The Development of a Culture of Problem Solving with Secondary Students through Heuristic Strategies

Autor/inn/en	Eisenmann, Petr; Novotná, Jarmila; Pribyl, Jirí; Brehovský, Jirí
Titel	The Development of a Culture of Problem Solving with Secondary Students through Heuristic Strategies
Quelle	In: Mathematics Education Research Journal, 27 (2015) 4, S.535-562 (28 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1033-2170
DOI	10.1007/s13394-015-0150-2
Schlagwörter	Problem Solving; Heuristics; Secondary School Students; Mathematics Instruction; Student Attitudes; Foreign Countries; Longitudinal Studies; Educational Strategies; Classification; Creativity; Attitude Change; Teaching Styles; Constructivism (Learning); Inquiry; Teaching Methods; Generalization; Czech Republic + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Problemlösen; Heuristik; Sekundarschüler; Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Schülerverhalten; Ausland; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Lehrstrategie; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Kreativität; Attitudinal change; Einstellungsänderung; Lehrstil; Unterrichtsstil; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Tschechische Republik
Abstract	The article reports the results of a longitudinal research study conducted in three mathematics classes in Czech schools with 62 pupils aged 12-18 years. The pupils were exposed to the use of selected heuristic strategies in mathematical problem solving for a period of 16 months. This was done through solving problems where the solution was the most efficient if heuristic strategies were used. The authors conducted a two-dimensional classification of the use of heuristic strategies based on the work of Pólya (2004) and Schoenfeld (1985). We developed a tool that allows for the description of a pupil's ability to solve problems. Named, the Culture of Problem Solving (CPS), this tool consists of four components: intelligence, text comprehension, creativity and the ability to use existing knowledge. The pupils' success rate in problem solving and the changes in some of the CPS factors pre- and post-experiment were monitored. The pupils appeared to considerably improve in the creativity component. In addition, the results indicate a positive change in the students' attitude to problem solving. As far as the teachers participating in the experiment are concerned, a significant change was in their teaching style to a more constructivist, inquiry-based approach, as well as their willingness to accept a student's non-standard approach to solving a problem. Another important outcome of the research was the identification of the heuristic strategies that can be taught via long-term guided solutions of suitable problems and those that cannot. Those that can be taught include systematic experimentation, guess-check-revise and introduction of an auxiliary element. Those that cannot be taught (or can only be taught with difficulty) include the strategies of specification and generalization and analogy. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01