'Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture'
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Puzzles and Games course on the 6th grade students’ problem solving and reasoning skills. For this purpose, this study sought for the students’ problem solving strategies and underlying reasoning skills in the beginning and at the end of the course. Another specific interest of the study was to determine the students’ views about the effectiveness of Puzzles and Games course. The study was conducted during the Fall semester of 2014-2015 academic year. The participants were 40 6th grade students who took Puzzles and Games course in a private middle school in Ankara. Data were collected through the Mathematical Problem Solving Test (MPT), Puzzles and Games course evaluation forms and semi-structured interviews. MPT was constructed by the researcher depending on the literature, had eight open-ended, non-routine and real life problems, and was implemented as pretest and posttest. Paired samples t-test was run to compare the result of the pre and posttests. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven students to understand their solutions to the problems better. Additionally, the evaluation forms were filled by all the participants to get information about the effectiveness of Puzzles and Games course. Findings indicated that there was a statistically significant increase in the scores from pretest to posttest. It showed that students who experienced Puzzles and Games course developed their problem solving strategies and underlying reasoning skills. The main reason of this improvement was that reasoning and operation puzzles strategy games and problems, which students engaged in Puzzles and Games course. Finally, it was revealed that students had positive views about Puzzles and Games course and addressed course activities enjoyable and beneficial.M.S. - Master of Scienc
