The effectiveness of the selective problem solving skills in middle-school mathematics

The aim of the study was to to investigate the effectiveness of the SPS model in developing students' problem solving ability in mathematics. The Solomon Four-Group Design was used to carry out research. The dependent and the pre- posttest variables were Problem Analysis Test, Analogical Problem Posing Test and the first and second term math achievement. The study was carried out during the spring semester of the 2017-2018 academic year. Participants included 201 seventh-grade students in a public middle school. The experimental program included SPS lesson plans. Each plan consisted of six problem solving stages, problem definition, source problem identification, problem solution, problem posing, problem solution and reflection. The results showed that students of the experimental group who received mathematics education based on the SPS model were more successful in analyzing the problems and posing analogical problems. At the same time, students in the experimental group had higher gain scores. However, the Model did not have any significant effect on academic achievement in mathematics.