From text comprehension to problem solving: an experience in upper secondary school

Abstract

Problem solving is an activity that causes difficulties for many students, regardless of school order, often related to the phase of understanding the text of the problem itself. In this regard, we have designed a learning activity that requires students, first individually and then collaboratively, to first critically analyse the text of some assigned problems and then approach the resolution. We experimented with this activity with first-year students at upper secondary school. Analysis of the data shows that the designed teaching activity seems to be effective in encouraging the activation of appropriate solving processes by the students, as well as the production of arguments in support of the answers provided. In particular, most students, after working on text comprehension, improve the correctness of their answers and/or produce arguments to support them.