Development Of Advanced Mathematical Reasoning Tasks

The PISA 2021 mathematics framework focuses on how students formulate and apply mathematics knowledge and thinking to solve problems in real-world contexts. The higher levels (5-6) of PISA require students to confront complex situations by identifying and selecting the most effective mathematical models, using advanced computational thinking, running simulations and evaluating their solutions in comparative and critical manners.

Such skills are rarely taught in the Israeli mathematics curriculum for middle schools. The curriculum is currently concentrating on procedural fluency and strengthening the mathematical knowledge and technique. Therefore, the only option to incorporate such advanced skills is in excellence classes, which are offered to the highest performing students. These classes are provided with additional teaching hours that allow for enrichment and deepening of mathematical thinking. However, there are almost no appropriate learning materials available.

Therefore, we approached Michal Yerushalmy and Shai Olsher from the department of Mathematics Education at the University of Haifa. With support of grants from the Trump Foundation, several years ago they developed a computerized platform that offers hundreds of diagnostic assignments for high school mathematics teachers and students. The program received international recognition and is funded by research grants from NSF and ISF. Based on their previous success, we asked them to develop learning materials for middle schools, aligned with the advanced 5-6 levels of PISA.

The proposed program aims to develop 250 computerized assignments (100 for 8^th grade and 150 for 9^th grade) which will be presented, both in Hebrew and Arabic, through an incremental learning process, starting at levels 3-4 up to levels 5-6. Each assignment will utilize computer-based applets and simulations, enabling students to translate real-world problems into a mathematical model and to change the variable values to make predictions. The development of the assignments will be executed by experts and with the participation of twenty teachers that will pilot test the assignments in their classrooms and provide feedback.

These teachers will form a learning community to prepare them to guide additional teachers in implementing the assignments in their classrooms. It is planned that at least 80 additional teachers will implement the assignments in their excellence classes.

* The text presented above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation Board / Grant 355