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Csaba Csíkos, Judit Szitányi and Rita Kelemen: Promoting the Role of Visual Representations in Mathematical Problem Solving. Results of an Intervention Study Among Year 3 Pupils

The study focuses on an intervention program that was developed to improve pupils’ achievement in word problem solving using tasks and methods that support the use of schematic drawings. Five experimental groups and six control groups of Year 3 pupils participated in the experiment. Arithmetic skill and word problem tests were used as both pre- and posttests, and the experimental group also completed the first task in Clark’s Drawing Abilities Test. During the intervention programme, pupils solved 73 word problems and were required to make and/or analyse drawings in each case. The intervention programme contained 20 lessons, providing a systematic review of the different types of word problems. Our results suggest that the intervention programme proved successful owing to significant development in the experimental group compared to the control group. Our programme was effective in fostering the development of not only word problem solving, but also the development of arithmetic skills. The effect of the programme in the experimental group was independent of pupils’ drawing skills.

MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 110. Number 2. 149-166. (2010)

Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Csíkos Csaba, és Kelemen Rita, SZTE BTK Neveléstudományi Intézet, H–6722 Szeged, Petőfi S. sgt. 30–34. Szitányi Judit, ELTE TÓK Matematikai Tanszék, H–1126 Budapest, Kiss János altb. u. 40.

 
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Magyar Tudományos Akadémia