Page 152 - Učilnica za življenje

Darjo Felda, Mara Cotič and Daniel Doz

dents acquire higher-quality knowledge when they are actively involved in
the learning process. This includes regular discussions with teachers and
peers about their findings and concerns, and being open to different per-
spectives or justifications. Integrating new mathematical knowledge into
students’ cognitive frameworks enhances their level of mathematical lit-
eracy. It is natural for the applicability of mathematical knowledge to be
evident in real-world situations. Thus, it is beneficial for students to experi-
ence realistic problem-solving scenarios while learning mathematics, as this
helps them connect new knowledge with prior learning, considering infor-
mal knowledge and experiences.
In this teaching model, the authors introduced ‘project sessions’ where
students faced problem situations and solved various real-world problems,
extracting necessary data themselves or concluding that certain problems
could not be solved due to insufficient data (Felda, 2011; Cotič & Felda, 2011).
For effective mathematics teaching, it is essential to ensure that students ac-
quire and retain practical mathematical knowledge, thereby continuously
raising their level of mathematical literacy. This does not mean simplifying
mathematics to a form of ‘handicraft;’ a well-educated individual should be
able to effectively use their knowledge in school, work, and everyday life.
Modern assessments focus on how well an individual can apply knowledge,
logically connect it to practical use, and critically evaluate their solutions.
During schooling, students encounter multiple subjects, often treated as
isolated worlds. It is illogical to claim that mathematics is omnipresent while
teaching it solely in math classes. The above-mentioned teaching model
emphasizes interdisciplinary connections, also with sustainability, enabling
students to experience problem situations that integrate knowledge from
different subjects, thus giving meaning to both mathematical and other
subject knowledge while linking it to their experiences. Isolated knowledge
segments from individual subjects are practically unusable, especially when
learned just to be recited to a teacher. Hence, achieving the goals of im-
plementing sustainability in regular classes requires proper interdisciplinary
connections based on content relationships or planned student activities
that foster lifelong learning skills.
A problem-based approach, where students encounter concepts in prob-
lem situations or directly through problem-solving, is preferable to a purely
mathematical one. It is important that problem situations are tailored to the
student, allowing them to use prior knowledge and experiences when learn-
ing new concepts and strategies. This approach acknowledges mathematics
as an important tool for solving everyday problems and understanding it as a

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