MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING IN JUGYOKENKYU THROUGH THE VOICES OF JAPANESE AUTHORS

Abstract

This bibliographical article critically discusses the perspectives of Japanese authors on mathematical problem-solving within the framework of Jugyokenkyu - the Japanese educational modus vivendi for teacher professional development. Drawing on Japanese primary sources, the study highlights that problem-solving is not an ancillary technique, but rather the epistemological and didactic principle that structures and gives meaning to the entire Jugyokenkyu cycle. The articulated discussion demonstrates that selecting a single, “rich” problem, followed by the stages of kikan-jyunshi, neriage, and matome, is fundamental to fostering autonomous mathematical thinking and the collaborative construction of knowledge. We conclude that Japanese students’ learning is intrinsically linked to their centrality in problem-solving, warning of the risk of its depletion when Jugyokenkyu is uncritically transposed to other cultural contexts.