Exploring the Role of Mathematical Problem Posing in Revealing Students’ Values: A Theoretical Discussion

抄録

This conceptual paper examines how mathematical problem posing (MPP) can serve as a lens to explore students’ value orientations in mathematics education. Drawing on the conceptualization of values as conative constructs—motivational forces integrating cognition, affect, and volition—the study argues that students’ values are not only explicitly expressed through self-report instruments but are also implicitly embedded in their decisions during problem posing. By reviewing literature on values in mathematics education and the openness of MPP, the paper proposes that MPP tasks, particularly those with difficulty constraints, elicit students’ value-laden judgments. These implicit values manifest in their choices regarding content, structure, and difficulty, providing insight into what students find meaningful, elegant, or challenging. The study presents a relational framework linking task design, student decisions, and evaluation, highlighting how well-designed MPP tasks can function as effective tools for observing implicit values. This framework offers a theoretical basis for future empirical investigations into the motivational dimensions of learning through MPP.