Creative Thinking Process of Prospective Mathematics Teacher Students in Solving Numerical Problems

Background/purpose. Creative thinking is an essential 21st-century skill in mathematics education, closely connected to logical-mathematical ability. Solving numerical problems requires students to think systematically, flexibly, and deeply beyond technical skills. In this context, the creative thinking process remains underexplored empirically. Therefore, this research aims to describe and visualize the stages of students’ creative thinking in solving numerical problems.

Materials/methods. This research used a quantitative-descriptive and qualitative phenomenological method to investigate the creative thinking process. Category development was achieved through a combined concept-driven and data-driven process. The subjects were students in the Mathematics Education Research Program at Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto, Indonesia. Students selected had taken courses relevant to numerical problems, namely the methods course.

Results. Students’ creative thinking process in solving numerical problems reflected an integration of logical-mathematical intelligence skills across all stages from preparation in understanding the problem, incubation in planning, to illumination in generating strategic ideas. In the formulation and verification stages, students exhibited systematic thinking. However, limited alternative exploration and critical evaluation reduced the overall solution efficiency. These results emphasized the importance of instructional methods that promoted cognitive flexibility and metacognitive reflection throughout each stage of the creative thinking process.

Conclusion. The development of students’ creative thinking in solving numerical problems required strong logical-mathematical intelligence, alternative solution exploration, and intensive metacognitive training. The results showed that curriculum design could balance theoretical and practical aspects to enhance cognitive flexibility, strengthen conceptual mastery, and support the formulation of creative numerical solutions.

Keywords: Creative thinking, logical-mathematical ability, numerical methods, problem-solving

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