The problem based approach emphasises that new knowledge and understandings are created while working collaboratively in small groups. Students get involved in mathematical conversations. Sharing and explaining their ideas with each other is important for effective collaboration and it also helps to enhance learning (Webb and Palincsar, 1996). An action research involving middle school students (Hirschfeld-Cotton, 2008) found that encouraging students to communicate their mathematical thinking has a positive effect on their conceptual understandings. A problem based task intends to engage students in mathematical interactions where students are discussing their ideas about the problem and the possible solutions. They exchange ideas, listen
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The teacher plays the role of someone who facilitates understandings by carefully selecting a problem which suits the student’s ability level and interest, and then keeping the ‘cognitive demands of high-level tasks from declining’ (Erickson, 1999, p. 519). The teachers themselves need to have a deep understanding of the concepts so they could choose appropriate tasks for the students and guide them to apply their knowledge in such a way that it will lead to development of the intended understandings (Kyeong Ha, 2003). The teacher ‘is an expert learner, able to model good strategies for learning and thinking, rather than an expert in the content itself’ (Hmelo-Silver, 2004, …show more content…
The biggest challenge involved is the time required to successfully use problem based learning for conceptual development. It takes time to create an authentic problem that students can relate to. The activity also can’t be rushed to be completed in one lesson. Students will need the time of a few lessons in order to develop conceptual understandings through self directed learning. In middle school environment the teachers are pressed for time as there is a lot of syllabus content to cover. Teachers can resolve this problem by planning teaching programs where there is allocated time for such
The teacher plays the role of someone who facilitates understandings by carefully selecting a problem which suits the student’s ability level and interest, and then keeping the ‘cognitive demands of high-level tasks from declining’ (Erickson, 1999, p. 519). The teachers themselves need to have a deep understanding of the concepts so they could choose appropriate tasks for the students and guide them to apply their knowledge in such a way that it will lead to development of the intended understandings (Kyeong Ha, 2003). The teacher ‘is an expert learner, able to model good strategies for learning and thinking, rather than an expert in the content itself’ (Hmelo-Silver, 2004, …show more content…
The biggest challenge involved is the time required to successfully use problem based learning for conceptual development. It takes time to create an authentic problem that students can relate to. The activity also can’t be rushed to be completed in one lesson. Students will need the time of a few lessons in order to develop conceptual understandings through self directed learning. In middle school environment the teachers are pressed for time as there is a lot of syllabus content to cover. Teachers can resolve this problem by planning teaching programs where there is allocated time for such