Heuristics in Problem Solving for the Teaching
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Imagem Nuno Álvaro Ferreira Rodrigues HEURISTICS IN PROBLEM SOLVING FOR THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS Interuniversity Doctoral Program in Psychology – Educational Psychology Expertise (association with the Faculty of Psychology at University of Lisbon) Doctorate thesis with the survey of PhD Professor Ana Cristina Ferreira de Almeida and PhD Professor Alexander Kovacec, presented to the Faculty of Psychology and Imagem Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra 2015 HEURISTICS IN PROBLEM SOLVING FOR THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS I Nuno Álvaro Ferreira Rodrigues Interuniversity Doctoral Program in Psychology – Educational Psychology Expertise (association with the Faculty of Psychology at University of Lisbon) Cover Image: Seven Bridges of Königsberg, Euler’s original publication Composition Services: Tipografia Lousanense, Lousã, Portugal Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA 2015 II HEURISTICS IN PROBLEM SOLVING FOR THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS Nuno Rodrigues 2015 III IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I want to express my recognition to each person that helped me along this journey of study and investigation. My deep gratitude to Ana Almeida, PhD Professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, and Alexander Kovacec, PhD Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology / Mathematical Department, Professors at the University of Coimbra. Heuristics in Problem Solving for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics was only possible with the advised supervision of both. To my family that care for me and support. To Ana Viana the love, dedication and help, always present in my thoughts. A special thanks to Joaquim Ferreira, PhD Professor at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences due the confidence in me and in my studies. My recognition goes also to Nova Ágora School Association Educational Center and its director João Paulo Janicas. All teachers that in 2011/2012 (Acácio Castelo Branco Catré, Alcino de Oliveira Simões, Ana Maria Travassos Roque Saúde, Célia Margarida Fonseca Martins, Cristina Maria dos Santos Gonçalves Neves, Cristina Paula Filipe Batista, Ernestina Maria Ferreira Lima, Fátima do Rosário Dias Almendra, Helena Maria Carvalho Bidarra, Isabel Maria Lopes Pais de Castro, João Simões Ferreira, Leonel Barata Henriques Antunes, Margarida Isabel Barreiros Fragoso Grilo, Margarida Maria Pais Fonseca, Maria Cristina Miranda Mendes Lima, Maria da Fé Lucas de Sá Marta, Maria Elisa Martins Ferreira Inácio Lucas, Paulo Amilcar São Miguel Borges de Carvalho, and 2012/2013 (Adélia Fernanda Piteira Machado Oliveira, Ana Margarida Póvoa Martins Carecho, António Manuel Macedo da Silva, Avelino da Cruz Vaz, Cristina Isabel Lima Mendes Julião Relvas, Lígia Maria da Costa Rebelo, Maria Adelaide Gariso Sousa Alves, Maria da Graça Carvalheiro da Costa Marques Faim Pessoa, Maria Filomena Rebola Nuno, Maria João Nobre Rasteiro Letra, Maria Paula Jorge Jacinto da Silva, Paula Cristina Oliveira Azevedo, Paula da Costa Madeira Lopes Esteves Curto, Ricardo Manuel Vieira Faustino, Rita Maria Simões Santos Viais, Teresa Conceição Rebola Oliveira) have accomplished Heuristics in Math Teaching – Tools for Problem Solving, a fifty hour course at Nova Ágora Educational Center, in Coimbra. It was a pleasure to disseminate heuristic mathematical problem solving and simultaneously learn with your personal experience, pedagogical and scientific, and wisdom. My thanks to your students that answered to questionnaires and designed problem solving activity with Pólya’s methodological steps in their mind. This thesis is written in English, not my native language. The revision and many translations from Portuguese were done by Olga Rodrigues. Thanks for the sensibility and common sense in your labor with words. My gratitude is extended to all that have supported this study. V VI ABSTRACT With the purpose of improving success in Mathematics and, concomitantly, the teaching and the learning process, this dissertation is based on heuristics and on theoretical and empirical context to explore examples of mathematical problems solved, as reasoned and effective alternative of experiential learning of problem based Mathematics. The investigation was guided by the questions: (1) Why the negative conception concerning Mathematics? (2) What are the cognitive processes activated during problem solving tasks? (3) How can teachers support the learning of Mathematics by promoting problem solving ability? (4) In what extent does the systematic practice of problem solving contribute to improve student’s performance? The main targets are teachers and students from Third Cycle (7th