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Effect of mathematical problem posing on problem-solving ability and attitude of primary six pupils
Author
Ong, Kian Heng
Supervisor
Yeap, Ban Har
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of problem posing on pupils' problem-solving ability and attitudes. It also investigated whether a problem-posing approach in problem-solving instruction has different effects on boys and girls. The subjects of the study were primary six children.
The research involved the construction of two instruments that were used to measure pupils' problem-solving ability and one instrument to measure pupils' attitudes towards mathematical problem solving. The attitude instrument was designed to measure five dimensions of the attitude domain, namely, interest, anxiety, confidence, perseverance and willingness.
Two primary six classes from a single school were involved. A total of 18 boys and 18 girls participated in this study. These children had not been exposed to explicit problem-posing activities prior to this study. The effect of problem posing on pupils' problem solving ability and attitudes were investigated quantitatively and t-tests were employed to investigate the hypotheses.
The findings showed that both related-problem posing and the traditional form of problem-solving instruction were effective teaching strategies to improve pupils' problem-solving ability. Gender-related differences in the effect of related-problem posing on problem-solving ability were not found in this study. This study also showed that only the girls that received related-problem posing instruction showed a significant improvement in overall attitude. However, further analyses of the data showed significant improvement in specific dimensions of the attitude domain. For the girls, there was significant improvement in interest and for the boys, there was significant improvement in perseverance.
The research involved the construction of two instruments that were used to measure pupils' problem-solving ability and one instrument to measure pupils' attitudes towards mathematical problem solving. The attitude instrument was designed to measure five dimensions of the attitude domain, namely, interest, anxiety, confidence, perseverance and willingness.
Two primary six classes from a single school were involved. A total of 18 boys and 18 girls participated in this study. These children had not been exposed to explicit problem-posing activities prior to this study. The effect of problem posing on pupils' problem solving ability and attitudes were investigated quantitatively and t-tests were employed to investigate the hypotheses.
The findings showed that both related-problem posing and the traditional form of problem-solving instruction were effective teaching strategies to improve pupils' problem-solving ability. Gender-related differences in the effect of related-problem posing on problem-solving ability were not found in this study. This study also showed that only the girls that received related-problem posing instruction showed a significant improvement in overall attitude. However, further analyses of the data showed significant improvement in specific dimensions of the attitude domain. For the girls, there was significant improvement in interest and for the boys, there was significant improvement in perseverance.
Date Issued
2003
Call Number
QA63 Ong
Date Submitted
2003