An Action Research to Eliminate Mistakes in Multiplication and Division Operations through Realistic Mathematics Education

Abstract

In the current study, it is aimed to determine the activities that need to be done to eliminate the mistakes made by primary school fourth grade students in multiplication and division operations and to present solution suggestions for eliminating these mistakes. The study employed action research, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group was constructed by the criterion sampling method, one of the purposive sampling methods. The study group is comprised of 10 fourth graders attending a primary school in the spring term of the 2016-2017 school year in the city of İstanbul and making similar mistakes. A student information form, clinical interview form and student worksheets were used as data collection tools in the study. Activities prepared in line with the principles of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) were applied in order to eliminate the mistakes made by the students in the multiplication and division operations. When the mistakes made by the students in the multiplication and division operations were examined, it was revealed that the source of the mistakes was the operational, conceptual and problem situations. During the implementation of RME activities, it was determined that the mistakes of the students started to be eliminated. After the implementation, it was found that the mistakes of the students committed in the multiplication and division operations decreased. Thus, it can be said that RME is an effective application in reducing the mistakes in multiplication and division operations made by students in primary school.