THE USE OF PROBLEM-POSING EXERCISES AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD AND AS AN EVALUATION TOOL

Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities

In the world of mathematics education, problem-posing is considered one of the most important goals. It is regarded as a critical intellectual activity that contributes to a balanced mathematics curriculum in school. Problem posing, closely linked to mathematics competency, is one of the reasons why students should be encouraged to work on their problems while learning math. Problem-posing is increasingly recognized as a pivotal goal in mathematics education, fostering active learning and enhancing students' mathematical competencies. Recent research underscores its significance in developing problem-solving skills and mathematical imagination. A study by Yao et al. (2023) highlighted that problem-posing tasks were more effective than computation or drawing in assessing in-service teachers' conceptual understanding of fraction division, suggesting its potential to diagnose and enhance mathematical understanding. The primary aim of this study is to cultivate students' imaginations during mathematics learning. Findings suggest that problem-posing activities have a positive impact on students' achievements and numeracy skills. A study by Wulandari (2021) demonstrated that students' creative thinking skills improved significantly through the problem-posing model, with a substantial increase in students exhibiting minimal creative categories after its implementation. Three different approaches to problem-posing were examined in this study: structured, semi-structured, and free. The free type, which offers greater freedom, was most frequently utilized and resulted in prompt and pertinent responses from the respondents. Students' responses to the semi-structured and structured methods, on the other hand, were more variable and slower due to their rigidity. The free approach is better for creativity and problem-solving skills. All things considered, the study demonstrates that using problems to assess students' understanding and as a teaching strategy can help them improve their mathematical skills. The findings advocate for the integration of problem-posing skills in mathematics instruction, particularly at the foundational levels, to facilitate conceptual understanding and promote a more engaging learning experience. The study found that problem-posing activities had a positive impact on students' achievements, particularly in the MPS and Numeracy Skill Levels. The study utilized three types of problem-posing: free, semi-structured, and structured. However, the researcher mostly used the free type as it provides the researcher with appropriate questions to address a problem that requires an immediate solution. On the other hand, the semi-structured and structured types, which are mostly ready-made, had a negative impact on students. They could not answer the questions immediately and attempted to provide different answers to the questions posed by the teacher. This study demonstrates the use of problem-posing as a method in teaching and as an assessment tool, applying problem-posing skills in mathematics to a certain level. Research on problem-posing reveals that others should consider incorporating this skill into mathematics instruction, particularly at lower levels, to enable learners to grasp the subject's concepts more easily. It also makes it possible for educational institutions to implement this skill to the next step in mathematics education.

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