Abstract:

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach based teaching method on student achievement in teaching 10th class "Data, Counting and Probability" unit and to reveal student opinions about this approach based teaching method. In this research, descriptive design, which is one of the mixed research methods, was used. Pretest-posttest control group semi-experimental desing was used in the quantitative phase of the research. The RME approach-based teaching method was applied to the students in the experimental group, while the control group was based on the traditional approach-based teaching method (read and question-answer). Case study model was used in the qualitative phase of the research. The study was carried out with 60 students studying in the 10th grade of a high school in the district of Gevaş in the province of Van in the fall semester of 2018-2019 academic year. Data collection tools; in order to measure students' success in both groups "Data, Counting and Probability Achievement Test" (pre-test and post-test) and semi-structured interview form was applied to determine students' opinions in the experimental group. The pilot application of the achievement test was carried out with 93 students in 9th and 11th grade. The cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was found to be .87. In the analysis of quantitative data, independent samples t-test and paired samples t-test were used. The results were evaluated according to p = .01 significance level. Content analysis method was used to in the analysis of data obtained from the interview form. As a result, it was observed that the teaching method based on the RME approach was more effective in student achievement than the traditional approach-based teaching method. At the same time, it was determined that students’ expressed positive opinions about the teaching method based on the RME approach. Therefore, the use of the RME approach can be extended by providing in-service training to teachers, and the effect of the RME approach-based teaching method on the teaching of other subjects in the mathematics curriculum can be examined.

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