Realistic mathematical problems: What happens when mathematical operations are considered?

Description

In the present experiment, learners (N = 165) were asked to solve a reality-based mathematics task. Prior to their response, they were asked which mathematical operations to apply (factor 1: "mathematical operations": with vs. without), and/or were asked to reflect on the content of the task (factor 2: "realistic reflections": with vs. without). It was hypothesized that reality-based reasoning would lead to reality-based problem-solving strategies, whereas attending to mathematical operations would lead to non-reality-based school-based problem-solving strategies. Results showed that reality-based reasoning did not significantly affect realistic solutions (F(1, 161) = 2.43, p = .121, η² = .015), whereas attending to mathematical operations significantly affected realistic solutions (F(1, 161) = 8.54, p = .004, η² = .050). These results suggest that school-based problem-solving strategies may interfere with realistic solutions.

Period	20 Sept 2023
Event title	Conference on Educational Psychology (PAEPS)
Event type	Conference
Location	GermanyShow on map