INVESTIGATION OF 8th GRADE STUDENTS' PROBLEM POSING TOWARDS DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to examine and analyze the problems posed by eighth grade students for different forms of representation. In the study, it was also examined how the problems posed by the students differed according to their academic success. 54 eighth grade students selected by appropriate sampling participated in the study, which was designed as a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The data of the research were obtained with the “Problem Posing Test” developed by the researcher and the “Mathematics Achievement Test” consisting of exam questions prepared by the Ministry of National Education. Silver and Cai’s (1996) analysis scheme was used to analyze the obtained data. According to the findings, it was seen that only 44% of the answers given by the students were solvable problems suitable for the given ones. While most of the problems posed in the desired direction were of “low” mathematical nature in terms of mathematical complexity, it was seen that they were in the “conditional” category in terms of linguistic complexity. It has been found that students are more successful in posing problems for table and verbal representation, compared to picture and symbolic representation. It has been observed that as students' mathematical achievements increase in representations other than symbolic representation, their rate of posing a problem suitable for the given ones also increases.