The effects of teaching sequences with realistic math education activities on student achievement, mathematics attitude and investigation of student opinions

In this study, the effects of teaching sequences at 11th grade by using realistic mathematics education (RME) activities on student's attitude towards mathematics and the students' opinions about RME approach were investigated. It is expected that the realistic mathematics education activities which were designed and utilized within this study to reveal positive or negative student views about realistic mathematics education, to contribute developing positive attitudes towards mathematics and also to increase student achievement and comprehension on the sequences subject which is one of the hardest mathematics subject in high school curriculum. In this study, semi-experimental design with pretest – posttest control group and was carried out. The study was carried out with 50 students in the 11th grade of a high school in Yeşilyurt, - Malatya- in 2015-2016 academic year. In the experimental group (n = 25), the teaching was supported by Realistic Mathematics Education and in the control group (n = 25) the current teaching was applied. Data were collected by using the equalization test, the pre-post achievement test, the pre-post attitude scale and the thought survey. In the analysis of the distribution normality of the data with statistical analysis program, it was seen that the data were not distributed normally. So, the nonparametric test, Mann Whitney U and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, were used for the analysis of achievement test data. Thought survey results were interpreted by giving frequency-percentage distributions. As a result of the findings, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental group students who studying with realistic mathematics education and the control group students who continued their current education on improving their success and developing positive attitudes towards mathematics in favor of the experimental group was obtained. According to the results of the thought survey "that is the Realistic Mathematics Education approach" applied to the experimental group students, it was observed that the opinions of the students were positive. Key Words: Realistic Mathematics Education, Sequences, Achievement, Attitude.