Krznarić, Marija.
(2006).
Comparison of efficiency in childrens' mathematical word problems solving at two time points.
Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology.
[mentor Vlahović-Štetić, Vesna].
Abstract
In his Situation Problem Solver (SPR) model Reusser emphasizes that clearer situational context in word problems improves their solving. There are three categories of mathematical word problems: change, combine and compare. The aim of this research is to compare the efficiency in mathematical word problems solving measured in 2004 with the efficiency in mathematical word problems solving measured in 2005, as a function of child development, problem type and situational context of the problem. Interaction of these factors is also considered. 69 elementary school students participated in the study. At the first time point, in 2004, they were first grade students, and at the second time point, a year later, they were second grade students. Testing was conducted by specially trained senior psychology students. Two categories of word problems were used: change problems and compare problems. At every time point, children were tested twice, one time with neutral context problems, and the other time with familiar context problems. Repeated measures analysis of variance was performed. The main effect of child development at two time points and problem type were significant, as well as the interaction of child development at two time points and situational context. The results indicate that children's performance on word problems measured in 2005 was better than their performance measured in 2004. Performance on the change problems was better than performance on compare problems. Analyses also show that children's performance measured in 2004 was better on the problems with familiar context than their performance on the problems with neutral context and that their performance measured in 2005 did not differ in regard to situational context. These results partly confirm Reusser's essential hypothesis because including additional sense to the problem text has improved performance at first time point, but not at second time point.
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