Preparing Students to Succeed in Mathematical Problem-Solving
@mrlakemaths
adam.lake@cognita.com
Adam Lake
Staff Survey
How can I make problem-solving accessible for all?
When should I teach problem-solving?
What makes an "outstanding" problem-solving lesson?
How can I support children who struggle?
What I used to think...
“Learners can engage in problem-solving activities for extended periods and learn almost nothing”
(Sweller et al, 1982 cited in Barton, 2019)
Limited Working Memory
(Barton, 2018;Sweller, 1988)
Limited Working Memory
(Barton, 2018;Sweller, 1988)
Journey from Novice to Expert
Novice
Expert
(Metcalfe, 2021)
1.
2.
3.
Solving a problem...
Understand the problem
Identify a strategy
Carry out the strategy
(Barton, 2019)
Solving a problem...
1.
2.
3.
My Take aways...
Children struggle to see the deep structure of problems without strong domain specific knowledge.
There’s no magical problem-solving skill. Children who have 'expert domain specific knowledge' will perform more optimally when faced with a problem. - Craig Barton (2019)
Giving a problem to a novice learner can cause cognitive overload and increase maths anxiety.
3.
Problem-solving lessons are purposeful and used to deepen understanding of content previous taught
3.
Problem-solving lessons are purposefully mapped into the smaller steps to ensure domain specific knowledge is secured first
Thank you!
@mrlakemaths
adam.lake@cognita.com