Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies

Karina Joyce Wilkie

doi:10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

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Karina Joyce Wilkie ¹ ^*

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¹ Monash University^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Background:
Learning to solve more challenging mathematics problems using multiple strategies has been promoted by research and is a feature of numerous curricula. Yet teachers have been found to be reluctant to incorporate these tasks into their lessons predicting resistance from students.

Material and methods:
This study examined 87 senior secondary students’ reactions to a challenging quadratics task as part of their teachers’ participation in a design-based research project. It sought insights into students’ own perspectives on challenge and multiple strategies in mathematics teaching and learning, with the intent of understanding more about the cognitive, affective, and motivational aspects of this teaching approach.

Results:
In responding to open-ended prompts, the students reported diverse but generally positive reactions related to their interest in the task and its relevance for their learning. Two thirds reported that they liked learning strategies from peers, and two thirds liked learning multiple strategies from their teacher.

Conclusions:
Implications for considering secondary students’ preferences for learning, engagement, and motivation in mathematics lessons are discussed.

Keywords

challenging mathematics tasks
multiple solutions
achievement goals
engagement
motivation
quadratic functions

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2016, Volume 12, Issue 8, 2061-2083

https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

Publication date: 02 Jul 2016

Article Views: 2259

Article Downloads: 1229

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How to cite this article

APA

Wilkie, K. J. (2016). Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 12(8), 2061-2083. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

Vancouver

Wilkie KJ. Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2016;12(8):2061-83. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

AMA

Wilkie KJ. Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2016;12(8), 2061-2083. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

Chicago

Wilkie, Karina Joyce. "Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2016 12 no. 8 (2016): 2061-2083. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

Harvard

Wilkie, K. J. (2016). Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 12(8), pp. 2061-2083. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a

MLA

Wilkie, Karina Joyce "Rise or Resist: Exploring Senior Secondary Students’ Reactions to Challenging Mathematics Tasks Incorporating Multiple Strategies". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 12, no. 8, 2016, pp. 2061-2083. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1260a