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Enhancing creativity and problem solving skills through creative problem solving in teaching mathematics

    Madihah Khalid   Affiliation
    ; Supiah Saad Affiliation
    ; Siti Rafiah Abdul Hamid   Affiliation
    ; Muhammad Ridhuan Abdullah   Affiliation
    ; Hasniza Ibrahim   Affiliation
    ; Masitah Shahrill   Affiliation

Abstract

In recent years, calls to nurture and teach creativity from an early age in schools has intensified. Creativity is something regular in the teaching of arts subjects but is not a common feature in teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects. However, what really matters, is how the subject is being taught. This research aimed to foster creativity through the teaching of mathematics via problem solving that challenges the solving of problems in a creative manner, which is defined as creative problem solving. This quasi-experimental study investigates changes in students learning of mathematics via creative problem solving. Altogether, 172 Form 1 students forming treatment and comparison groups from four schools in Gombak District area, Malaysia were involved. A mixed qualitative and quantitative data were collected to investigate the effect of the 3 cycles of creative problem solving lessons implemented. Instruments used were Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, a mathematics problem solving test and creativity checklist. This paper will only present the quantitative data obtained. Results show statistically significant increases in scores for most categories of creativity and problem solving tests. This research brought together teachers and researchers in trialling creative problem solving to teach mathematics, to achieve the enhancement of students’ creative thinking and problem solving skills. This coincided with the introduction of Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah with new emphasis to strengthen the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in general, where higher-order thinking reforms are emphasized.

Article in English.


Kūrybiškumo stiprinimas ir problemų sprendimo gebėjimai, kūrybiškai sprendžiant matematikos mokymo problemas

Santrauka

Pastaraisiais metais suaktyvėjo raginimai ugdyti kūrybiškumą ir jo mokyti nuo pat mažumės. Kūrybiškumas yra įprastas mokant meninių dalykų, tačiau nėra pastebimas bruožas mokant mokslinių, technologinių, inžinerinių ir matematinių disciplinų. Tačiau iš tiesų svarbu tai, kaip mokoma tam tikro dalyko. Šio tyrimo tikslas – skatinti kūrybiškumą matematikos mokymo pavyzdžiu, kai kūrybiškai sprendžiamos problemos, ir tai atitinkamai apibrėžiama. Šiame kvazieksperimentiniame tyrime nagrinėjami pokyčiai, susiję su tuo, kaip moksleiviai mokosi matematikos, kūrybiškai spręsdami problemas. Iš viso tyrime dalyvavo 172 pirmosios formos moksleiviai, priklausantys stebėjimo ir lyginimo grupėms iš keturių mokyklų, esančių Gombako rajono teritorijoje (Malaizija). Buvo surinkti mišrūs kokybiniai ir kiekybiniai duomenys, siekiant ištirti realizuotus tris ciklus pamokų, skirtų kūrybiniams problemų sprendimams. Buvo naudojamasi šiomis priemonėmis: Torrance’o kūrybinio mąstymo testu, matematinių problemų sprendimo testu ir kūrybiškumo rezultatų vertinimo kontroliniu sąrašu. Straipsnyje pristatomi tik kiekybiniai duomenys. Rezultatai atskleidžia statistiškai reikšmingą padidėjimą vertinant kūrybiškumą daugelyje kategorijų ir pasitelkiant problemų sprendimo testus. Šiame tyrime dalyvavo mokytojai ir tyrėjai, atlikti kūrybinio problemų sprendimo bandymai mokant matematikos ir stengiantis ugdyti moksleivių kūrybinį mąstymą bei problemų sprendimo gebėjimus. Tai atitinka Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah įvadinę dalį, iš naujo pabrėžiant mokslinį, technologinį, inžinerinį ir matematinį ugdymą apskritai, šiose srityse akcentuojant aukštesnio lygio pertvarkytą mąstyseną.

Reikšminiai žodžiai: kūrybiškumo testas, kūrybiškumas matematikoje, gebėjimo spręsti problemas ugdymas, matematikos mokymasis sprendžiant problemas, pamokos tyrimas, Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah naujas planas.

Keyword : creativity test, creativity in mathematics, enhancing problem solving ability, learning mathematics via problem solving, lesson study, new Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah syllabus

How to Cite
Khalid, M., Saad, S., Abdul Hamid, S. R., Ridhuan Abdullah, M. ., Ibrahim, H., & Shahrill, M. (2020). Enhancing creativity and problem solving skills through creative problem solving in teaching mathematics. Creativity Studies, 13(2), 270-291. https://doi.org/10.3846/cs.2020.11027
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May 4, 2020
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