Teaching mathematics is now gaining more importance, as the new elementary mathematics school curriculum has been adapted to Turkish Educational System. One of the main goals of the curriculum reform is to increase elementary school students&rsquo / problem solving abilities in mathematics (Ko&ccedil / , ISiksal &amp / Bulut / 2007). In this study, the aim is to investigate the change in sixth grade students&rsquo / problem solving abilities, attitude towards problem solving and attitude toward mathematics after mathematics instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps. The sample of this study consisted of 53 sixth grade students from an elementary school in Istanbul. The participants consist of a class selected conveniently among all the sixth grade classes in the school. In these selected classes, mathematical problems are solved according to the Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps by following different problem solution techniques during the semester.At the end of this study, the three main results were found: 1) Instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s step has significantly affected students&rsquo / problem solving abilities in a positive way, 2) students&rsquo / attitudes towards problem solving has changed in a positive way, 3) students&rsquo / attitudes towards mathematics is enhanced by the instruction based on Polya&rsquo / s problem solving steps.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the computer software Frizbi Mathematics 4 on 4th grade student&rsquo / s mathematics achievement, retention, attitudes toward mathematics and attitude toward computer assisted learning. Two groups (experimental and control) of primary school students from &ldquo / Sht. Osman Ahmet&rdquo / primary school in Gazimagusa, North Cyprus were used in this study. Control group was taught using a lecture-based traditional instruction and experimental group was taught using educational software, namely Frizbi Mathematics 4. The control group consisted of 26 students where the experimental group consisted of 29 students. The groups were compared on achievement of mathematics, retention, and attitude toward mathematics and computer assisted learning. The study was conducted in spring semester of 2006-2007 academic year and included three units, Multiplication of Natural Numbers, Division of Natural Numbers, and Fractions. Scores on achievement tests were collected three times / at the beginning of the study, immediately after the intervention, and 4 months later. Mathematics attitude scale and computer assisted learning attitude scale were administrated only two times / at the beginning of the study and immediately after the completion of the study. A series of ANOVAs for repeated measures revealed significant difference between the groups on the post achievement tests and attitude scales in favor of experimental group. However, statistically significant differences in favor of treatment group, on the retention tests was attained on the multiplication and division units but not on fractions. The evidence indicates that Frizbi Mathematics 4 for learning and teaching mathematics at the primary school level in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is an effective tool.

Mycket forskning har ägnats åt att kartlägga skolelevers (ofta negativa) attityder till matematik. Denna studie undersöker attityder till matematik hos nio deltagare och tidigare deltagare i Matteklubben för högstadiet i Stockholm. Matteklubben är en frivillig efter skolan-aktivitet för unga som gillar problemlösning, där fler med positiv attityd kan tänkas finnas. Studien har utgått från TMA-modellen - en tredimensionell modell för attityd till matematik, med de tre dimensionerna Syn på matematik - Känslomässig inställning till matematik - Upplevd egen förmåga, där varje dimension kan ha en positiv respektive negativ pol. Datainsamling skedde genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Därefter analyserades data med hjälp av tematisk analys. Sammantaget framträder en positiv attityd till matematik hos deltagarna. Deltagarnas syn på matematik framträder i hög grad som relationell, där de betonar matematikens strukturella och logiska uppbyggnad i sina beskrivningar av vad man uppfattar att matematik är. Alla respondenter uttrycker en positiv känslomässig inställning till matematik, även om de gör tydliga distinktioner mellan vad de gillar i matematik och vad de ogillar. Den matematiska aktivitet man tycker om handlar om ”problemlösning på riktigt”, där man vill möta utmanande problem av en passande svårighetsgrad, få tänka kreativt och gärna kunna finna lösningar med flera olika metoder. Ett undertema handlar om matematiska sammanhang och gemenskaper. Här framkommer flera erfarenheter av skolans matematik som ett mer ensamt sammanhang, där deltagarna ofta utövar matematik på egen hand, med liten lärarinteraktion och där man ger snarare än får hjälp. Vissa deltagare har dock kunnat samarbeta med klass- eller skolkamrater i sitt matematikutforskande, vilket har bidragit till en mer positiv upplevelse och inställning till ämnet. I Matteklubben beskriver deltagarna att man är mer en del av ett sammanhang, där man arbetar med samma matematiska problem och kan diskutera lösningar med andra deltagare och ledare i något högre utsträckning. Särskilt Matteklubbens tävlingar ses som sociala tillfällen, då man får diskutera problem och lösningar även med personer man inte kände innan. Vad gäller den egna upplevda förmågan så uttrycker deltagarna i stort en god tilltro till att kunna klara av skolans matematik, även om gymnasiestarten upplevts som mer utmanande. Att få yttre bekräftelse på sitt kunnande var inte oviktigt, även om flera betonade vikten av förståelse, snarare än ha många korrekt lösta uppgifter. Många deltagare har haft en stabil matematikbana, med tidigt intresse för och framgång i matematik, med uppmuntran och intresse i familjen. Några respondenter återger dock vändpunkter eller särskilda händelser, som har ändrat eller påverkat deras syn på matematik, på den egna förmågan och den känslomässiga inställningen till matematik. / A lot of research attention has been directed towards school pupils (often negative) attitudes towards mathematics. This study explores the attitude towards mathematics among nine participants and former participants in the Math club for grade 7-9 in Stockholm. The Math club is an after school activity for young people who enjoy mathematical problem solving, where possibly more positive attitudes can be found. The theoretical framework for the study is TMA - the three-dimensional model for attitude towards mathematics, with the three dimensions; Vision of mathematics – Percieved competence – Emotional disposition. Data was collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed by using thematic analysis. Overall the participants expressed positive attitudes towards mathematics. The participants express a mostly relational vision of mathematics, where they notice and appreciate the logical structure of the subject. Although all participants express their liking of mathematics, they make distinctions about what they like and dislike in mathematics, both regarding content, tasks and social context. In general there is an appreciation of creative problem solving. Many participants experienced mathematics in school as a mostly separate activity with limited help from teachers, although some have had friends with whom they shared the interest. The Math Club seemed to have offered a context in which participants worked on the same problems and could get help and discuss solutions among each other, especially during competitions. The participants were confident about their own mathematical competence, at least until the start of secondary school. Confirmation of competence were appreciated, but many participants stressed that understanding of concepts were more important than getting many right answers. Though most participants described a stable trajectory in their appreciation of math, with early interest, success and encouragement from families as common features, some incidents of turning points or special events, that led to a sudden change of vision of mathematics, the own perceived competence and liking of mathematics were described.