Abstract

The main purpose of the study is to understand the mathematical problem-solving strategies among student teachers. This study used both quantitative and qualitative type of research. Aside from the semi-structured interviews, data were gathered through participant's actual mathematical problem-solving outputs and the videotaped interviews. Findings revealed that the problem-solving strategies among student teachers in the Problem-Solving subject are cognitive, metacognitive and other strategies. The cognitive strategies used by the student teachers are rehearsal, elaboration, and organization. The metacognitive strategies are critical thinking and self-regulation. Other strategies are overlapping the cognitive and metacognitive strategies. These are prediction/orientation, planning, monitoring, and evaluating. The findings also suggest a significant influence of the strategies to the academic performance of the student teachers.&nbsp

Highlights

  • Problem-solving has a special importance in the study of mathematics (Wilson, Fernandez and Hadaway, 2011)

  • Rehearsal is one of the cognitive strategies used by the student teachers in Summer 2011 Problem-Solving subject

  • Prediction/orientation refers to analyzing the problem, again and again, underlining and selecting important details in the problem, drawing of the problem statement and having estimated outcomes which were categorized as rehearsal, elaboration, organization and critical thinking respectively

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Summary

Introduction

Problem-solving has a special importance in the study of mathematics (Wilson, Fernandez and Hadaway, 2011). Mathematical problem-solving may help students to improve and develop the standard ability to solve real-life problems, (Reys et al 2001), to develop critical thinking skills and reasoning, to gain deep understanding of concepts (Schoenfeld, 1992; Schoen and Charles, 2003) and to work in groups, cooperate with and interact with each other (Dendane, 2009). It may improve eagerness of an individual to try to analyze mathematical problems and to improve their determination and self-concepts with respect to the abilities to solve problems; make the individual aware of the problem-solving strategies, value of approaching problems in an orderly manner and that many problems can be solved in more than one way and; improve individuals’ abilities to select appropriate solution strategies, capacity to implement solution strategies accurately and abilities to get a correct answers to problems (Hoon, Kee, and Singh, 2013). Dewey’s (1933) “How we think”, Polya’s (1988) problem-solving methods and the stages of Krulik and Printed ISSN: 2336-2375

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