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Mathematical problem posing as a measure of curricular effect on students' learning

Abstract

In this study, we used problem posing as a measure of the effect of middle-school curriculum on students' learning in high school. Students who had used a standards-based curriculum in middle school performed equally well or better in high school than students who had used more traditional curricula. The findings from this study not only show evidence of strengths one might expect of students who used the standards-based reform curriculum but also bolster the feasibility and validity of problem posing as a measure of curriculum effect on student learning. In addition, the findings of this study demonstrate the usefulness of employing a qualitative rubric to assess different characteristics of students' responses to the posing tasks. Instructional and methodological implications of this study, as well as future directions for research, are discussed.

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Fig. 1

Notes

  1. In US currency, nickels and pennies are coins worth 5¢ and 1¢, respectively.

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Correspondence to Jinfa Cai.

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The research reported here is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (ESI-0454739 and DRL-1008536). Any opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Cai, J., Moyer, J.C., Wang, N. et al. Mathematical problem posing as a measure of curricular effect on students' learning. Educ Stud Math 83, 57–69 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-012-9429-3

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