Mathematical Reasoning Skills of 7th Grade Students

Abstract

In order to make deductions, one has to conduct reasoning. Peresini and Webb state that reasoning consists of activities involving various styles of thinking. Students are capable of abstract thinking, as a consequence, during this period improvements are observed in students' success at mathematics. When students improve their reasoning skill; their ability to solve non-routine problems, with which they face for the first time in their lives, could also improve. The objective of the study is to determine the mathematical reasoning levels of 7th grade secondary school students. This research has been conducted during the first semester of the academic year of 2015-2016. We carried out the study by sampling method with a total of 95 students from the two provinces in the Black Sea region of Turkey selected by random. The case study, which is one of the qualitative research methods, has been employed as the method of this research. The obtained data has been analyzed through content analysis. In order to calculate the content validity of the study, the formula developed by Miles and Huberman has been used. Two problems developed by Erdem in his doctoral thesis have been used in this study. The problems applied have been evaluated through using the gradual rating scale of Marzano. The retrieved findings suggest that it is seen that in the problems given to the students for solving, a very small part of them has chosen the right strategy for solving the problem. Even though some of these students have chosen the right strategy, they have not succeeded in the implementation phase of the strategy. As a result, they were found unable to reach the right conclusion Extended Summary Purpose Teachers and students use their thinking skills in mathematics education. In order to make deductions, one has to conduct reasoning. Peresini and Webb (1999) state that reasoning consists of activities involving various styles of thinking. Students are capable of abstract thinking, as a consequence, during this period improvements are observed in students' success at mathematics. These problems will arise students' reasoning skills and it will help them discover the logical reasoning are in themselves. When students improve their reasoning skill; their ability to solve non-routine problems, with which they face for the first time in their lives, could also improve. Method