Mathematical connection skills and their relationship with productive thinking among secondary school students

Abstract

In recent times, it has increasingly become imperative to demonstrate the function which mathematics plays in the different aspects of life in general, especially in terms of solving problems and decision-making. Mathematics is applied in solving different problems that individuals and society at large are faced with daily. Also, it plays a crucial role in the lives of students by enabling them to prepare for life challenges through the creation of positive interaction between the students and real-life situations, and the development of their mental capabilities in terms of problem-solving and creativity. It also helps them to be responsible and develop self-confidence. This research seeks to find out whether there is a correlation between the learners' ability to connect mathematics with its branches and other sciences, as well as to their daily lives and their ability to think productively. This is achieved using two statistical tests, whereby one of the tests is used in determining the mathematical connection skills possessed by the learners, while the other is employed to measure productive thinking among learners. A sample of 300 students in fourth-grade science from Baghdad was used for the study. The results of the analyses revealed that mathematical connection skill is positively correlated with productive thinking.