Abstract:

Problem posing has a special importance in the study of mathematics; it is of a central importance in the discipline of mathematics and in the nature of mathematical thinking. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has recently called for an increased emphasis on problem-posing activities in the classroom saying "students should be given opportunities to formulate problems from given situations and create new problems by modifying the conditions of a given problem"(NCTM, 1991, p. 95). “Students must learn mathematics with understanding, actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge” (NCTM, 2000, p. 16) “Teachers' actions are what encourage students to think, question, solve problems, and discuss their ideas, strategies, and solutions. The teacher is responsible for creating an intellectual environment where serious mathematical thinking is the norm.” (NCTM, 2000, p. 18). However, the more students invest in their own learning process, the more they will learn.

In this paper I will discuss the definition of posing problem and its relation to problem solving; highlight the advantage of problem posing activities in teaching and learning mathematics; and discuss some important results of some of the studies in problem posing and suggest some recommendations for future research .

Keywords:

Problem posing.