The Examination of the Fifth-Grade Students’ Problem Posing Skills

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine fifth graders’ problem generating skills based on their
techniques. Qualitative approach has been used in the study. Participants were 20 fifth graders attending an
elementary school in Konya during the academic year of 2009-2010. Data were collected by using the Problem
Solving and Problem Posing Worksheets (Fidan 2008) involving problems based on the four operations. The
participants solved the problems in the classroom, following Polya’s four-step model, and were then asked to
pose related problems. The problems posed were examined according to Lave, Smith and Butler’s techniques
(1989). Frequency and percentage values of the data are presented in tables. The results showed that the problem
posing technique students used involved changing the values in the problem without modifying the conditions or
the topic. There were no problems in the categories of “reversing the given and expected information” and
“changing the conditions without changing the data given or the topic”.