WHY IT IS SO HARD TO CHOOSE A GOOD OPEN PROBLEM FOR COOPERATIVE WORK IN PRIMARY MATHEMATICS EDUCATION?

Abstract

Due to its complexity the teaching of problem solving in mathematics at primary level has always been a hard task. Closely related to this is the development of problem-thinking ability, asking good questions and developing divergent thinking. In the interviews with teachers the difficulty in finding a good open task has been repeatedly occurring as a common problem not solely in cooperative work but generally in problem solving teaching at primary level. Our research focuses on the application of group work in mathematics lessons as one of the possibilities of developing divergent thinking and solving open problems. The most recurrent questions include how to design a proper task, what should be the level of difficulty of the tasks, how to address the proper age and target group and what should be the mathematical content of the tasks. Our work based on interviews with teachers depicts the various aspects of open problem selection and its applicability in mathematics teaching at primary level in elementary schools. We present a methodological conduct for teachers how to select, compile, design or modify proper open problems for their students. The publication presents answers to questions like: what makes a problem to be considered open, how to create an open problem in different ways at various levels of difficulty and how to adapt them for group work.