to 9th grade) and Secondary Education (10th to 12th grade), including Professional Courses, as well as educational experts that offer workshops in Centers for Instructional Development. For the feasibility of this project we initiated a variety of studies, some more theoretical oriented to explain the problem solving learning processes, and an empirical approach focus on teachers’ and their students’ performances. Through different methodological approaches the structural axis of this research was the compilation of detailed problem solving statements and resolutions processes with the purpose to create a problem solving Manual, to be further tested. The genesis of this work lies in the experiential problem solving context with teachers, mediators of such activity in the classroom with their students, in an accredited training course, which took place in two workshop editions, in Coimbra, between 2011 and 2013. 34 teachers participated and we considered the Kolb experiential learning model (1984) to sustain the training proposed. As characterization elements and efficacy measures we request teachers to answer a questionnaire of attitudes towards problem-solving, strategies for teaching math and problem solving, a written problem solving test evaluation, and problem solving questions to apply to students in the classroom, evaluated according previous established criteria, with the data gathering process ending in critical appraisal concerning students’ knowledge and skills in a reflective portfolio. Some students (n = 96) answered to a questionnaire concerning math attitudes and 339 students answered to problem solving questions. This process was designed to help teachers getting aware about the effectiveness of the teaching and learning of heuristic procedures (Ponte, 1992). We noticed that the workshops of training were considered useful and pertinent. However, when problem solving activity was engaged, we observed compromising behaviors of success among teachers addressing learning and teaching strategies. As for the answers of the 96 students from 9th grade to the questionnaire attitudes towards math subject, were perceived correlations between: Beliefs/Motivation, External Control, Mood, Resources, Heuristics, and VII Knowledge Exhibition which validate Schoenfeld’s model about the mechanisms activated in the course of problem solving activity. Teachers’ testimonials, based on the outcome of their students in problem solving activities, suggest that the benefit from using heuristic procedures is the result of a continuous work during an extended period of time. The effect of sporadic intervention doesn’t produce consistent changes. The problem solving activity constitutes a preponderant factor in the teaching and learning process. Teachers and students are aware of its importance. Problem solving implementation in the classroom is compromised by the teacher’s duty to carry out the school year program and the student’s difficulty to perform autonomous work. Teachers’ problem solving continuous training is an opportunity to disseminate mathematical content and effective pedagogical practices. We suggest, in particular to the 9th grade, because it precedes Secondary Education that requires the choice of an educational pathway, allocated school time to the practice of mathematical problem solving. In this way it would be promoted, in continuous, cognitive processes that can help improve performances, with positive repercussions in various learning contexts. The results suggest that it is latent in the student a learning potential that is eventually curtailed by beliefs of failure and/or inadequate pedagogical practices. We hope that our contribution will help teachers and schools to incorporate problem solving practices in the classroom dynamics. Keywords: Heuristics, Learning, Mathematics, Problem Solving, Teachers’ continuous training. VIII RESUMO Com a intenção de melhorar o sucesso em Matemática e, concomitantemente, os processos de ensino e de aprendizagem, esta dissertação analisa de forma contextualizada o potencial da utilização de heurísticas e exemplos de problemas resolvidos, como alternativa fundamentada e efetiva de aprendizagem experiencial da Matemática. A investigação foi norteada pelas questões: (1) Porquê a conceção negativa a respeito da disciplina de Matemática? (2) Quais são os processos cognitivos ativados durante tarefas de resolução de problemas? (3) Como podem os professores favorecer a aprendizagem da Matemática pela promoção da capacidade de resolução de problemas? (4) Em que medida a prática sistemática da resolução de problemas contribui para melhorar o desempenho do estudante? São principais visados professores e alunos dos Ensinos Básico e Secundário, incluindo Cursos Profissionais, assim como formadores que ministram Cursos de Formação. Para a viabilização deste projeto levamos a