Socially Open-ended Problem and Emergence of Values in Primary School Mathematics (1): Social Values and Problems Prompting those Values

Abstract

　　In this paper, the trend of problem solving is first analyzed. The research issue is identified that values, which are related to students’ sense making, are rarely taken up in problem solving activities. Therefore we take up the values aspect of problem solving, and especially focus on social values.

　　The results are followings.

　(1) Three types of values in mathematics education are identified based on reviewing the previous studies. The first values are directly related to the characteristics of mathematics and the second ones correspond with the societal events and values. The third ones are rather individual preference, but also under the influence of social values. And through this review, it is also found that there are only few researches which deal with student’s values in mathematics education.

　(2) It summarizes aspects and examples of students’ values emerging in problem solving activities. There are three aspects of individual, small group such as family, friends, class, and large group that is society at large.

　(3) In addition to the above summarization of values in (2), four types of socially open-ended problems, such as “distributing”, “making a rule”, “selecting”, “foreseeing” are identified to prompt students to come up with social and individual values.