Exploring high school teacher’s design of rich algebra tasks

Abstract

The phenomenon in schools today is that teachers rarely change their tasks. However, the teacher's activities to change their tasks, build students' arguments, support solutions, and maintain arguments without long debates are important and exciting things to learn. This study explores the ideas of high school teachers about task design and practice in teaching mathematics. The authors surveyed twelve high school teachers who teach mathematics in East Java Province. First, the authors conducted preliminary observations to observe the design of mathematics teacher tasks for six months in eight schools. Second, the authors state that teachers are engaging and consistent in designing rich algebra tasks. Third, the authors examine the teacher's ideas through direct observation and unstructured interviews. The results show how teachers' ideas about task design enhance students' creative thinking by reforming tasks from textbooks into rich mathematics tasks. The design of the task carried out by the teacher is to create to stimulate creative thinking. The teachers also use their knowledge and understanding of the material and curriculum to modify mathematics tasks in students' mathematics books. The task given by the teacher is to improve students' reasoning, not just memorize formulas or properties.

Investigating Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Decision-Making on Algebraic Tasks

“…Furthermore, students taught using procedures without understanding concepts are often unsure when or how to use what they know, and such learning is fragile and ineffective. This finding is consistent with Mastuti & Prayitno (2023), findings, which…”

“…Participants in this study were only one teacher with different characteristics in algebra tasks. Based on previous research by the author on Mastuti & Prayitno (2023), the author found a teacher who did excellent teaching in learning mathematics. Other supporting instruments in this study were learning observation sheets to observe PCK teachers and interview guidelines to explore teacher decision-making in mathematical tasks.…”

“…Tasks are essential in mathematics class (Berisha & Bytyqi, 2020;Demosthenous et al, 2021;Henningsen & Stein, 1997;Mastuti & Prayitno, 2023). Tasks are central to teaching (Chapman, 2013;Papadopoulos, 2020).…”

Students’ Improved Understanding of Limit Trigonometric Functions Through Implementation Jigsaw Learning

“…In addition, teachers must also be able to design non-routine assignments as material for students to discuss with each other in groups. As stated by previous research (Mastuti & Prayitno, 2023), the designed tasks must be able to stimulate critical thinking and creative thinking skills. Teachers must be flexible in using their knowledge and understanding to master the material so that they are able to modify mathematics assignments in school mathematics books.…”

Mathematical Connection of Geometry Problems Based on Numeracy Literacy Through the Polya Framework

“…This agrees with Firdaus et al (2019), that students who think analytical structures tend to solve problems very orderly manner, paying attention to Step by Step in detail. Meanwhile, students who understand unstructured analytical problems tend to imagine more than write and choose to use faster problem solving (Abdillah & Mastuti, 2018;Mastuti & Prayitno, 2023). Mathematical connection ability is important because it has the same nature as systematic and structured science that contains interrelated concepts (Mainali, 2021).…”