How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution?
Abstract This study, in the context of mathematical problem solving, aims to explore the ways in which a piece of sample work affects pupils’ solutions to problem-solving tasks. Mathematical problem solving is a rich, evolving field and the use of sample work is a relatively recent develo...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2014
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28229/ |
| _version_ | 1848793530006241280 |
|---|---|
| author | McCance, Lorna |
| author_facet | McCance, Lorna |
| author_sort | McCance, Lorna |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Abstract
This study, in the context of mathematical problem solving, aims to
explore the ways in which a piece of sample work affects pupils’ solutions
to problem-solving tasks. Mathematical problem solving is a rich, evolving
field and the use of sample work is a relatively recent development within
it. Many people believe sample student work to be useful (Evans and
Swan, 2013; Evans, Mullins and Waring, 2014) but there is not a wealth of
empirical evidence surrounding it. In this study four problem-solving tasks
were used with the same class; each had potential to be solved
algebraically. For each task an algebraically themed piece of sample work
was carefully designed by the researcher. Pupils’ work on the tasks before
and after attempting to understand the sample work provides the main
data source. Follow up interviews were carried out with four students,
chosen based on work they had produced. The prominent theme emerging
was that the influence the sample work had on pupils’ solutions depended
on how readily pupils understood the sample solution. This is argued to
pertain to Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The implications of
this and other findings in relation to design and use of sample work are
discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:01:45Z |
| format | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-28229 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:01:45Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-282292018-01-28T05:37:56Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28229/ How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? McCance, Lorna Abstract This study, in the context of mathematical problem solving, aims to explore the ways in which a piece of sample work affects pupils’ solutions to problem-solving tasks. Mathematical problem solving is a rich, evolving field and the use of sample work is a relatively recent development within it. Many people believe sample student work to be useful (Evans and Swan, 2013; Evans, Mullins and Waring, 2014) but there is not a wealth of empirical evidence surrounding it. In this study four problem-solving tasks were used with the same class; each had potential to be solved algebraically. For each task an algebraically themed piece of sample work was carefully designed by the researcher. Pupils’ work on the tasks before and after attempting to understand the sample work provides the main data source. Follow up interviews were carried out with four students, chosen based on work they had produced. The prominent theme emerging was that the influence the sample work had on pupils’ solutions depended on how readily pupils understood the sample solution. This is argued to pertain to Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The implications of this and other findings in relation to design and use of sample work are discussed. 2014-09 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28229/1/McCance_Lorna_Dissertation_Foster.pdf McCance, Lorna (2014) How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] |
| spellingShingle | McCance, Lorna How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title | How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title_full | How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title_fullStr | How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title_full_unstemmed | How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title_short | How do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| title_sort | how do students' solutions to a problem-solving task change after attempting to understand an algebra-focused sample solution? |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28229/ |