El uso de la información situacional en la resolución de problemas aritméticos

Abstract

The paper presents two studies that analysed whether participants' performance and memory for texts improved when situational information was introduced in arithmetic word problem formulation. To that end, discourse comprehension models served as frame of reference to define situational information. In Study 1, participants' problem solving performance was better when situational information was introduced than when a standard format was used. In Study 2, when problems with relevant situational information with the mathematic schema of the problem were introduced, participants' performance was not only better, they also remembered more information and this was better organised than when irrelevant situational information was included. However, participant's arithmetic competence mediated these results. Taken together, these results support the notion that construction of situation model is an important component for word problem solving. © 2011 Fundación Infancia y Aprendizaje.