How do teachers adopt autonomous problem solving as a classroom practice?

Abstract

Autonomous student problem solving is still rare in mathematics classes, and its incorporation in lessons requires profound knowledge and readiness of the teacher. In this paper we present a study conducted in the context of a professional development course aimed to enhance 12 teachers’ readiness to create opportunities for students’ autonomous problem solving. We characterize processes that the teacher-participants went through and report the extent to which the course achieved its goals. Based on qualitative and quantitative data, we offer a conceptual framework for characterizing the adoption processes and argue for the feasibility of the desirable change in the teacher readiness to adopt problem-solving instruction.