The effect of time on difficulty of learning (The case of problem solving with natural numbers)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to determine the time-dependent learning difficulty of "solving problems that require making four operations with natural numbers" of the sixth grade students. The study, adopting the scanning model, consisted of a total of 140 students, including 69 female and 71 male students at the sixth grade. Data was collected using an assessment tool consisting of 12 open-ended questions. The findings show that the learning group consisting of 140 students was behind the value that is closest to the full learning level by a score of 0.011. While the female students reached the lower limit of 0.989 specified for the full learning level in a period of 2.55 course hours, the male students reached this limit in 2.87 course hours. The learning amount of 0.999, which is the closest value to the full learning level, was reached by the learning group in a period of 6.1 course hours, the female students in 5.65 course hours, and the male students in 6.71 course hours. In addition to this, the data obtained showed that learning difficulties belonging to the learning groups decreased as the space below the curve of time and learning amount decreased. As a result of the study, it was recommended that it is possible to determine the closest course hours for the full learning level for each of the gains included in all levels of education and all teaching programs