Recognizing and Supporting Perseverance in Mathematical Problem-Solving via Conceptual Thinking Scaffolds

Abstract

Perseverance, or initiating and sustaining productive struggle in the face of obstacles, is integral for the learning of mathematics. Yet, the nature of such struggle is uncomfortable in the moment and often avoided for some students. This study aims to interrogate the phenomenon of learning through a lens of perseverance by investigating the effect of scaffolding mathematics tasks on students’ perseverance process during problem-solving. The findings illustrate that prompting students to conceptualize a mathematical situation prior to problem-solving can encourage re-initiating and re-sustaining mathematically productive effort upon reaching a perceived impasse, despite reported discomfort. These results suggest specific methods by which in-the-moment perseverance, and thus learning mathematics with understanding, can be supported.