EXAMINATION OF DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION AND VERBAL PROBLEM-SOLVING REPRESENTATIONS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the diagrammatic representation skills and problem-solving performances of students according to their problem-solving representations. A cross-sectional survey design using quantitative methods was used in this study. The sample consisted of 31 second-grade and 41 third-grade students from a public primary school in Turkey. The Diagrammatic Representation Test and Mathematical Operations Test were used in this study. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistical analysis, the chi-square test, the independent samples t-test, discriminant analysis and logistic regression analysis. The findings indicated that while the preferred types of representations for solving verbal problems and problem-solving performance did not vary significantly based on grade level, scores obtained from the diagrammatic representation test exhibited significant differences. It was observed that students' problem-solving performance and diagrammatic skills could predict their preferred types of representations for solving verbal problems. Consequently, students who possess knowledge regarding effective representation preferences, as well as the ability to construct and utilize them, are more likely to generate appropriate and high-quality representations, leading to accurate problem-solving outcomes. This, in turn, enhances their performance in diagrammatic representation tasks.