The Performance of Project Teams Selected Based on Student Personality Types: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The use of heuristic methods in teaching is not possible without the cooperation of all or part of the students’ academic group. That is, the teacher who made the decision to apply the heuristic method de facto solves the issues of organizing project method in teaching. There are a large number of indications on the relationship between the effectiveness of the use of heuristic methods, taking into account the personality differences of students. As well as the importance of taking into account the personality differences in the project method. However, there is a lack of information about experimental studies in which three components: the project method, the heuristic method and the Myers Briggs personality types methodology, would be considered simultaneously. This prompted us to conduct this study. As part of the project method, a tournament among students of prospective mathematics teachers was held during 2014-2020. Teams of three types to participate in the competition were formed. There was a team whose members were not previously trained. The team whose members studied the heuristic method – “Creativity enhancement method”. And also a team whose members, along with the study of the heuristic method, were selected in a special way. Students included in this group had personality types most suitable for performing heuristic techniques, which are components of the heuristic method. The task of the tournament was to compile a set of educational problems in geometry that can be used in the school curriculum. The problems developed by the team were evaluated by the panel. Members of other teams acted as opponents and reviewers. Using the heuristic method allowed teams to prepare more problems and systematize them. The best results in the use of the heuristic method showed the team, the composition of which was selected in a special way. The survey conducted according to the results of the tournament showed an increase in students’ interest both in the studied discipline and in the project method, as well as a willingness to use the project method in their future work.