Task Types
There are many many different ways of formulating and presenting a task. If tasks are always of the same type, learners may get bored; if they are always of different types, the variety may be overwhelming.
This is a catalogue (which it is to be hoped will be frequently updated) of different types of tasks people have used.
Main Section
Task Types
- Sorting: e.g. cards with exercises, problems, shapes, or (re)presentations of mathematical objects
- Ordering objects such as numbers, shapes, exercises, problems, etc. according to some pertinent principle
- Connecting pairs or triples of objects that are closely related in some way (similar to sorting)
- Say What You See: picking out details and seeking relationships in complicated diagrams, symbolic expressions etc.
- Constructing objects subject to specified constraints [learners constructing objects]
- Same & Different: looking for what is the same and what is different in several objects.
- Odd One Out: looking for features shared by two but not the third in triples of objects. [two from three]
Probes & Prompts
For any particular task type, when might it be most productive, and when least productive?
Taking Action
Select a task type and explore with colleagues and with learners the positive and negative features of that type.
Case Studies
Research Sources
Sierpinska, A. (2004). Research in mathematics education through a keyhole: task problematization, For the Learning of Mathematics, 24 (2), 7-15.
See Also
Categories
Constructs