An action research upon associating mathematics with real life through realistic mathematics education and developing the skill of prediction

The purpose of the research was to profoundly investigate how possible to develop the skill of 6th grade students' associating Realistic Mathematics Education enhanced with educational games in mathematics lessons with real life and the skill of prediction, what the problems possible to be encountered during the implementation are, and how these could be overcome. The study that was carried out within the framework of this purpose was an action research. While determining the participants of the research, criterion sampling as one of the purposive sampling methods was used. As the criteria, participants' studying at the 6th grade of a state school in a medium socio-economic area and their having deficiency in skills of prediction and associating mathematics with real life were regarded. The research that was carried out with totally 25 sixth grade students in mathematics lessons in the first and second terms of 2018-2019 academic year at a school in Seyhan district of Adana province lasted for eleven weeks. Qualitative data of the research were collected with semi-structured interviews, camera records on implementation process, student diaries structured for each lesson, researcher diary and reflective assessment forms in order to determine the views of students and parents related to developing the skills of associating mathematics with real life and prediction before, during and after the implementations. Quantitative data of the research, on the other hand, were collected with Diagnostic Form for Associating Mathematics with Real Life performed twice before and after the implementation and developed by the researcher, Determination Form for Mathematical Prediction Skill Level, worksheets, Educational games and performance tasks. For analyzing the quantitative data, t-test for independent samples was used, and inductive and descriptive analyses were performed within the scope of content analysis for analyzing the qualitative data. For validity and reliability of the research data, opinions of experts were asked, and long-term interaction, detailed description, control of representativeness and technical details were regarded. Furthermore, Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used for the quantitative data. According to findings of the analysis performed for the current situation, it was determined that participants' skill levels for associating mathematics with real life and prediction were low before the implementation. For that reason, an action research was carried out to develop the skills of associating mathematics with real life and prediction. During the action research process, the participants were mostly determined to have difficulty in calculating four operations mentally, making perceptional predictions, controlling the prediction, intervention of the lessons, pre-knowledge deficiency related to decimal number order, and perceiving mathematics as a lesson disconnected to real life. In terms of the pre-test and post-test scores the participants took from the Diagnostic Form for Associating Mathematics with Real Life, there was a significant difference in favor of post-test scores. According to this result supported with qualitative findings, it was concluded that participants' skills of associating mathematics with real life improved significantly at the end of implementations performed depending upon Realistic Mathematics education enhanced with educational games. There was a significant difference in favor of post-test scores between the pre-test and post-test scores the participants obtained from Determination Form for Mathematical Prediction Skill. According to this result that was supported with qualitative data, mathematical prediction skills of the participants improved significantly at the end of implementations performed depending upon Realistic Mathematics education enhanced with educational games. According to these results, it was determined that Realistic Mathematics Education enhanced with educational games was efficient upon improving the skills of prediction and associating mathematics with real life. And according to the findings obtained for the course and assessment of process, views of students and parents upon Realistic Mathematics Education enhanced with educational games were concluded to be positive.