TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF POLYA’S TEACHING METHOD ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN THE SUBJECT OF MATHEMATICS AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

The current research study intended to determine Polya’s teaching method effectiveness on word problems and enhancing problem solving ability in mathematics of the students at secondary school level. Polya’s teaching method consist of four steps understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan and looking back respectively. Study objectives were: (i) To determine the effect of Polya’s Teaching Method on students’ academic achievement in the subject of Mathematics at secondary school level; (ii) To find out the effect of Polya’s Teaching Method on students’ Problem Solving ability in Mathematics at secondary school level. Equivalent group, pre-test post-test design was used in this study. Population of the study consists of all secondary school male students studying mathematics in public sector schools. Sample of 60 students of grade 9 were selected through simple random sampling technique from Government High Secondary School No.1 Nowshera Kalan. On the basis of pretest, using paired random sampling technique sample students were divided into experimental group and control group. For data collection pretest and posttest were used. Collected data were analyzed through mean, standard deviation, variance, dependent T-test and independent T-test. Study results illustrates that Polya’s teaching method had significant effect on problem solving ability in solving words problems in mathematics. It is also concluded that Polya’s teaching method had significant effect on the academic achievement of students in mathematical word problems at secondary level. The current study may be helpful for the secondary school students to develop their word problems solving ability in mathematics. It offers an alternate method of teaching for teacher to teach mathematics subject.