The impact of a knowledge of the history of mathematics on primary school student mathematics achievement and attitudes

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of teaching numbers, geometry, algebra and probability in mathematics class of the sixth grade of elementary school on students? achievement and their attitudes towards mathematics by using history of mathematics. The mixed approach was adopted as a method and the pretest-posttest control group semi-experimantal design was used in the study. The study was carried out with 44 students in total in two different village elementary schools of Bolu in 2011-2012 academic year.The annual plan, which The Ministry of National Education proposed, was re-organized within the scope of the study in the experimental group and famous mathematicians and historical anecdotes that played a role in discovery or development of the gain were given to students as performance projects. The teaching period of 8 gains was supported with 24 mathematicians and historical anecdotes during 4 weeks. To deepen the study students? opinions were asked, the qualitative data was obtained via semi-structured interview form and it was descriptively analysed. The same gains were treated in equal time in accordance with the sixth grade teacher guide book in the control group.When pre-success and pre-attitude scores were taken under control, ANCOVA test was used to determine whether there was a meaningful difference between the final success and final attitude of the experimental and the control group students. In addition, multiple regression was used to test whether students? performance and final attitude scores affected their final test scores. Available data provides the assumptions of ANCOVA and regression analysis.According to the achievement test while a meaningful difference was found out in favour of the experimental group, a meaningful difference was not found out in the attitude test. It was reported that the performance grades positively affected student achievement at a high level but that the attitude scores had not any effect on student achievement. Students expressed a positive opinion about the contribution of the method used to sentiment and cognitive dimensions.Key Words: The History of Mathematics, The Teaching of Mathematics, The Primary School Mathematics