A comparative study of teaching problem-solving in mathematics secondary schools in Malaysia and South Korea

Abstract

Mathematics problem-solving is an important skill that students must master in mathematics learning. Without these skills, students find it difficult to solve real-life problems. In this regard, researchers have been interested in the efficacy of problem-solving lessons because problem-solving is a major focus in mathematics education. International assessments such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) that test students' problem-solving skills lead to benchmarking studies of problem-solving aspects with countries that have achieved outstanding results. This is a comparative study between Malaysia and South Korea on teaching mathematics problem-solving in secondary schools. A total of 51 South Korean mathematics teachers and 71 Malaysian mathematics teachers were involved in the study. These respondents participated in a survey, and three mathematics teachers from each country were interviewed to gain deeper insights into their teaching of mathematics problem-solving. Questionnaire and interview protocols were used as instruments in this study. The findings show many similarities in the teaching approaches for both countries. Malaysian and South Korean teachers use open-ended and students' daily life problems when teaching problem-solving skills in mathematics classes. Although the teachers use mathematics problems in textbooks or reference books, the level of difficulty in mathematics problems in South Korea is higher than in Malaysia. On top of that, the South Korean Ministry of Education has been focusing on problem-solving in mathematics much longer than the Malaysian curriculum, which began it the 6th curriculum.