Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Journal of Alternative Education Studies , cilt.6, sa.2, ss.1-25, 2021 (Hakemli Dergi)
Design thinking skill is perhaps the most directly related thinking skill of mathematical
thinking skill, because design thinking contains a strong problem-solving process in
itself. In this study, it was aimed to provide students to avoid thinking about mathematics
only procedurally or instrumentally and to introduce them to mathematical studying
methods and mental habits. Therefore, tasks were chosen that would encourage students
to think and design using real-life mathematical elements and thus encourage effective
mathematical thinking. According to Freudenthal, the theorist of the Realistic
Mathematics Education, mathematics should be related to the social life of students, close
to their experiences, relevant to the society they live in, and compatible with human
values. The research is designed as “action research” which is one of the qualitative
research methods. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method.
Edmodo software was used as an electronic portfolio. Activities were prepared within
the framework of RME approach. The responses are given by the students to those
activities distributed when examined under 5 main headings: designing products,
expressing the mathematical opinions clearly, using the mathematical knowledge, the
research skills and the originality. These criteria generated after taking an expert opinion,
subjected to qualitative analysis and interpreted. Consequently, it can be concluded that
the educational process which is carried out with design-based activities provides
learning, and is relevant to daily life, is interesting and is motivating. The integration of
face-to-face teaching with technology and online approaches also help teachers manage
design-based activities in a more effective way.