THEORITICAL FAMEWORK NEW

There have been many research studies discussing the problem solving teaching

and its results. Verschaffel et al (1999) wrote that the problem solving instruction

given to the fourth and fifth grade students helped them solve mathematical

application problems and that the students could learn problem solving

strategies. Folmer (2000) wrote that in the fourth grade, the instruction on

nonroutine problems improved the students’ use of cognitive strategies and their

awareness of how they solved the problems. Pugale (2001) suggested that

successful high school students could be distinguished from others in terms of

Murat ALTUN Egitimde Kuram ve Uygulama Dilek Sezgin MEMNUN Journal

of Theory and Practice in Education 2008, 4 (2):213-238 © Çanakkale Onsekiz

Mart University, Faculty of Education. All rights reserved. © Çanakkale Onsekiz

Mart Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi. Bütün hakları saklıdır. 217 the ways they

focus on problems, organize data, make calculations and give meaning to the

results. Krutetski reported that in the sixth grade, the students who succeed in

solving non-routine problems are the ones who can analyze problems from

different perspectives before solving, make syntheses, generalize the solution

methods and benefit from solutions to similar problems (Niederer and Irwin,

2001). Pape and Wang (2003) had the result that successful secondary school

students are those who are able to determine their goals, make plans, control

their own behaviors, organize the places where they study and evaluate

themselves with the help of others. De Hoys, Gray and Simpson (2004) analyzed

the non-routine problem solving processes of two undergraduate students and

reported that the more successful student was the one who focused on

developing a method himself according to the qualities of the problem while the

other sought for a method to work in the solution only. Nancarrow (2004)

examined how the students solved the non-routine algebra problems in a lesson

based on a problem solving method designed to sustain the students’ heuristics

to solve the problems and their creativity. The study, which was conducted with

a control group, showed that there is a correlation between the success in solving

a problem and the knowledge of the basic concepts and methods about the

problem, and that the experimental instruction was useful for improving the

students’ cognitive strategies.

A. Cognitive Process Cognition is the study of how the mind works [15].

Cognitive processes are the mental processes of an individual. Many theories

based on cognitive development or processes were developed; the most cited

being those of Piaget and Vygostky. Research evidences suggested that the mind

has internal mental states such as beliefs, desires and intentions. Cognitive

processes may be understood in terms of information processing, especially

when a lot of abstraction or processes are involved. Several frameworks of

problem solving have been created. [16] four phase (understanding, planning,

carrying out the plan and looking back) description of problem solving

procedures is a prototype on which recent mathematical problem solving

research has been based. [11] argued that four factors (knowledge base; problem

solving strategies - heuristics; Control - monitoring and self-regulation; belief)

are necessary and sufficient for understanding the quality and success of the

problem solving attempts. Many other similar frameworks were generated [17]-

[19]. In this study, the framework proposed by [19] will be used to explore the
cognitive processes associated with problem solving and which she established

as follows: Reading: To understand each part of the problem to establish

relationships among the parts. Paraphrasing: To translate the linguistic

information in the problem by rephrasing or restating the problem. International

Journal of Learning and Teaching Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2017 © 2017 International

Journal of Learning and Teaching 46 doi: 10.18178/ijlt.3.1.46-50 Visualizing: to

process the linguistic and numerical information in a mathematical problem and

form internal representations in memory. Hypothesizing: to develop a solution

plan that is linked to the comprehension of the problem and the integration of

the problem information. Reading and representation strategies assist problem

solvers in deciding on a solution path. Estimating: to accurately predict an

outcome based on the question and the goal that was set. Computing: to perform

the correct operations and also recall the necessary mathematics fact for

accuracy. Checking: to verify both the process and the product.