Effectiveness of Problem Solving Method in Learning Mathematics at Secondary Level
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Department of Mathematics Education Central Department of Education University Campus Tribhuvan University Kirtipur, Kathmandu
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.