The effect of cooperative learning based problem solving activities on 5th grade students' success in problem solving and student opinions

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of cooperative learning-based problem solving activities on 5th grade students' success in problem solving. With the problem solving activities applied in the study, the effect of evaluating the problem solution on the success of problem solving was tried to be determined. Mixed methods research was used in this study. The study group of the research consisted of three groups randomly selected from 5th graders: one control group and two experimental groups (Experiment-1 Group, Experiment-2 Group). Pretest was applied to the study group formed in this direction. An 8-week application was carried out for Experiment-1 and Experiment-2 Groups, with 2 lesson hours per week. In the application in Experiment-1 and Experiment-2 Groups, problem-solving activities related to the problems within the curriculum about fractions were carried out at the 5th grade level. The activities carried out in Experiment-1 and Experiment-2 were based on the steps determined by Polya (1962) in the problem solving process. The problem solving processes carried out in the Control Group were based on the problem solving examples in existing mathematics textbooks. After the problem-solving activity, a Post-Test was applied to measure the students' academic success in problem-solving. At the end of the Pre-Test and Post-Test, positive and negative opinions were received about the problem solving activity applications carried out with the open-ended question form of the Experiment-1 and Experiment-2 Groups. According to the findings obtained in the study, it was concluded that non-routine problem solving activities created a significant difference in students' problem solving skills. In order to increase the problem-solving success of students in mathematics courses, it is recommended to include the evaluation step in problem solutions.