Using Polya’s Principles as an Approach to Helping Students M ...

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Abstract

A pre- and post-tests evaluation was adopted as the main method to investigate the effectiveness of problem solving on year-eleven students’ performances concerning circle theorem. A few students were also interviewed to discover their opinions on using Polya’s problem solving techniques to solve circle theorem questions. Friedman test showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in students’ mean scores between pre-test and post-tests, 𝜒2(2) = 13.067, 𝑝 = 0.001. The qualitative analysis of students’ workings in the tests also showed positive improvements. Students who were interviewed demonstrated positive attitudes towards using Polya’s techniques as an approach to solve problems and they also claimed that the techniques helped them to clarify their confusions on the topic circle theorem.