Problem Solving: Some Thoughts and Activities
Twila Slesnick · The Arithmetic Teacher · 1984
Since the beginning of our system of formal education, the major focus of the mathematics curriculum has been on computation, not on problem solving. Technology, however, has progressed to the point that computation alone is not a salable skill. Machines can handle computation easily and efficiently, but problem solving is still a capability of the human mind. The recent National Assessment of Educational Progress confirms that, in general, although the public can compute, its problem-solving skills are poor.