Many math teachers use word problems to help students transfer mathematical concepts and procedures to real-world contexts. Do you think word problems are an effective way of doing that? Why or why not?
What will be an ideal response?
Word problems are one step in the right direction, in that they relate mathematical concepts and procedures to situations that resemble real-life events. However, word problems have at least two limitations:
• They are usually well-defined problems that present all the information that students need to solve them—nothing more, nothing less. In contrast, real-life problems are often ill-defined; for instance, people must actively seek out all the necessary information, and they must discriminate between relevant and irrelevant data.
• Notice how Ms. Fieseler "assigns word problems related to whatever topics are currently under discussion.". Many students learn to apply the mathematical procedures they have most recently learned when they solve word problems—a strategy that is often quite effective within the context of a math class. But as a result, the students do not learn to discriminate among different kinds of problems and the procedures that each one requires.
You might also like to view...
A student has a score of 80 on a class test with a score reliability of .84 and a standard deviation of 10. What is the band within which the student’s true score is likely to fall? (Use the .95 confidence level)
a. 70 and 90 c. 75 and 85 b. 72 and 88 d. 76 and 84
Which example is most analogous to the goal of structuralism? a. Scientists study an entire assembled jigsaw puzzle in order to understand each of the pieces
b. Scientists look at how the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle fit together in order to understand the assembling process. c. Scientists look at each piece of a jigsaw puzzle in order to understand the whole puzzle as assembled. d. Scientists study the different ways a jigsaw puzzle can be assembled to form different images.
Which of the following is an example of bullying?
A) Miley gets angry and scolds Jack for constantly bothering her for a coffee date. B) Suzanne complains to her teacher about her classmates who were cheating during examinations.? C) Sunny verbally abuses and forces his juniors to buy him lunch every day.? D) Martha shouts at Nick after he accidentally pours water on her painting.
In which interdisciplinary lesson would you expect students to benefit in the use of textbooks?
A. history B. mathematics C. reading D. technology