VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy

Nasarudin Abdullah; Lilia Halim; Effandi Zakaria

doi:10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

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Nasarudin Abdullah ¹ ^* , Lilia Halim ¹, Effandi Zakaria ¹

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¹ National University of Malaysia, MALAYSIA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the impact of strategic thinking and visual representation approaches (VStops) on the achievement, conceptual knowledge, metacognitive awareness, awareness of problem-solving strategies, and student attitudes toward mathematical word problem solving among primary school students. The experimental group (N=96) received the VStops approach in teaching and learning of mathematical word problem solving, while the control group (N=97) received the conventional approach. Five instruments were used to collect the data: the achievement test, conceptual knowledge test, metacognitive awareness questionnaire, problem-solving strategies awareness questionnaire, and attitudes toward mathematical word problem-solving questionnaire. Pre and posttest data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) followed by univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). Overall, the study found that the VStops approach had a positive impact on achievement, conceptual knowledge, metacognitive awareness, awareness of problem-solving strategies, and student attitudes toward mathematical word problem solving.

Keywords

mathematical word problems
thinking strategy approach
visual representation approach

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2014, Volume 10, Issue 3, 165-174

https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

Publication date: 15 Dec 2014

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How to cite this article

APA

Abdullah, N., Halim, L., & Zakaria, E. (2014). VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 10(3), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

Vancouver

Abdullah N, Halim L, Zakaria E. VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2014;10(3):165-74. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

AMA

Abdullah N, Halim L, Zakaria E. VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2014;10(3), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

Chicago

Abdullah, Nasarudin, Lilia Halim, and Effandi Zakaria. "VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2014 10 no. 3 (2014): 165-174. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

Harvard

Abdullah, N., Halim, L., and Zakaria, E. (2014). VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 10(3), pp. 165-174. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a

MLA

Abdullah, Nasarudin et al. "VStops: A Thinking Strategy and Visual Representation Approach in Mathematical Word Problem Solving toward Enhancing STEM Literacy". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 10, no. 3, 2014, pp. 165-174. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2014.1073a