MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING, MODELING AND APPLICATION

• Main Author: Jasmina KARIKJ
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation 2005-06-01
• Series: Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation
• Online Access: http://jser.fzf.ukim.edu.mk/pdf/1-22005/053-060-Karikj%20Jasmina-pogledi-mislenja-dilemi.pdf
• ISSN: 1409-6099; 1857-663X

The ability to solve problems is at the hart of mathematics. Mathematics is only ‘useful’ to the extent to which it can be applied to a particular situation and it is the ability to apply mathematics to a variety of situations to which we give the name “problem solving”.(Cockcroft1982)Teaching mathematics is one of the more important tasks of education and upbringing of children with and without special needs. Teaching and learning mathematics is the base for solving and applying mathematical problems.Mathematics classroom should emphasize the exchange of ideas, between two or more persons [teacher and pupil, pupil and pupil, pupil and textbook author (in absentia)] and the use of mutual control mechanisms which can provide opportunities for verification and demonstration. Teaching and learning mathematics are complex processes which teachers and pupils assume to have a direct relationship, one to the other. Each pupil is an individual with his/her own unique personality. Pupils acquire knowledge, skills, and attitudes at different times, at different rates and in different ways, mainly because their levels of readiness and ways of responding are different. All the children in the classroom need to use their different experiences in constructing their ideas.