Effectiveness of Problem Solving Method in Learning Mathematics at Secondary Level

Abstract

This study presents an experiment on the effectiveness of problem solving method in learning mathematics at secondary level. The main goal of the study is to analyze the collected data and find out the effectiveness of problem solving method. Since problem-solving in mathematics is a fascinating activity for most students that can improve motivation that make mathematics more interesting for many students. The objective of this study is to compare the achievement score of the students taught by problem solving method and by using traditional teaching method. The population of the study includes the ninth grade students of government school of Kathmandu district. Out of 23 students of two schools, 12 as experimental group from Gram Shikshya Mandir Higher Secondary School and 11 as control group from Shree Baluddhar Higher Secondary School. The experimental groups were taught by using problem solving method whereas the control groups were taught by traditional method. The test scores were calculated and analyzed in terms of their mean, variance and t-value. To measure the effectiveness of problem solving method in teaching mathematics, the researcher developed and administered an achievement test for both pre test and post test. The test scores were collected and descriptively analyzed by using different mathematical tools as mean, percentage and t-test. The findings of this study were presented after analyzing and interpreting the data. Based on the interpretation and analysis of the data, the findings of this study proved that problem solving method was more effective than the usual traditional method. The students who were taught by using problem solving method were significantly better than that of the students taught by using traditional method.