NON-ROUTINE PROBLEMS IN PRIMARY MATHEMATICS WORKBOOKS FROM ROMANIA

Abstarct: The aim of this paper is to present a research on Hungarian 3 th grade primary school textbooks from Romania. These textbooks are analyzed using two classifications. The first classification is based on how much creativity and problem solving skills pupils need to solve a given task. In this classification problems are gouped in three categories: routine problems, grayarea problems and puzzle-like (non-routine) problems. The results show that most of the problems from textbooks are routine-problems. Only about 15% of the problems are more difficult, which can be solved in few steps, but even these problems are not challenging. The second classification divide problems based on how the operation chain they have to solve is given: by numbers, by text or in a word problem. The results show that there are big differences in the percentage of problems from these three categories in different textbooks. In one of the studied textbook half of the problems are word problems, in the other one only one quarter

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ SELF-REGULATED LEARNING SKILLS

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are very important in problem solving. It is important to strat to develop these skills from the first years of school. Thus, it is essential that primary school teachers master self-regulated learning skills and they know how to develop these skills in their pupils. In this article, we present the results of a research made among 31 primary school teachers regarding their self-regulated learning skills. The tool is a questionnaire developed specially for this purpose. This questionnaire has 19 questions, 16 items are related with the topic of the research and they are affirmations, which have to be evaluated by the respondents on a 5-point Likert scale: from 1- not at all typical for me to 5 – totally describes me. We have formulated the affirmations based on the theory of SRL. The results show that the respondents’ problem analyzing and help-seeking skills are low, but their self-monitoring skills are good. When analyzing the problem, only one third of the respondents rephrases the text of it and makes drawings for a deeper understanding. The respondents has good self-monitoring skills, almost two third of them check if the solution is correct and three quarters of the teachers check if they have used all the data of the problem. The respondents help-seeking abilities are low, only less then half of them are searching for similar worked examples and one third of them ask for the help of a colleague in case of an insuccesful problem solving. These results emphasize the necessity of developing primary school teachers’ problem solving and self-regulated learning skills

HOW MATHEMATICS TEACHERS DEVELOP THEIR PUPILS’ SELF-REGULATED LEARNING SKILLS

Self-regulated learning skills are important in mathematical problem solving. The aim of the paper is to present a research on how mathematics teachers guide their pupils’ mathematical problem-solving activities in order to increase self-regulation. 62 teachers have filled in a questionnaire developed for this research. The results are show that more than two third of the teachers promote the methods of understanding the problem; develop pupils’ self-efficacy and self-control. But only one third of the teachers ask pupils to use different strategies for solving a problem; ask students to explain the solution to their colleagues. In case of unsuccessful problem solving only one third of the respondents ask pupils to present previous knowledge about the problem or/and recall and try different methods

10-11 year old pupils’ self-regulated learning and problem solving skills

Developing problem solving competence is one of the main goals of Mathematics Education. Self-regulated learning skills are important for success in problem solving. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a research about 10-11 years old pupils’ self-regulated learning and problem solving skills and the relation between these two skills. The results show that more than three quarters of 10-11 years old pupils like Mathematics, but only the half of them likes to solve non-routine problems. The positive attitude towards Mathematics is influenced by pupils’ positive experiences on solving problems and their beliefs in the utility of Mathematics in their future. Most of the pupils don’t give up if they can’t solve the problem, they go over the text again, they try to find similar worked examples, they ask for help. There is a mild correlation between pupils’ self-control and problem solving skills, a weak correlation between pupils’ attitude towards Mathematics and their problem solving skills

Critical analysis of the Romanian Mathematics and Sciences school curricula based on the Romanian pupils’ results on international testing

Romania occupied a back position in the international tests on Mathematics and Sciences. Teachers stress out that one possible cause of this situation could be finding on the Mathematics and Sciences curricula. This paper presents the results of the comparisons of the Romanian curricula with the curricula promoted by the international testing (PISA 2000, 2003 and 2006, and TIMSS 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007) and the curricula of the countries occupied the first places in these tests. The comparisons underline those curricula approaches, which insure success on these tests and realize the reasons of the lack of success of the Romanian pupils. These results will be presented to the curriculum makers, universities and schools, to identify the specific and transferable competencies of the pupils with success in the above-mentioned disciplines