The Effects of Problem-Based Learning Activities in Mathematics towards Equation Problem Solving Ability of Grade 6 Students

Abstract

The objectives of the research were to compare the students’ ability to solve Mathematic problems with the criterion set of fifty five percent of the total score, and to compare the ability to solve equation problems of the students before and after experiencing problem-based learning activities. The sample group consisted of forty-two of grade 6 students from Ban Manichot Samakkhi School, under the Office of Primary Education Area, Saraburi District 2, in the second semester of 2018, by simple random sampling. The research instruments were 18 lesson plans integrating problem-based learning activities, and tests to measure the Mathematics problem solving ability with a reliability of 0.92. The statistics used for data analysis were mean, percentage, standard deviation, and t-test.

The results revealed that: 1) the Mathematics problem solving ability of the grade 6 students’ after experiencing the problem-based learning activities was significantly higher than the criterion set of fifty-five percent of the total score, at an alpha of .05 (t=3.365), and 2) the ability to solve the equation problems of the students was also higher after the treatment at a significance level of .05 (t=22.685).