Measuring quality as students problem solving skill development in mathematics: The case of grades 9 and 10 students in Addis Kidame Secondary School, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Quality in education is an amorphous term where no two people can exactly communicate. However, there is a growing trend that quality should be viewed in terms of learning improvement. Thus, this study intends to examine the status of students’ problem solving skill in mathematics. Particularly, this study aims at measuring grades 9 and 10 students’ problem solving skill improvement in mathematics. This study also compared male and female students’ problem solving skill in mathematics. A total of 284 students (142 female and 142 male) were selected using stratified random sampling technique from grades 9 and 10 students. Fifteen problem solving skill test items with five levels of difficulty were constructed based on the conceptual framework, which was suggested by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science of Saint Louis University and Mara University of Technology. The results of the analysis unraveled that grades 9 and 10 students have low level of problem solving skill in mathematics. As the difficulty level of items increases, there appeared to be significant difference on students’ problem solving skill in favor of male students. Based on the results, the researchers noted that problem solving skill is the result of the combination of a multitude of human skills. It is also manifested in several ways, such as, thinking, reasoning, doing things, etc. Thus, to measure the problem solving skill of people, a combination of tests that address several components of problem solving should be used. Moreover, the problem solving skill development requires models that could possibly help the students to emulate the skill. To this end, teachers should develop their problem solving skill and thereby become good models for their respective students.