Do task variables of self-generated problems influence interest? Authenticity, openness, complexity, and students’ interest in solving self-generated modelling problems

Abstract

Problem posing—generating one’s own problems—is considered a powerful teaching approach for fostering students’ motivation such as their interest. However, research investigating the effects of task variables of self-generated problems on students’ interest is largely missing. In this contribution, we present a study with 105 ninth- and tenth-graders to address the question of whether the task variables modelling potential, assessed by openness and authenticity, or complexity of self-generated problems have an impact on students’ interest in solving them. Further, we investigated whether the effect of task variables of self-generated problems on students’ interest differed among students with different levels of mathematical competence. High modelling potential had a positive effect on interest in solving the problem for students with low mathematical competence, whereas it had a negative effect for those with high mathematical competence. However, complexity of self-generated problems did not affect students’ interest in solving problems.