Abstract:
If curricular reform is about focusing on the achievement of students' learning outcomes through the promotion of student autonomy in their own learning and development of their own mathematical ideas and ways of knowing and learning about mathematics, why is it then that, in the classroom, when students are provided with the opportunity to be innovative and creative in their own approaches, these are not often readily accepted or welcomed? This paper examines critical issues emerging from a study conducted, over two school terms with groups of Years 7 and 10 students from 3 Australian regional schools, to investigate the impact of using some innovative meta-cognitive strategies on students' problem solving skills and attitudes towards mathematics. Qualitative data collected from some Year 7 and Year 10 students enabled a tentative comparison of emerging trends across the two year groups based on their responses to selected questionnaire items, reflective prompts and vee diagrams of mathematical problems. Findings have implications for ways in which innovative ideas in mathematics may be presented to students to ensure a more positive and seamless incorporation into their regular learning in mathematics classrooms at primary and secondary levels.
Key Phrase: Mathematics Education and Numeracy
Key Phrase: Mathematics Education and Numeracy