The effect of prior knowledge activation, concept mapping, and thinking aloud on problem solving performance of grades 4 and 5 low and high achieving students

النوع : Mémoire

This study investigated the effect of Prior Knowledge Activation, Concept Mappin g, and Think Aloud, on reading comprehension performance, math word problem solv ing performance, and content free problem solving tasks as measured by Colored P rogressive Matrices. The study further examined the relative effectiveness of th e training among low and high achieving students. The sample was 45 students in Grades 4 and 5 in two private schools in Lebanon. Students from grades 4 and 5 from one school (n= 25) were treated as experimenta l group, and students from grades 4 and 5 (n= 20) from the second school were tr eated as control group. Students in the experimental group received training in the three strategies in addition to regular teaching methods for 3 week, whereas students in the control group continued with the regular teaching methods only. Both groups, the experimental and the control, were pretested prior to the imple mentation of the training and then posttested using the following tools: Reading comprehension tests, math word problem solving tests, and Colored Progressive M atrices. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), comparing experimental and control groups? post test mean scores on reading comprehension questions, math word problem solving q uestions, and colored progressive matrices showed a significant difference in fa vor of the experimental group. Univariate analysis of variance showed that the m ean differences between pre and post test scores of low and high achievers in th e experimental group differed significantly in favor of the low achievers on mat h word problem solving questions. The results were discussed and explained; and recommendations for the future wer e proposed.