Article Review
What research tells us about teaching mathematics through problem solving?
Lester, F. (1994). What research tells us about teaching mathematics through problem solving?
Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
This paper
addresses on the methods of teaching mathematics through skills in problem
solving. For many years, there have been changes and advances in the
understanding of the complex nature of the processes that one goes through
during problem solving (Lester, 1994). Several discussions have been made
regarding to the methods of teaching. The focus has been on problem solving. However,
there are challenges to be met since this is a relatively new venture and has
not been a subject of much research.
This new
approach of teaching mathematics through problem solving involves the changing
of certain aspects related to teaching and learning. One of them is the
changing of the roles of the teachers. Another one is the selection and
designing of problems for instructions. The type of learning would need to be of
collaborative nature, which has not been the case in previous teaching and
learning processes.
The issues
of concern related to teaching through problem solving include the question of
whether the children would be able to explore problems on their own and get
sensible answers. The other is the issue of how the teachers would teach
through problem solving. The third is on the beliefs the students have about
this mode of teaching. Lastly, there is the issue of sacrifice of the basic
skills that the students might be forced to do away with in the event that
mathematics is taught through problem solving.
Results
suggest that the teacher’s beliefs about mathematics have an effect on their
teaching. Teachers with different beliefs about it will teach differently.
Research also suggests that the students’ beliefs also affect their learning
process, either positively or negatively. Those who believe that mathematic
problems can only be solved in a particular manner only believe in memorizing
rather than understanding.
On the
question of whether students who learn through the problem-based curriculum would
sacrifice of the basic skills, research suggest that the loss would not be
significant since studies on this show that students who used problem-solving
skills outperformed those who were using a traditional curriculum in all tasks.
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