The effect of problem-based learning on preservice mathematics teachers' problem solving skills on real life questions, their metacognitive awareness and attitudes towards problem-based learning

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method on preservice elementary mathematics teachers' problem solving skills, their metacognitive awareness and attitudes towards problem-based learning. Mixed method was used in the study. Experimental design was used in the quantitative part of the study. In the qualitative part, case study was used and the opinions of preservice elementary mathematics teachers were taken in order to examine the quantitative data in depth. This study was conducted with a total of 79 preservice teachers, 39 preservice teachers studying at Mersin University as the "control group" and 40 preservice teachers studying at Çukurova University as the "experimental group" in the 2021-2022 academic year. In the experimental group, the 1st year undergraduate calculus course was taught by the researcher, and in the control group, the 1st year undergraduate calculus course was taught by the academician. The analysis course was taught by Problem Based Learning (PBL) in the experimental group and by the current teaching method in the control group. The application lasted 6 weeks (12 course hours). The quantitative data of the study were obtained by using "Problem Solving Skills Test", "Metacognitive Abilities Inventory", "Attitude Scale Towards Problem-Based Learning" and "Problem Solving Process Evaluation Scale". Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with the preservice teachers in the experimental group. Quantitative data were analysed with two-factor ANOVA for mixed measurements. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. In the findings obtained by the analysis of quantitative data, a significant difference was found in the problem solving skills and metacognitive awareness levels of the preservice teachers in the experimental group in favour of the experimental group compared to the preservice teachers in the control group. However, no statistically significant difference was found in the attitude of the experimental group towards problem-based learning compared to the control group. In the findings obtained by the analysis of qualitative data, preservice teachers stated that PBL made the lessons more enjoyable and interesting, concretised the subject matter thanks to group work and scenarios and provided students with a permanent learning, and that learning different ways of solution improved their creativity and high-level thinking skills. In this study, it has been found that the Problem-Based Learning method positively effects preservice elementary mathematics teachers' ability to solve real life problems and metacognitive awareness, but has no effect on their attitude towards problem-based learning. Key Words: Problem-based learning, problem solving skills, metacognitive awareness, attitudes towards problem-based learning