Rich tasks: a tool for enhancing mathematical reasoning and logical thinking in high school students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran

10.48310/rme.2025.18048.1104

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The topic of homework is one of the issues that has been raised in teaching students to reason and learn mathematics. Math-rich homework is a valuable tool in the learning and teaching process, which, when designed in a principled and purposeful manner, can help reduce students' learning challenges. This homework can guide students in and out of the classroom to practice mathematical reasoning and logical thinking and improve their problem-solving abilities.
Methods: This study employed semi-structured interviews with 17 mathematics education professors, educational psychologists, and experienced mathematics teachers to identify the characteristics of rich mathematical reasoning assignments from their perspectives. Then, line-by-line content analysis and open coding were conducted on the data obtained from these interviews, and six basic categories were obtained in the field of characteristics of rich mathematical reasoning assignments.
Findings: The six categories derived from the interviews, "method of execution, form or format, quality, design, mathematical nature, and non-mathematical nature," are not simply theoretical categories. Each of them has subcategories that can be considered theoretical guides for designing rich mathematical reasoning tasks.
Conclusion: Math homework is a valuable tool in the learning and teaching process that, if designed in a principled and purposeful manner, can reduce students' learning problems. In this study, six categories for designing math-reasoning-rich homework were obtained from the perspective of educational experts to guide teachers in this field for students.

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