The effect of designing short films with a realistic mathematics education approach on the attitudes, academic success and self-efficacy perceptions of 6th grade students towards mathematics

Mathematics has a critical role in the problem-solving situations that students will encounter throughout life. However, many students find the mathematics course challenging and may develop negative attitudes towards this course. The integration of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach and creative learning methodologies can help students see mathematics as a part of daily life and thus approach the mathematics learning process more positively. This thesis goes beyond RME and explores creative and applied learning processes that will strengthen students' mathematics learning. The process involves students transforming real-life problems into scenarios by using mathematical concepts to solve these problems and subsequently recording these scenarios as short films. In this context, the impact on students' mathematical achievement, mathematical self-efficacy perceptions, and attitudes towards mathematics is being examined. In the study, the students in the experimental group were provided with general briefings on cinema terms and the short film production process to ensure they did not struggle with their tasks. These briefings included explanations of Web2 tools usage, screenplay writing rules, shooting plans, and filming techniques. Ultimately, three short films inspired by real-life situations were designed as the final product. The research employs an experimental design, one of the quantitative approaches. Mathematics achievement tests, self-efficacy scales, and attitude scales were administered to both the control and experimental groups before and after the course. The study revealed significant improvements in mathematics achievement, self-efficacy perceptions, and attitudes towards mathematics. When students explored mathematical concepts through their created scenarios and films, they were able to better understand and apply these concepts. The information provided about cinema topics, including screenplay writing skills and the use of Web2 tools, enabled students to develop creative expression methods and effectively use technology alongside the measured variables. This thesis emphasizes the importance of creative and practical learning processes in mathematics education. Developing creative projects to explore mathematical concepts makes mathematics learning meaningful and engaging, positively affecting self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes towards mathematics. The research suggests that educators and policymakers should integrate creative and practical learning methodologies into lesson plans to enhance students' mathematics achievement, attitudes towards the subject, and self-efficacy perceptions. Additionally, it is recommended to implement similar educational programs in different learning environments and with diverse student groups to further evaluate the effectiveness of this approach on a broader scale.