Improving Problem Solving Performance Through Varied Teaching Approaches: A Meta-Analysis

Researchers and educators in the field of Mathematics sought changes on how to improve the problem solving performance of students. The main purpose of this study was to describe the different researches or studies on improving the students’ problem solving performance in Mathematics through varied teaching approaches using Glass Meta – analysis technique. This study used the purposive sampling design. The reviewed studies were 43 experimental studies both unpublished and published online dissertations, theses and journal articles from 2002– 2017. These  studies were qualified based on the inclusion criteria set by the researcher. The effect size was computed using the Glass’ formula.  Results revealed that among the research designs Solomon Four Group design had a huge mean effect size of 2.51. In terms of the level of participants, secondary pupils had a very large mean effect size of 1.48. The number of participants ranging from 181 to 240 had a very large mean effect size of 1.45. Simple random sampling technique had a very large mean effect size of 1.51. The four different teaching approaches have their own impact to the problem solving performance of the pupils. While the use of cooperative learning approach with a mean effect size of 1.46 (?=1.46), would yield the greatest impact, technology – oriented approach (?=1.09), practical work approach (?=1.03) and problem solving heuristics approach (?=1.10), could also help the students to improve their problem solving performance. It implies that the Therefore, these approaches may be used as alternatives in teaching mathematics.