Students’ ability in free, semi-structured and structured problem posing situations

• Main Authors: Ngah, N., Ismail, Z., Tasir, Z., Mohamad Said, M. N. H.
• Format: Article
• Published: American Scientific Publishers 2016
• Subjects: L Education (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/71831/; https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85011982901&doi=10.1166%2fasl.2016.8106&partnerID=40&md5=a5bac3b99e5b8b1a7ef80d1666e405fc

Problem posing is a new and inventive pedagogical approach in mathematics education. It has long been under the shadow of problem solving, until recently, when researchers started to realize its potentials, resulting in a fastgrowing recognition of the need to incorporate it into Mathematics classroom learning. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify students’ problem posing ability in free, semi-structured and structured problem posing situations. In addition, this study would also determine their view about problem posing. The sample consisted of twenty eight Form 2 secondary school students. Two instruments were used: The Mathematical Problem Posing Task and The Problem Posing Questionnaire. The results revealed that the students were capable of posing 63 solvable mathematical problems, out of which, 55 (87%) in the low level of complexity and 8 (13%) in the moderate level of complexity, within the problem posing tasks given. The result also revealed that, free problem posing situations are more demanding task compared to the semi-structured and structured problem posing situations. Besides, the findings also found that, students have positive views about problem posing. In conclusion, problem posing is a potential pedagogical approach that can be implemented realistically in Mathematics classrooms.