Identifying difficulties in problem solving: Contributions of a pedagogical tool for educators

Abstract

Numerous education specialists contend that problem-solving constitutes a fundamental mathematical competence that should be cultivated by students from elementary through higher education. The efficacy of problem-solving instruction is influenced, among other factors, by educators’ capacity to critically examine the errors that occur throughout problem-solving processes. Within the context of a training course with educational psychologists and teachers, a pedagogical tool was conceived and implemented to facilitate the identification of students' difficulties in problem-solving. The study sample comprised educators in training, and a qualitative research methodology was employed. The findings underscore several potentialities. According to these educators, the tool enables more targeted interventions, aiding in the determination of whether difficulties stem from deficiencies in language comprehension, an inability to execute calculations, insufficient conceptual understanding, or impediments in decoding mathematical language. Although, applying the model to an entire class was considered challenging, the benefit of focusing on students with greater difficulties was highlighted.