Options
An analysis of Singapore secondary students’ performance on one authentic open-ended mathematics task
Citation
Paper presented at the ICMI Regional Conference: The 3rd East Asia Regional Conference on Mathematics Education, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, China, 2005
Author
Zhu, Yan
•
Tan-Foo, Kum Fong
Abstract
Authenticity and open-endedness are two important factors that are being greatly emphasized in
mathematics teaching and learning nowadays. This study investigates how Secondary one student in
Singapore solved an open ended mathematics problem, River Cruise, set in an authentic context. Over
three hundred secondary one students from a high-performing school and a non-high performing
school participated in this study. The results reveal that the majority of the students only take into
account one condition in coming up with their solution, when it involves more than one possible
condition. Working within the framework of that assumed condition, most students merely present one
correct answer, when there exist multiple correct answers. The majority of the students do not adopt a
systematic approach in solving the problem and the solutions presented are not well organized.
However, it has been observed that students enjoyed working on the problem. The results suggest that
students need greater exposure to authentic and open-ended tasks in mathematics learning. The
exposure will not only help them to develop their problem solving ability and foster their
mathematical thinking but also encourage them to make connections between mathematics and the
world around us.
Date Issued
August 2005
Project
CRP 24/03 FLH