Developing the Skill of Associating Mathematics with Real Life Through Realistic Mathematics Education: An Action Research

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how to improve middle school 6th grade students' skill of associating mathematics with real life through Realistic Mathematics Education, which was reinforced with educational games, to determine the problems possible to be encountered in practice, and how to solve these problems in details. This study, designed as an action research, was carried out in mathematics lessons with totally 25 sixth grade students studying at the first and second semesters of 2018-2019 academic year in an official public secondary school in Adana-Turkey. In the analysis of quantitative data, t-test was used for dependent samples, and inductive and descriptive analysis within the scope of content analysis were performed for analyzing the qualitative data. According to the results, it was determined that Realistic Mathematics Education reinforced with educational games was efficient on increasing the skill of associating mathematics with real life.