Abstract
To investigate student difficulties in solving word problems in algebra, we carried out a teaching experiment involving 51 Indonesian students (12/13 year-old) who used a digital mathematics environment. The findings were backed up by an interview study, in which eighteen students (13/14 year-old) were involved. The perspective of mathematization, i.e., the activity to transform a problem into a symbolic mathematical problem, and to reorganize the mathematical system, was used to identify student difficulties on the topic of linear equations in one variable. The results show that formulating a mathematical model—evidenced by errors in formulating equations, schemas or diagrams—is the main difficulty. This highlights the importance of mathematization as a crucial process in the learning and teaching of algebra.
Highlights
Solving word problems is among the main difficulties in algebra for many secondary school students all over the world
We argued that types of difficulties in applying arithmetical operations (ARITH), in understanding the notion of variable (VAR), in understanding algebraic expressions (AE), and in understanding the different meanings of the equal sign (EQS) can be included in the third subcategory because they normally occur during the solution processes
The research question addressed in this paper concerns identifying student difficulties in solving word problems in the topic of linear equations in one variable using a mathematization perspective
Summary
Solving word problems is among the main difficulties in algebra for many secondary school students all over the world (see, for instance, Bush & Karp, 2013; Carpraro & Joffrion, 2006; MacGregor & Stacey, 1998; Van Amerom, 2003). This result was significantly below the international average of 18 percent (Mullis et al, 2008). To help Indonesian students to overcome these low performances in solving word problems in algebra, we wonder whether digital tools might be of value. ICT-use has become widespread in mathematics education (e.g., Bokhove & Drijvers, 2010; Barkatsas, Kasimatis, & Gialamas, 2009), and research on the integration of ICT in algebra education suggests a positive influence on student
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