Teachers’ exploration using graphic organizer for problem solving in primary mathematics

Abstract

This study is an exploratory study of primary school teachers conducting in utilizing Graphic Organizer as a tool to teach problem solving in a professional development setting. The importance of problem solving among children has been highlighted in the Brunei educational reform, particularly in mathematics. One of the inhibiting factors in teaching problem solving is the low level of comprehension and transformation skills needed to solve mathematics word problems. Graphic Organizer is an instructional strategy used to help students to compartmentalize the necessary information to solve word problems. A group of mathematics teachers was introduced to embedding Graphic Organizer as a tool to address issues in problem solving in a professional development workshop. They implemented the strategy in their respective classes and found ways to apply and assess students’ problem-solving strategies. Their reflections on the challenges and affordances Graphic Organizer posed in teaching problem solving are also discussed.