the solution of two simultaneous linear equations. The current study investigates how new content could be introduced into a school mathematics curriculum. The new content under discussion for this study is the topic of cryptology. Two design research cycles were carried out. For the first design research cycle there were three teaching experiments with teachers, grade 10 learners and students as participants. Seven activities were developed for the second design research cycle which was worked through with grade 10 learners. All sessions for the second design research cycle were video taped. Important to the development of instructional materials was the development of a hypothetical learning trajectory about the learning and teaching of each activity. A study of the literature, a historical and didactical phenomenological analysis of cryptology and the following of a course in number theory were done befor