How do 7th-grade mathematics students use the four-step approach to problem-solving? A qualitative inquiry.

摘要

This qualitative inquiry, based on one seventh-grade general mathematics class, explores the use of George Pólya's four-step approach to problem-solving and problem-solving strategies found in a recently adopted mathematics curriculum, Math Thematics (1999). This study investigates the use of the four-step approach to problem-solving and the strategies used in determining whether problems found in Math Thematics (1999) prepare students for taking the Washington Assessment for Student Learning Test. The results suggest that students are using problem-solving strategies and essentially using the four-step approach to problem-solving. This study provides definitions of the types of problems that use these specific problem-solving strategies, the four-step approach to problem-solving, the importance of communication and problem-solving in mathematics, and a description of the direction of mathematics today.