The effect of learning environments based on problem solving on students’ achievements of problem solving

Ilhan Karatas; Adnan Baki

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2013) IEJEE

The effect of learning environments based on problem solving on students’ achievements of problem solving

Ilhan Karatas
Adnan Baki

Published August 1, 2017 | Pages: 249-268 | Views: 1836

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Abstract

Problem solving is recognized as an important life skill involving a range of processes including
analyzing, interpreting, reasoning, predicting, evaluating and reflecting. For that reason educating
students as efficient problem solvers is an important role of mathematics education. Problem solving
skill is the centre of mathematics curriculum. Students’ gaining of that skill in school mathematics is
closely related with the learning environment to be formed and the roles given to the students. The
aim of this study is to create a problem solving based learning environment to enhance the students’
problem solving skill. Within this scope, students’ practiced activities and problems that provide them
to proceed in Polya (1945)’s problem solving phases and throughout the study, students’ success in
problem solving have been evaluated. While experimental group students received problem solving
based learning environment performed, control group students have continued their present
program in this quise-experimental study. Eleven problem solving activities were given to the
students at the beginning, middle and end of the study and the students’ performances were
analyzed based on problem solving phases. The findings illustrated that the experimental group
students’ success in problem solving activities has increased while the control group students’ success
has not changed significantly.

Problem solving is recognized as an important life skill involving a range of processes including analyzing, interpreting, reasoning, predicting, evaluating and reflecting. For that reason educating students as efficient problem solvers is an important role of mathematics education. Problem solving skill is the centre of mathematics curriculum. Students’ gaining of that skill in school mathematics is closely related with the learning environment to be formed and the roles given to the students. The aim of this study is to create a problem solving based learning environment to enhance the students’ problem solving skill. Within this scope, students’ practiced activities and problems that provide them to proceed in Polya (1945)’s problem solving phases and throughout the study, students’ success in problem solving have been evaluated. While experimental group students received problem solving based learning environment performed, control group students have continued their present program in this quise-experimental study. Eleven problem solving activities were given to the students at the beginning, middle and end of the study and the students’ performances were analyzed based on problem solving phases. The findings illustrated that the experimental group students’ success in problem solving activities has increased while the control group students’ success has not changed significantly.

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Keywords

Polya’s Problem Solving Phases, Mathematics Education, Problem Solving

Affiliations

Ilhan Karatas

Bülent Ecevit University, Eregli Faculty of Education, Department Elementary Education

Adnan Baki

Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Education, Turkey

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How to Cite

Karatas, I., & Baki, A. (2017). The effect of learning environments based on problem solving on students’ achievements of problem solving. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 5(3), 249–268. Retrieved from https://iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/25