Joao F. Matos – författare

This book discusses the implications of new informationtechnologies and cognitive psychology for mathematicalproblem solving research and practice. Based on a NATOAdvanced Research Workshop held in Portugal in 1991, itoffers both empirical research and theoretical papers. The book includes a thorough discussion on the nature andpurpose of problem solving as a mathematical activity,providing a view of the importance of complementaryactivities such as investigations, conjecturing and problemposing. It focuses on cognitive processes, instruction,classroom processes, and the teacher's role, and containsnew assessment and teacher education proposals. At a time of important reform movements, when emphasis isput on the role of new information technologies, the bookprovides an up-to-date view of the developmental work beingdone on computerized learning environments in the disciplineof mathematics, as well as on the efforts to introduce themin educational practice.

A strong and fluent competency in mathematics is a necessary condition for scientific, technological and economic progress. However, it is widely recognized that problem solving, reasoning, and thinking processes are critical areas in which students'' performance lags far behind what should be expected and desired. Mathematics is indeed an important subject, but is also important to be able to use it in extra-mathematical contexts. Thinking strictly in terms of mathematics or thinking in terms of its relations with the real world involve quite different processes and issues. This book includes the revised papers presented at the NATO ARW "Information Technology and Mathematical Problem Solving Research", held in April 1991, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, which focused on the implications of computerized learning environments and cognitive psychology research for these mathematical activities. In recent years, several committees, professional associations, and distinguished individuals throughout the world have put forward proposals to renew mathematics curricula, all emphasizing the importance of problem solving. In order to be successful, these reforming intentions require a theory-driven research base. But mathematics problem solving may be considered a "chaotic field" in which progress has been quite slow.