View in EDS PDF Full Text

The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Middle School Students' Problem-Solving Skills: The Content Area of Probability

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Middle School Students' Problem-Solving Skills: The Content Area of Probability
Language: English
Authors: Neslihan Usta (ORCID 0000-0003-2662-1975), Ali Özkaya (ORCID 0000-0002-6401-1839), Nihal Düzalan (ORCID 0000-0003-1891-8007)
Source: Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning. 2026 20(1).
Availability: Indiana University. 107 South Indiana Avenue, Bryan Hall 203B, Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; Web site: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ijpbl/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 38
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Junior High Schools
Middle Schools
Secondary Education
Elementary Education
Grade 8
Descriptors: Problem Based Learning, Problem Solving, Middle School Students, Grade 8, Foreign Countries, Teacher Role, Student Role, Probability, Mathematics Instruction
Geographic Terms: Turkey
ISSN: 1541-5015
Abstract: This study investigated the effect of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach on the problem-solving skills of middle school students as they learned about probability, a content area of eighth-grade curriculum. The research was carried out in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study group consisted of 39 eighth-grade students (14 female and 25 male students) studying at a middle school located in a province in the northern part of the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. Data collection tools included the equivalence test (ET), the problem-solving test (PST), the Semi-Structured Interview Form (SSIF), and scenarios and activities prepared for the experimental group (EG). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples and the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that the problem-solving skills of the EG students, who were taught using the PBL approach, were better than those of the control group (CG) students, who were taught using traditional expository teaching. Therefore, in mathematics teaching, PBL is the recommended approach to support students' problem-solving process in the mathematics curriculum.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506114
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
    Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwEo7RjG8Z1xIfcCpJBfaygzAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDPZrr7P4oaKa3G-cZAIBEICBm2TURR2jTlBudpXW_w4_4nnfbLSmmqwgQoheN8Hos4YTSooqTTkVecwDLwF9eO8DmF4Juv3M7X5chp-dxGMBcdipKdQvux5GOyFcJJSQ-JNdsKFdocnIPp7MCn2qw_-i4bjoDMwlq-EE8eR_QwTESWIMVmhzTlspujNMPbARxBTlVrWjA7Pm_YKHCvHbEgHcNYgWXuGhZjPklOp2
Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1506114
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506114
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Middle School Students' Problem-Solving Skills: The Content Area of Probability
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Neslihan+Usta%22">Neslihan Usta</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2662-1975">0000-0003-2662-1975</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ali+Özkaya%22">Ali Özkaya</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6401-1839">0000-0002-6401-1839</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nihal+Düzalan%22">Nihal Düzalan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1891-8007">0000-0003-1891-8007</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Interdisciplinary+Journal+of+Problem-based+Learning%22"><i>Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning</i></searchLink>. 2026 20(1).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Indiana University. 107 South Indiana Avenue, Bryan Hall 203B, Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; Web site: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/ijpbl/index
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 38
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Problem+Based+Learning%22">Problem Based Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Problem+Solving%22">Problem Solving</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+School+Students%22">Middle School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Role%22">Student Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Probability%22">Probability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Instruction%22">Mathematics Instruction</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Turkey%22">Turkey</searchLink>
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1541-5015
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study investigated the effect of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach on the problem-solving skills of middle school students as they learned about probability, a content area of eighth-grade curriculum. The research was carried out in the 2018-2019 academic year. The study group consisted of 39 eighth-grade students (14 female and 25 male students) studying at a middle school located in a province in the northern part of the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. Data collection tools included the equivalence test (ET), the problem-solving test (PST), the Semi-Structured Interview Form (SSIF), and scenarios and activities prepared for the experimental group (EG). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. Analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples and the Mann-Whitney U Test. The results showed that the problem-solving skills of the EG students, who were taught using the PBL approach, were better than those of the control group (CG) students, who were taught using traditional expository teaching. Therefore, in mathematics teaching, PBL is the recommended approach to support students' problem-solving process in the mathematics curriculum.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1506114
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506114
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 38
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Problem Based Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Problem Solving
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Middle School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 8
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Role
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Probability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Turkey
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Effect of Problem-Based Learning on Middle School Students' Problem-Solving Skills: The Content Area of Probability
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Neslihan Usta
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ali Özkaya
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Nihal Düzalan
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1541-5015
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 20
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning
              Type: main
ResultId 1