One argument for the use of contexts in mathematics instruction has been that contexts can serve as anchors that support students in understanding and recalling mathematical ideas. Evidence of this anchoring role occurring in standard classroom settings, however, is lacking. This case study of a single high school classroom using a contextual…

This paper outlines some preliminary findings from a one-year problem-based learning (PBL) intervention in a Taiwanese elementary mathematics classroom. PBL stands within the philosophy of social constructivism, which emphasises that learning is a social process, not a product. In general, it involves three main characteristics. The first is that…