Effectiveness of Problem Based Learning Strategy in Teaching Mathematics

Abstract

The title of this research was “Effectiveness of Problem Based Learning Strategy in Teaching Mathematics”. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the mathematics achievement and to identify the effectiveness of problem based learning strategy in teaching mathematics. Two private schools were selected in Kathmandu district and pre-test and post-test nonequivalent control group design was used to conduct this study. The study was based on mixed design research. Experimental group taught by using Krall‟s problem based learning strategy and control group was taught by using conventional problem solving strategy for same topic. The internal consistency of each test was ensured by calculating Cronbach‟s Alpha model with SPSS 21.0 setting 0.05 level of significance. Achievement tests and teaching episodes were the main tools for the study and mean, standard deviation and t-test (at 0.05 level of significance) were used as statistical tools and analyze qualitative data by students‟ motivation and participation in the activities. After one month of regular treatment to the experimental group, achievement of students from both groups was recorded in terms of post-test. From the result, the study has succinctly shown that there was a significant difference in students‟ achievement of experimental and control groups in post-test. More importantly, the result indicated that problem based learning strategy is effective than the conventional problem solving strategy.