Class teachers’ attitudes towards the importance of the activity of setting up the problem in teaching mathematics to beginners

Abstract

Besides the actual solving of the problem, the so-called setting up the problem plays a very important role in the field of mathematics and mathematical thinking. When students are engaged in the activity of setting up the problem, they are actually placed in the “role” of the mathematician as a scientist and offered a possibility to experience a different aspect of mathematics. Still, regardless of the positive effects shown by the results of numerous research studies, this activity is not sufficiently represented in the actual teaching practice of mathematics. Since teachers have the key role in the preparation and implementation of the activity of setting up the problem and their actions can influence the quality of knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts, as well as students’ ideas, the main aim of the research was to determine whether class teachers recognised the importance of organising the activity of setting up the problem in teaching mathematics to beginners. The sample included 161 class teachers. Data were collected using an attitude scale. Combined standard quantitative and qualitative methods were used to process the data. Research results have confirmed that class teachers hold a positive attitude towards the activity of setting up the problem. The established differences with respect to class teachers’ work experience and the level of education point to the fact that more attention should be devoted to university education and in-service teacher training when it comes to the activity of setting up the problem. Future research should analyse the extent to which class teachers’ teaching practices actually reflect their attitudes.

Keywords

• mathematical problem
• setting up the problem
• class teachers’ attitudes
• teaching mathematics to beginners