PROBLEM SOLVING IN PRIMARY EDUCATION

MATHEMATICS TEXTBOOKS IN SPAIN

13th International
Congress on
Mathematical
Education Elsa Santaolalla Pascual
Universidad Pontifica Comillas (Spain)
Hamburg
July 24 – 31
2016
Teaching and learning processes of mathematics

Two different approaches

“Why are so many children
not learning mathematics
as they should?”
Freudenthal (1981)

NATURAL PROCESS OF MATHEMATICAL LEARNING

Applications Representation Symbolism Formal

in reality stage stage system

MATHEMATICAL LEARNING PROCESS IN THE

TRADITIONAL APPROACH
Dienes (1977)
Teaching and learning processes of mathematics

Two different approaches

“Why are so many children
not learning mathematics
as they should?”
Freudenthal (1981)

TEACHING THROUGH PROBLEM SOLVING

Real life Solving
Mechanical Abstract
problem non-routine
practice concept
situation problems

TEACHING FOR PROBLEM SOLVING

The backbone of the mathematical activity

Problem Solving

MEC (2006, 2013) and NCTM (2000) standards

Contents

Geometry

Numbers & Operations

Processes, methods and attitudes in mathematics

Data analysis &

Measurement
Probability

MEC (2006, 2013)

Contents of the curricula in Spain
Mathematical competence (PISA, 2006)

thinking
mathematical
Reasoning and

To Argue

Communication

Modeling
problems
Pose and solve
Representing
formalism
Symbols and
Aids and tools
Processes, methods and
attitudes in mathematics
Numbers
Contents

Measurement
Geometry
Data analysis &
Probability

MEC (2006, 2013)

The backbone of the mathematical activity

➢ In Spain, textbooks are used by 99.1% of all students and their use is on
the rise, to the detriment of group work. (IEME, 2009)

➢ In Finland, 78% of primary school teachers use the textbook daily. (Pudas,
2013; Wikman & Horsley, 2012)

➢ In the United States between 75% and 90% of the time spent on math
classes is carried out in relation to the textbook. (Nicol y Crespo, 2006)
➢ In Canada more than 95% of 12th grade teachers consider it their main
teaching resource. (Kajander & Miroslav, 2009)

➢ In China, Japan, Singapore and Australia advanced use of textbooks is

done in math classes. (Seah & Bishop, 2000; Shield & Dole, 2009, 2013)

➢ In Argentina and Colombia, over 82% of teachers use a single textbook

in class. (Alzate, Arbelaez, Gómez, Romero & Gallón, 2005; Villela & Contreras, 2006)

Textbooks: Uses and Abuses

Problema y objetivos

“…los libros de texto se deben adaptar al

rigor científico, a las edades de los estudiantes, y al
currículo establecido en esta orden.”

(Real Decreto 2211/2007: 5º disposición)

¿Cuál es realmente el eje vertebrador de la actividad matemática

en el aula: la resolución de problemas o los libros de texto?

Objetivo principal

Analizar cómo se aborda la resolución de

problemas en los libros de texto de
matemáticas de Educación Primaria en
España.
 Model for Problem Solving

We will use the PS approaches proposed by

Bingolbali, Bingolbali & Summak (2016) to
distinguish between:
• Teaching for problem solving (TFPS)
• Teaching about problem solving (TAPS)
• Teaching through problem solving (THPS)
Model for Problem Solving
 Model for Problem Solving

❖ ¿Cuál es el enfoque didáctico más apropiado para la enseñanza

de las matemáticas?

❖ ¿Qué función tiene cada enfoque dentro del proceso de

Enseñanza/Aprendizaje de las matemáticas?
Teaching For Problem Solving

❖When Teaching For Problem Solving,

the content is usually taught first and
then this content is used in solving
mathematical problems

TRADITIONAL APPROACH
1. Abstract content
2. Mechanical practice
3. Problem solving
Teaching For Problem Solving

TRADITIONAL
APPROACH
1. Abstract content
2. Mechanical
practice
3. Problem solving
Teaching For Problem Solving

Problems only
accounted for
27.44% of the
7889 activities
presented in
total
 TFPS

❖¿Qué diría Canals (Biniés, 2008)

sobre el enfoque TFPS?

Recordad qué es un problema!!!

