Proof is in the pudding!!

More Proof

There is no disputing the fact that mathematics education has been under scrutiny for the last number of years. Changes in curriculum and the fact that universities, such as Memorial University of Newfoundland, are having to offer students foundation math courses so students can succeed in university math suggests there are problems. TIMMS, which is a world wide study in mathematics and science achievement, has ranked Canada almost near the bottom of the list in terms of the world. (see http://timss.bc.edu/PDF/t03_download/T03_M_Chap1.pdf). So, why all this negativity around math? More, importantly, what can we do to improve student achievement, and understanding? Van de Walle and Lovin (2006) suggests that the single most important principle for improving the teaching of mathematics is to allow the subject of mathematics to be problematic for students. Van de Walle and Lovin (2006) is adamant that teaching math through problem solving is the best way to improve student learning as he states “ most, if not all, important mathematics concepts and procedures can best be taught through problem solving” (p.11).

There have also been studies completed in the past number of years looking at what makes mathematics instruction successful, or what types of mathematics classrooms foster true mathematical understanding and learning. One such study was completed by Jo Boaler. Boaler conducted a longitudinal study that involved studying two different schools for three years in the U.K, looking at how different teaching approaches employed in each school, namely the traditional approach and the reform approach, affected student learning and understanding of mathematics. Boaler (2002) notes that although students entered these two schools with similar mathematical achievement, at the end of the three years the students who were taught through a problem based approach, the reform approach, scored significantly higher on various assessments. This is an indication that students who were taught math through the reform approach, obtained a higher level of achievement and understanding in mathematical content than the students who were taught in the more traditional approach. This study proves that there is evidence beyond theory that teaching through problem solving is effective.