The effect of performance tasks with parental involvement on the elementary 5th grade students' achievements and attitudes in mathematics lesson

In this study, the effect of performance tasks with parental involvement supported with Project-Based Learning Aproach, which is and used as a teaching and learning method, on the elemantary 5th grade students? achievements and attitudes in mathematics lesson were examined.In the study, quasi-experimental design with pre-test / post-test group was used along with interview which is one of the qualitative research methods. Quantitative data of the study were collected thanks to the scales of receiving opinion intended for performance tasks applied as pre-post test both to students and parents. Besides these scales, the mathematics achievement scale and mathematics attitude scale were applied to the students as pre-post test. Qualitative data, on the other hand, were obtained through semi-structured interview forms from the students and parents, diaries and focus group discussion.Study group of the research were composed of the students at TOKİ Turgut Özal Elementary School in Buca district, İzmir. At the beginning of the study, two equivalent groups were determined according to report card scores and pilot test. Experimental and control groups were determined through lot between detected groups and 25 students took part in the groups.In the teaching-learning process of the research that lasted for 6 weeks in 2011-2012 academic year, the activities of performance task with parental involvement was applied to the experimental group and the teaching methods based on teacher mentor, student subject and study books to the control group.In the analysis of the quantitative data obtained from the instruments applied to students and parents, t-test was used for dependent samples while the groups were compared within themselves and for independent samples while they were compared with each other. In the analysis of the qualitative data, on the other hand, content analysis was used.At the end of the research, a statistically significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group in the students? achievement and attitude of the mathematics subject, and their views related to performance tasks. Again, at the end of the research, a statistically significant difference appeared in favor of the experimental group in the parents? views concerning their performance tasks.The following results were obtained thanks to the analysis of the qualitative data obtained from the students and parents of experimental group. According to the views of the students and parents, it was established that the students learned the performance tasks with parental involvement by doing-experiencing, these tasks have created positive improvements in their emotional characteristics, they have improved students? skills such as creativity and collaboration, lots of instruments and sources were made use of during the research process, and presentation and assessment studies occurred schemingly. In addition, these studies carried out with parental involvement gave rise to positive improvements in parents? emotional characteristics and in their skills such as collaboration and communication.Key Words: Performance Task, Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, Self-Group Assessment, Rubric, Parental Involvement, Mathematics Achievement, Attitude