The effect of creative drama practices in mathematics on primary school students' problem solving strategies, achievement, self-concept and interaction patterns

The aim of this study is to analyze the practices of creative drama and current mathematics curriculum on elementary students' achievement in mathematics, self-concept, problem solving strategies and interactive patterns in creative drama groups. The quasi-experimental research design with a pre- and post-test and a control group was used in the study. Current mathematics curriculum teaching methods were used in the control group while creative drama techniques were used in the experimental one. The study was conducted in a middle socio-economic-status state school. The experimental group and the control group were chosen randomly among 6th graders. There were 24 participants in each group. The qualitative data was collected by using video records with interview protocols and voice records. The quantitative data was collected by using a mathematics achievement test and a self-concept scale. Arithmetic Mean, Standard Deviation and ANOVA for Repeated Measurements were used to analyze the quantitative data. Coding Technique was used to analyze the qualitative data in video and voice records. A coder coded and categorized the data, and frequencies and percentages were calculated to analyze the data. The results show that creative-drama-based mathematics program has a positive effect on the mathematics achievement and self-concept of students. In addition, creative drama techniques increase the entire the frequencies of students' use of problem solving strategies. It may be said that creative drama practices have positive effects on elementary students' problem solving strategies. According to the analyses of interactive patterns, ?Presentation of an idea? was the most frequently coded category whereas ?Feeling of anxiety? was the least frequently coded one.