Mathematical Reasoning Skills Of 7th Grade Students

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Year-Number: 2017-Volume 9, Issue 1
Yayımlanma Tarihi: null
Language : null
Konu : null

Abstract

In order to make deductions, one has to conduct reasoning. Peresini and Webb (1999) state that reasoning consists of activities involving various styles of thinking.Students are capable of abstract thinking, as a consequence, during this period improvements are observed in students' success at mathematics..When students improve their reasoning skill; their ability to solve non-routine problems, with which they face for the first time in their lives, could also improve.The objective of the study is to determine the mathematical reasoning levels of 7th grade secondary school students. This research has been conducted during the first semester of the academic year of 2015-2016.We carried out the study by sampling method with a total of 95 students from the two provinces in the Black Sea region of Turkey selected by random.The case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, has been employed as the method of this research.The obtained data has been analyzed through content analysis.In order to calculate the content validity of the study, the formula developed by Miles & Huberman (1994) has been used.Two problems developed by Erdem (2015) in his doctoral thesis, which is named as the Effect of Enriched Learning Environment on Mathematical Reasoning and Attitude, have been used in this study.The problems applied have been evaluated through using the gradual rating scale of Marzano (2000). The retrieved findings suggest that students have tried to achieve the fastest solution and clearly express the solution process.

Keywords

Abstract

In order to make deductions, one has to conduct reasoning. Peresini and Webb (1999) state that reasoning consists of activities involving various styles of thinking.Students are capable of abstract thinking, as a consequence, during this period improvements are observed in students' success at mathematics..When students improve their reasoning skill; their ability to solve non-routine problems, with which they face for the first time in their lives, could also improve.The objective of the study is to determine the mathematical reasoning levels of 7th grade secondary school students. This research has been conducted during the first semester of the academic year of 2015-2016.We carried out the study by sampling method with a total of 95 students from the two provinces in the Black Sea region of Turkey selected by random.The case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, has been employed as the method of this research.The obtained data has been analyzed through content analysis.In order to calculate the content validity of the study, the formula developed by Miles & Huberman (1994) has been used.Two problems developed by Erdem (2015) in his doctoral thesis, which is named as the Effect of Enriched Learning Environment on Mathematical Reasoning and Attitude, have been used in this study.The problems applied have been evaluated through using the gradual rating scale of Marzano (2000). The retrieved findings suggest that students have tried to achieve the fastest solution and clearly express the solution process.

Keywords