Despite research indicating that many teachers are reluctant to use challenging problem-solving mathematical tasks fearful of disengaging their students, evidence is emerging suggesting that students prefer and enjoy solving such tasks. In this study we aimed to investigate young students’ enjoyment of and preferences for problem-solving mathematics tasks of different challenge levels. Qualitative data were collected from 27 kindergarten to grade 2 students (aged 5-7) in a semi-structured individual interview conducted immediately following a lesson involving a challenging problem-solving mathematics task. Students were asked to select their next task and explain why they selected it. They could choose a task more, less or about the same level of challenge, as the one they just completed. A data-driven, inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse student responses. Findings indicate that nearly all students enjoyed learning mathematics when taught through a challenging, problem-solving approach with eighteen (67%) students preferring tasks that were more challenging than the one they had just completed and only three (11%) preferring an easier task. Of the students who preferred a more challenging task, nearly all thought that more challenging tasks would help them learn mathematics better and their "brain to grow". Students’ reasons for their preferences have implications for developers of curriculum materials, teachers’ classroom practices and the design of mathematical tasks they provide their students.

Authors:
Janette Bobis, The University of Sydney, Australia
Maggie Feng, The University of Sydney, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Janette Bobis is currently Professor of Mathematics Education at The University of Sydney, Australia. Her current research focuses on young students' arithmetical fluency development and out-of-field teaching of lower secondary mathematics.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule

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