Analyzing the effects of the problem solving approach to the performance and attitude of first year university students

Abstract

The problem solving approach emphasizes that important mathematics concepts and procedures can be best taught through problem solving tasks or activities which engage students in thinking about the important mathematical concepts and skills they need to learn. This study utilized the problem solving approach, also known as teaching through problem solving, as supported by various collaborative strategies, as instructional intervention in teaching mathematics to university freshmen students and investigated its effects to their performance and attitude towards the subject. The pretest-posttest true experimental design using two matched groups of respondents based on their Intelligence Quotient scores and mathematics test scores in the University Admission Test was utilized. Problem solving tasks were developed and provided to the experimental group. The conventional approach in teaching and learning was employed to the control group. Necessary data to fulfill the objectives of the study were gathered through the attitude scale questionnaire and the researcher-made test and were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools. The results established evidences that the problem solving approach when applied to classroom instruction can significantly improve understanding and performance in mathematics and can also promote a favorable attitude towards the subject, hence, indicating the effectiveness of the approach in teaching mathematics.