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Teaching About Problem Solving

❖Teaching About Problem Solving

concerns how to solve problems.
Indicators of this approach are:

HEURISTIC STRATEGIES OF POLYA’S

PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH
➢ Work backwards 1. Understand de
problem
➢ Use a drawing
➢ Start with easier cases 2. Conceive a plan
➢ By trial and error
3. Carry out the plan
➢ From the particular to the general
4. Check the results
➢ …
Teaching About Problem Solving

HEURISTIC
STRATEGIES OF
PROBLEM SOLVING
➢ Work backwards
➢ Use a drawing
➢ Start with easier cases
➢ By trial and error
➢ From the particular to the
general
➢ …

Students are asked

to follow models
from previously solved problems
Teaching About Problem Solving

POLYA’S
APPROACH
1. Understand de
problem

2. Conceive a plan

3. Carry out the plan

4. Check the results

 TAPS

❖¿Qué diría Fernández Bravo (2006)

sobre TAPS?

❖Recordad que él reclama la necesidad

de PROVOCAR (frente a la de
MOSTRAR o INSTRUIR)

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Teaching tHrough Problem Solving

Teaching tHrough Problem Solving is

sometimes called Problem- Based Teaching
(ABP).
This approach starts with:
A. real life problem situations or
B. non-routine problems
and then the students learn abstract
mathematical concepts through problem
solving.
Es frecuente confundir THPS con un TFPS en el que se
parta de un contexto real pero luego se ofrezcan los pasos
para seguir con una enseñanza mecánica del contenido.
THPS: real life problem situations
THPS: real life problem situations

A real life problem

situation is solved to
be used as an example
TO FOLLOW!!
THPS: non-routine problems

Observa las figuras 1, 2 y 3.

¿Qué tipo de polígono es cada
una?
¿Tienen el mismo perímetro?
¿Y el mismo área?

Utiliza lo que has descubierto

para explicar si las siguientes
afirmaciones son verdaderas o
falsas.

▪ Dos figuras pueden tener igual perímetro y distinta forma.

▪ Dos figuras que tengan el mismo perímetro deben tener el
mismo área.
THPS: non-routine problems

Completa tus
descubrimientos con
ayuda de estas nuevas
figuras.
¿Pueden dos figuras
tener el mismo área y
distinta forma? ¿Y el
mismo área y distinto
perímetro?
¿Qué observas?
THPS: non-routine problems

Open problems
Unstructured activities
Own P.S. strategies
Test out and collect data
Support future decisions
…
Sample
Sample

➢ 3 leading publishers of educational material in Spain.

➢ 9 textbooks.
➢ Analysis unit: 100% of the student book.

Publisher A Publisher B Publisher C

2nd grade
Salta a la vista La Casa del Saber Conecta con Pupi
(7 – 8 years)
4th grade
Abre la Puerta La Casa del Saber Tirolina
(9 – 10 years)

6th grade
Abre la Puerta La Casa del Saber Timonel
(11 – 12 years)
Sample

Publisher A Publisher B Publisher C Totals

Pages 637 621 634 1892

Teaching units 44 44 44 132

Illustrations 2023 1651 1839 5513

Activities 2631 2541 2717 7889

Findings
THPS TAPS TFPS
GRADE ACTIVITIES
Nº % Nº % Nº %

2nd 550 18 3.09% 51 9.27% 481 87.45%

A 4th 1008 47 4.66% 225 22.32% 736 73.02%

6th 1073 0 0% 215 20.04% 858 79.96%

2nd 475 32 6.74% 64 13.47% 379 79.79%

B 4th 945 72 7.62% 269 28.47% 604 63.92%

6th 1121 58 5.17% 386 34.43% 677 60.39%

2nd 592 40 6.76% 75 12.67% 477 80.57%

C 4th 946 58 6.13% 26 2.75% 862 91.12%

6th 1179 94 7.97% 275 23.32% 810 68.7%

TOTALS 7889 419 5.31% 1586 20.1% 5884 74.58%

Findings

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
TFPS
40%
TAPS
30%
THPS
20%
10%
0%
2nd 4th 6th 2nd 4th 6th 2nd 4th 6th
grade grade grade grade grade grade grade grade grade
A B C
Conclusions and implications

THPS

❖ There is a mismatch between the official 5%

and taught curricula:

TAPS
▪ There should be a THPS approach 20%

▪ There is a TFPS and a TAPS approach TFPS

75%

❖ Both publishers and authors should adopt the necessary

measures in order to align mathematical textbooks with
approaches that will ensure quality mathematical education.