Modeling students' conceptions: the case of functions

International audienceWe investigate the epistemological complexity of modeling students' knowing of mathematics with the goal of achieving models that acknowledge both the possible lack of coherency and the local efficiency of such a knowing. We propose a model of "conception" as a possible tool to address the epistemological complexity we identify. We then provide an illustration of the usefulness of this model by exploring conceptions of "function" as a case in point