Comparision of two different educational situations of limit teaching

11 ABSTRACT In this study, the effect of a non-traditional educational method (which was developed by researcher) on student's learning of limit concept was investigated.The sample of this study composed of 51 high school students at Kanuni High Scholl in 2000-2001 academic year, that 29 of those enrolled in the experimental group, and 32 of those enrolled in the control group. During the time specified in the regular cirruculum for the limit subject, limit concept was taught via the developed educational methods to the experimental group, on the other hand the traditional limit teaching method was taught to the control group. After the treatment an achivement test was administered to both groups. The test had both open-ended and multiple choice items. In order to detect the difference between the experimental and control groups' mean scores for multiple choice items, the t-test was conducted with the confidence level of 0,095. In order to assess open ended questions given in the achivement test. The answers were clasified and tabulated. The results of this study revealed that the students in the control group were able to solve limit problems and wrote the formal definition of the concept of limit. However, they had been merely aware of the meaning of the procedure that they performed. In contrast, the students in the experimental group were able to make connections between the limit concept and the required procedures. Therefore the results have shown that the experimental group attained the required knowledge without solely memorising and they developed a sense of comprehension about what they performed.