Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Mathematical Reasoning Abilities of Mathayom Suksa 3 Students

Abstract

The purposes of this research were (1) to compare mathematical reasoning abilities of Mathayom Suksa 3 students before and after the experiment, (2) to compare the reasoning abilities between the experimeantal group and the control group, and (3) to study the students’ opinions toward using problem-based learning.  The samples for the study were 68 Mathayom Suksa 3 students, 34 students for the experimental group who taught by using problem-based learning and the other 34 students for the control group who taught by using teacher handbook.  The research instruments were lesson plans, mathematical reasoning abilities test, and questionnaire. The statistical procedures used for data analysis were of mean, standard deviation, t-test, and ANCOVA.

The research findings were as follows:

1. The mathematical reasoning abilities of the experimeantal group after participating in the problem-based learning program was  significantly increased at .05 level.
2. The mathematical reasoning abilities of the experimeantal group after participating in the problem-based learning program was higher than that of the control group at .05 level.
3. The total mean scores of the students’ opinions toward the problem-based learning were high.