The Effect of Educational Software on Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Skill

This study aimed to examine the effect of educational software on 3rd-grade elementary-school students’ mathematical problem-solving skill. This was a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, controlled study. The statistical population comprised all 3rd-grade elementary-school male students in District 4 of Karaj (Iran) in the academic year 2018-2019. A sample was selected via convenience sampling, and the participants were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (20 each). On pretest, two tests of “numerical analysis” and “attention and concentration” (Wechsler test) and a researcher-made problem-solving skill test were administered. Then, the experimental group received eight 40-minute sessions of software training, while the control group received the class’s routine education. Finally, both groups took the posttest. The data were analyzed via univariate analysis of covariance and independent samples t-test. After the experimental intervention, the two groups demonstrated a significant difference (p < 0.001) at three levels of “problem-solving speed”, “attention and concentration”, and “numerical analysis”. The two groups also showed a significant difference at the level of “problem-solving strategy identification” (p < 0.05). Accordingly, the role of educational media, and especially educational software, can be highlighted in promoting students’ learning and mathematical problem-solving skill.