Teach Ourselves: Technology to Support Problem Posing in the STEM Classroom

The theory of problem posing in mathematics education suggests that there are motivational and cognitive benefits for students from creating their own problems, yet such activities are not typically integrated into the traditional classroom. A field study was conducted to learn if middle school students (N = 224) could successfully create math and science problems using a web-based content-authoring and sharing system, and if the activity could be successfully integrated into classroom instruction. Over the twelve-week activity, students created their own math and science problems, and solved problems authored by their peers. Results showed that students were able to create problems successfully, but that problem solving dominated problem posing activities. The process of reviewing and approving students’ work was also challenging for teachers. Both students and teachers reported strongly positive responses to the activity.