An investigation of elementary, middle and high school teachers' views on skill-based mathematics questions

Skill-based questions used in educational research such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS around the world, have started to be used in LGS and YKS central exams in our country, since 2018. The aim of this research is to reveal the current situation with the opinions of primary, secondary and high school teachers regarding the nature of skill-based mathematics questions, their place in the education system, their use in the learning-teaching process, their use in the measurement-evaluation process and their use in resources, and to offer development-oriented solution suggestions. The study conducted with the participation of 5 primary school, 5 secondary school mathematics and 5 high school mathematics teachers working in Düzce in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 academic years, was designed with a holistic multiple case design, one of the qualitative research methods. According to the findings obtained through the semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher, teachers from all levels state that skill-based mathematics questions support daily life-oriented mathematical development and improve high-level thinking skills in students, but the long and complex structure of a question reduces student motivation. According to the results of the research, primary school teachers stated that skill-based math questions are more applicable in primary school due to their daily life-oriented structure and the fact that the age group they address is based on concrete operations. According to secondary school and high school mathematics teachers, exam-oriented approaches pose a problem in the application of skill-based questions. It is foreseen by the teachers that skill-based mathematics questions will contribute to the future of the country if students have the necessary readiness and arrangements are made for the system. Gradual teaching of skill-based mathematics questions from 1st grade to 12th grade, increasing daily life practices, reducing the intensive curriculum, improving mathematical reading, introducing hybrid questions, providing parent guidance, switching to vocational and leveled mathematics curriculum, making textbooks interactive and providing virtual reality applications in the classroom environment are among the main recommendations of the research.