Heuristic strategies training with the use of cooperative computer-assisted instruction in mathematical problem solving

Abstract

The present study investigates the effects of Cooperative Computer-Assisted Instruction (CCAI) in mathematical problem solving. The main questions are (1) can heuristic strategies training via CCAI make a difference in mathematical problem solving performance and (2) to what extend the students benefit from a heuristic strategy via CCAI. The research contains an experimental study in mathematical problem solving. The participants are 29 college students that learned heuristic strategies with the use of produced computer software via cooperative computer-assisted instruction. The study revealed that when technology is used appropriately in college mathematics, it can have positive effects on students' attitudes toward mathematics learning and create a more constructivist-based learning environment. The results indicate that the explicit mention of the heuristic strategies served to bring those skills to the students' attention and to help them codify and recognize their existing knowledge in such a way that those skills could now be accessed and used more readily. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.