Abstract:

Problem solving is an important tool in mathematics. It can be used to practise, consolidate or check knowledge of a topic. In today's school mathematics education, closed tasks are predominantly used. A task is closed when the initial state, solution method and target state are clearly defined. In education, linear thinking is usually expected, where we work with predefined data using a particular solution algorithm and arrive at a specific result. There is little or no mention of open tasks in curricula, textbooks and lessons. International surveys often show that students' knowledge is not practical enough. Open-ended tasks can help to link real life and mathematics, and develop the competences of reasoning, modelling and problem solving - which are crucial in the 21st century. They give students the opportunity to be more active, creative and independent. In this article, we discuss the first results of a research study on the types of tasks preferred by prospective primary school teachers. It also addresses the question of how "popular" open tasks are among prospective primary school teachers compared to traditional closed tasks.

Keywords:

Open task, task selection, teacher training, educational research.