Positioning and Emotions in Tackling Algebra Problems with Technology: The Case of High- and Middle-Achieving Students

Abstract

Interest in affect in mathematical problem-solving is growing using different theoretical frameworks. This chapter utilizes a discursive framework to study students’ emotions in learning to tackle mathematical problems with technology. High- and middle-achieving groups of students worked with technology to tackle problems involving the quadratic function as a product of two linear functions. Doing so, they had similarities as well as differences regarding their positioning and related emotions. These similarities and differences were related to the different aspects of problem-solving expressed in the learning processes performed by the two types of groups in order to achieve their learning goal. Members in the two types of groups claimed the collaborator positioning in order to tackle the mathematical problems using behavioural, social and cognitive processes. Leaders in the high-achieving, as well as in the middle-achieving groups, claimed their positioning through carrying out processes related to the different aspects of problem-solving, mainly the cognitive, metacognitive, meta-emotional, social and linguistic aspects. Moreover, knowledge, being possessed by all the members of the high-achieving groups, resulted in the changing of leaders in these groups. At the same time, knowledge, not being possessed by all the middle-achieving group’s members, resulted in the fixation of leaders in those groups. Furthermore, the members of the middle-achieving groups, due to the lack of appropriate previous knowledge, encountered more difficulties in claiming the positions of leaders and collaborators during the solution process of the mathematical problems than the high-achieving groups. This led to their experiencing more negative emotions than the high-achieving groups.