Problem Solving Strategies among Primary School Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to examine problem solving strategies among primary school teachers. The researchers employed survey research design to examine their problem solving strategies. The participants of this study consisted of 120 primary school teachers from a public university in Peninsula Malaysia who enrolled in a 4-year Graduating Teachers Program (Program Pensiswazahan Guru) majored in mathematics. Purposive sampling technique was used to select these participants. This article presents the analysis of the responses of the participants related to a particular problem, namely fencing problem. Result of the study suggests that 79.2% of the participants have successfully solved the fencing problem. They employed various problem solving strategies: (i) trial-and-error (also known as guess-and-check), (ii) using algebra, (iii) making tables, charts or systematic list, (iv) drawing diagrams, (v) identifying pattern, and (vi) logical reasoning. Result of the study also suggests that 85% of the participants used same strategy to check their solutions for the fencing problem without being probed. The implications of the results were also discussed.

Keywords: problem solving strategies, primary school teachers, survey research design.