Constructing an instrument to measure and evaluate problem-solving skills in elementary school students: A focus on mathematical word problem-solving

บทคัดย่อ

This study focused on developing and validating an instrument to assess
elementary school students’ abilities in solving mathematical word problems,
specifically targeting their skills in understanding, planning, applying strategies,
and evaluation. Using the ADDIE instructional design model, a 30-item multiple
choice test consisting of word problem-solving was administered to 500 fourth
grade students (252 males, 248 females, aged 9–11) from three schools in Depok,
Indonesia. Each of the 30 items was presented in a story-telling question format,
requiring students to read and comprehend a real-world mathematical scenario
before solving it. The questions were designed to test different cognitive aspects,
including the student’s ability to understand the problem, plan an appropriate
solution, apply mathematical strategies, and evaluate the correctness of their
solution. The validity and reliability of the instrument were analyzed using
Rasch analysis. Two trials were conducted. In Trial 1 (n = 200), the instrument
demonstrated high item reliability (0.96) but low person reliability (0.58), with
seven items identified as misfitting. Trial 2 (n = 300) showed an improvement
in person reliability (0.67) and sustained high item reliability (0.98), though
overfitting was observed. The results contribute to the creation of a valid and
reliable tool for assessing problem-solving abilities in mathematical word
problems. The findings emphasize the importance of targeted interventions to
enhance students’ problem-solving skills, offering insights for improving teaching
and assessment practices. This research adds to the development of assessment
instruments in mathematical problem-solving and deepens the understanding of
elementary students’ problem-solving abilities.