Problem solving in the digital era: Examples from the work of mathematics students on a divisibility problem

This paper draws on the discussion around the impact of digital resources on problem-solving activities and presents findings from the analysis of eight undergraduate mathematics students’ responses to a problem on divisibility that was part of their summative assessment through a portfolio of learning outcomes. The analysis indicates that the availability of digital resources impacts students’ problem-solving activity: digital resources provide information useful for problem-solving; they provide answers to the problem; and, they facilitate hypothesis building or execution of time-consuming procedures. A digital resource might be used mainly for a procedural performance of a repetitive task (e.g., trial and error) or it may also include modelling (e.g. programming an algorithm underpinning a repetitive task).