The purpose of this study was to investigate certain aspects of the task of helping prospective elementary school teachers improve their problem-solving abilities. The subjects were 29 prospective elementary school teachers enrolled in a mathematics education methods course at the Florida State University. A computational prerequisite skills test was administered to the class 12 days before instruction began and one week before the problem-solving pretest was administered. The class then received five hours of instruction on the use of the table or the model strategies to solve unfamiliar problems. A problem solving posttest was given on the day immediately following the instructional period. / The class was divided into 14 matched pairs based on the results obtained from these three tests, with one student from each pair randomly assigned to the experimental group, and the other to the control group. The experimental group taught one problem-solving strategy to a small group of elementary school children for two days. Concurrently, the control group practiced solving problems by using both strategies. Six weeks later the retention test was administered to both groups. / Results indicate that students do have the necessary computational skills to solve problems appropriate for grades 1-6. On the problem-solving pretest most students were not able to use table or model strategies to solve nonroutine problems. Only 10% scored 70% or above on the pretest (mean = 27.1%). The results indicated that students can learn to use tables and models to solve nonroutine problems. On the problem-solving posttest 69% scored 70% or above (mean = 77.5%). The teaching experience (experimental group) seemed to be valuable in helping students retain the use of table and model strategies. The experimental group mean was 6.5% higher than the control group mean; the experimental group continued using the instructional strategies more often than the control group, and students' comments indicated a positive attitude toward teaching problem solving strategies to elementary school children. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-11, Section: A, page: 3312. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75223 |
| Contributors | SAIRAFI, ADNAN ABDULGHANI., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 184 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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