The role of task format, mathematics knowledge, and creative thinking on the arithmetic problem posing of prospective elementary school teachers

Abstract

A Test of Arithmetic Problem Posing was developed by the authors to examine the arithmetic problem-posing behaviours of sixty-three prospective elementary school teachers. Results of analysis were then used to examine task format (i.e., the presence or absence of specific numerical information) on subjects’ problem posing and the relationship between subjects’ problem posing and their mathematics knowledge and verbal creativity. The major findings were that the test effectively evaluated arithmetic problem posing, and that most subjects were able to pose solvable and complex problems. In addition, problem-posing performance was better when the task contained specific numerical information than when it did not, and that problem-posing performance was significantly related to mathematical knowledge but not to verbal creativity.