The effect of creative problem solving on academic succes and skills-based problem solving

In the research, it is aimed to reveal the effect of creative problem solving skills, which will be gained to the students with the lesson plan and lesson design, which is prepared considering the creative problem solving (CPS) stages, on the solution of skill-based problems and academic success in the 7th grade ratio and proportion unit of secondary school. The research was carried out according to the post-test real experimental design with a random control group in accordance with the quantitative research methodology. In the 2021-2022 academic year, 7th grade students studying in a secondary school in the Vezirköprü district of Samsun province constitute the research group. The research was carried out with 60 students in total, including experimental group students (n=30) and control group students (n=30). The multiple choice skill-based problems test, open-ended skill-based problems test developed by the researcher, and the attitude scale towards mathematics adapted by Şen (2019) into Turkish were used as veri collection tools. Quantitative analysis of the data was made using the IBM-SPSS 26 package program. In the study, it was observed that there was a significant difference between the experimental group, in which lesson plans reinforced with CPS activities were applied in the context of academic achievement and skill-based problem solving, and the control group, which was educated with traditional methods. There were no significant differences between the pre-test and post-test scores of the participants in terms of their attitudes towards mathematics and regardless of groups. When the post-test and re-test results for the permanence of knowledge were examined, it was seen that there was no significant difference for the experimental group. In the light of the findings, it was concluded that the experimental group was more successful than the control group in terms of academic success and skill-based problem solving, while it was concluded that creative problem solving did not have an effect on students' attitudes towards mathematics, only the knowledge learned in the groups in which lesson plans reinforced with CPS activities were applied. The elapsed time did not adversely affect the permanence of the subject. This research is important in terms of examining whether the creative thinking skills that students will acquire in course designs strengthened by creative problem solving activities have an effect on academic success and skill-based mathematical problem solving. Through the acquisition of creative thinking skills, the door to gaining and developing other skills will be opened. In addition, the research is considered important in terms of encouraging creative problem solving and ensuring its widespread use in schools.