The influence of context on performance and affective factors in solving word problems

Abstract

We present an exploratory study that addresses whether posing multiplicative and multistage word problems with close or distant contexts is related to better performance and/or some affective factors (interest, confidence, value, enjoyment, and boredom) in solving them by Spanish students in the last year of primary school. A mixed analysis enables categorizing performance and quantifying affective factors. The results show that students perform better and feel more confident solving close context problems, but they find distant context problems more interesting and important. These findings would help design problem sequences adapted to students’ learning progression and affective factors.

Word Problems; Interest; Arithmetic; Context; Primary education