**2.4 Theoretical framework**

This study is based on the theory of constructivism. Constructivists contend that learning is a process of constructing meaning from personal experiences [28]. In addition, Taber [29] posits that learning is a 'process of constructing internal mental representations of the world' (p. 45). The constructivist's view emphasizes the need for the learner to be present and to experience events for them to be able to acquire knowledge and learning [28]. This view entails that Mathematics learners will learn more from problem-solving as this will afford them chances to experience the subject as opposed to being told or shown how to do it on the board only. Riegler [30] states that the term constructivism is probably derived from Piaget's "constructivist" views. Mvududu and Thiel-Burgess [31] state that constructivism is an approach to probe

learners' understanding and elevate them from lower levels of learning to much higher levels of learning through the application and synthesis of experienced events.

Jean Claude Piaget is considered the father of the constructivist movement, particularly cognitive constructivism [28]. According to Amine and Asl [28], 'as learners encounter an experience or a situation that challenges the way we think, a state of disequilibrium or imbalance is created' (p. 10). The mental imbalance necessitates that there be a rearrangement of mental structures to accommodate the new experiences. In Mathematics, this is the problem-solving process, which will build new mental structures. Constructivism is, therefore, a practice-based model of learning [32]. Piaget's constructivist approach is based on radical constructivism which focuses on individual cognitive processes combined with social interaction [33]. From a Piagetian point of view, knowledge construction occurs at a personal level. The environment and others serve as a source of the disequilibrium that triggers the construction of new knowledge.
