An empirical investigation into student's mathematical word‐based problem‐solving process: A computerized approach

Abstract

This study proposes a computer-assisted system with a design based on Polya's problem-solving model. The system is designed to help average and low-achieving second graders in mathematics with word-based addition and subtraction questions. The emphasis of using the specific model was on dividing the problem-solving procedure into stages and the concentration on the stages that are problematic for students.Specifically, we compared mathematical word problem-solving performance and computational skills of students who utilized the computer-assisted system with students who employed general strategy instruction. Participants consisted of 52 second-grade students randomly assigned to treatment conditions. Students were pretested and posttested with mathematical problem-solving and computation tests, and repeated measures of their progress with respect to word problem solving were registered.The results showed there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of the word problem-solving progress measure, favouring the experimental group. This confirms that providing students with a computerassisted system offered the opportunity to explore all stages of the problem-solving procedure as one possible way to enhance their problem-solving skills.

Meaningful Learning in Mathematics: A Research Synthesis of Teaching Approaches

“…Research shows that high-quality learning in students requires active guidance from teachers (Schwonke et al, 2011). Guidance may take the form of directive instructional talk, leading questioning and giving feedback, guiding questions tied to activities and tasks, and computer-aided programs (Chadli et al, 2018;Fuchs et al, 2013;Kim et al, 2018;Sun et al, 2014;van der Kleij et al, 2015;Wakefield et al, 2018). What matters here is that the teacher's attention focuses not only on the correctness or incorrectness of the student's response, but also on the student's personal thought process (van der Kleij et al, 2015).…”

Computer discourse and use as determinants of student math outcomes: performativity and action at work in the lower school grades

“…For example, in one case, screencasts were used to examine student explanations in mathematical modeling strategies concerning multiplication, division and equal sharing problems on an app ( Soto, 2015 ). In another example, stages of math problem solving that caused issues for students could be focused on to hone learning skills ( Chadli et al, 2018 ). In yet another related example, graduated prompts were provided to students to assess their effectiveness in overall math outcomes, as with puppet series problem solving tasks, in which six puppets were presented and a participant had to create the last in the series ( Veerbeek et al, 2019 ).…”

Mathematical word problem solving strategy for middle school students

“…Un estudiante que utilice SBI por completo podría abordar este problema inicialmente centrándose en la relación entre los 25 puntos y el 20 por ciento. A continuación, podrían construir un diagrama que muestre la ecuación de la proporción entre la parte y el total: Utilizando este diagrama, o algo similar, para identificar el procedimiento heurístico apropiado, un estudiante buscaría ejecutar una solución mientras aplicaba apropiadamente la flexibilidad necesaria [6].…”