Exploring mathematical discussion in word problem-solving

Abstract

This study explored whether discussion as a teaching strategy in mathematics classrooms could have positive gains in improving learners’ problem-solving performance, as well as their ability to make sense of real wor(l)d problems. This article discusses the partial findings of a bigger study that used a pre-test intervention or post-test mixed-method design and utilised both quantitative and qualitative data. Analysis of the data generated from both pre-tests and post-tests suggests that the intervention strategy significantly improved the experimental group’s problem-solving skills and sense-making performance. The statistical results illustrate that the experimental group performed significantly better than the comparison group in the post-test. The main finding of this study is that in classrooms of experimental schools in which discussion technique was successfully implemented, there was a statistically significant improvement in the learners’ competence in solving word problems.

Making Sense of Errors Made by Learners in Mathematical Word Problem Solving

“…These findings are similar to the study by Yoshida, Verschaffel and De Corte (1997) that showed learners' responses to the real-world problems excluded realistic consideration (Sepeng & Webb, 2012). Of the 75 Japanese students that responded to the word problems, only 17% of the learners' responses could be considered to be realistic.…”

“…The findings of a study reported in this article seem to suggest that the source of the learners' errors lie in pedagogical practices employed in the mathematics classrooms (Sepeng, 2011b;Sepeng & Webb, 2012). Faced with low learner academic achievement in South African school mathematics, it is important for mathematics educators to allow students to construct their own meaning as suggested by literature (Gerofsky, 2010;Gravemeijer, 1997;Schonfield, 1998).…”

“…He also noted that lack of visualization or inability to derive 'concrete images' by the learners often led to inability to reason mathematically. Other studies (Sepeng, 2011a;Sepeng & Webb, 2012;Verschaffel, Greer, & Van Dooren, 2009) reported that learners have tendencies to exclude real world knowledge when solving word problems. Learners could not see a connection between the mathematics at school and their everyday life mathematics.…”

“…Gravemeijer (1997) argued that mathematical word problems should promote sense making rather than computational proficiency. However, reports by scholars in mathematics education have struggled with the notion of 'real life' in relation to word problems in school mathematics (see, for example, De Corte, Verschaffel & Greer, 2000;Garii & Okum, 2008;Gerofsky, 2010;Sepeng, 2011aSepeng, , 2011bSepeng & Webb, 2012).…”

“…These researchers demonstrated that for a learner to be an effective problem solver, it is essential that these skills be developed. As such, problem solving is a process that is grounded on reasoning rather than computation (Sepeng, 2011a;Sepeng & Webb, 2012). Gravemeijer (1997) argued that mathematical word problems should promote sense making rather than computational proficiency.…”