Effect of Organizing Mathematics Learning Activities Using Active Learning and Diagnostic Test on Mathematics Achievement and Mathematical Problem-Solving Ability of Grade 6 Students

Abstract

The research aimed to 1) construct and find the efficiency of mathematics learning activity organizing plans using active learning and diagnosis of learning deficiency which affect mathematics learning achievement and mathematical problem-solving ability of grade 6 students. The plans were constructed so as to meet the benchmark criterion of 80/80; 2) to compare the pre-learning achievement with the post-learning achievement in mathematics learning; 3) to compare the pre-learning problem-solving ability with the post-learning problem-solving ability in mathematics learning; 4) to find the effectiveness index of mathematics active learning associated with diagnosis of mathematics learning deficiency; and 5) to study the achievement motivation in learning mathematics. The sample consisted of 34 grade 6 students of Tessaban Warinwichachart School in the 1^st semester of the academic year 2019, obtained through cluster random sampling. A pre-experimental design focusing on one group pretest posttest design was carried out. The research tools were: (1) mathematics learning activities organizing plans using active learning and diagnosis of mathematics learning deficiency, with a field test effectiveness value (1:100) of 81.63/81.77; (2) a mathematics achievement test with the IOC from 0.80 to 1.00, the difficulty from 0.21 to 0.79, the discrimination from 0.20 to 0.87, and the reliability of 0.82; (3) a mathematics problem solving ability test with the IOC of 1.00 for all items, the difficulty from 0.59 to 0.63, the discrimination from 0.43 to 0.55, and the reliability of 0.96; (4) 7 diagnostic tests for mathematics learning deficiency with the IOC of 1.00 for all items, the difficulty from 0.23 to 0.78, the discrimination from 0.21 to 0.84, and the reliability of all tests from 0.77 to 0.85; (5) a desirable characteristics evaluation form with the IOC of 1.00 for all items; (6) a performance observation form with the IOC of 1.00 for all items; (7) exercises for each leaning activity plan with the IOC of 1.00 for all items, the difficulty from 0.53 to 0.75, the discrimination from 0.31 to 0.69, and the reliability of 0.91; (8) 7 posttests with the IOC from 0.80 to 1.00, the difficulty from 0.21 to 0.80, the discrimination from 0.20 to 0.94, and the reliability of all tests from 0.79 to 0.88; and

(9) an achievement motivation test for learning mathematics with the IOC of 1.00 for all items, the discrimination from 0.21 to 0.91, and the reliability of 0.98. The data analysis employed percentage, the mean, standard deviation, and t-test for hypothesis testing. The findings were:

1. The efficiency of the mathematics learning activity organizing plans using active learning and diagnosis of learning deficiency which affect mathematics learning achievement and mathematical problem-solving ability of grade 6 students was 81.88/82.35.

2. The comparison of the pre-learning achievement with the post-learning achievement in mathematics learning revealed that the post-learning achievement was higher, with statistical significance at the .01 level.

3. The comparison of the pre-learning problem-solving ability with the post-learning problem solving ability in mathematics learning revealed that the post-learning problem- solving ability was higher, with statistical significance at the .01 level.

4. The effectiveness index of the mathematics learning using active learning and diagnostic test was 0.5823, indicating that the students’ knowledge had been improved at 0.5823 or 58.23%.

5. The achievement motivation in mathematics learning of grade 6 students as a whole and on each aspect was at a high level. Ranked in descending order, the top 3 aspects were as follows: enthusiasm, risk taking and ambition. Meanwhile, planning ranked the lowest.