Determinants of problem solving performance

basis for mathematical model development

Abstract

This study aimed to look into the determinants of problem solving performance among the pre-service mathematics teachers with the end view of developing a mathematical model. Specifically, it looked for the description of the pre-service mathematics teachers in terms of the following variables: epistemological belief, motivation, curiosity, cognition, and metacognition; level of problem solving performance, relationship of the predictor variables under study and the mathematics problem solving performance, best predictor of mathematics problem solving if taken singly or in combination. Mathematical model was developed as output of the study. A researcher-made questionnaire and test were the instruments used in gathering the data needed in the correlational research. Purposive sampling method was used to obtain the 118 pre-service mathematics teachers who served as respondents. The statistical tools used were weighted mean , mean and standard deviation, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The study revealed that the pre-service mathematics teachers had strong epistemological belief, strong motivational belief, belief in curiosity, belief in cognitive style and metacognitive learning style as reflected in strong agreement with those variables. It also revealed that the pre-service mathematics teachers had average performance in mathematics problem solving as shown in the result in problem solving performance test. Findings also revealed that the problem solving performance was significantly related to epistemological belief, curiosity, cognitive and metacognitive learning style. When taken singly, the best predictor among those variables was the epistemological belief and when in combination, their epistemological belief, cognitive and the metacognitive learning style gave the best results. As a result of this study, a mathematical PSP model was produced to enhance the mathematics problem solving performance of pre-service mathematics teachers.