THE IMPACT OF OLYMPIADS AND PRACTICAL TASKS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH SKILLS IN MATHEMATICS

Abstract

We adhere to the idea that there is a connection and mutual influence between the triad of concepts of research skills, Olympic tasks in mathematics, and tasks with practical content. Solving non-standard mathematical problems can be the key to the successful formation and development of research skills, especially for gifted students. In this study, we sought to answer the following research questions related to empirical studies of the development of research skills of 9th grade students in mathematics classes conducted in classroom situations in secondary schools: 1. How is the student's research skills conceptualized? 2. Which tasks, Olympiad tasks or tasks with practical content, have a greater impact on the development of students' research skills? 3. How is a student's research skills researched or measured? The theoretical part of the study was a systematic review of scientific articles and thematic literature, which served as the basis for defining the concept of research skills in the context of school education. The practical part of the study included several stages: determining the research method and the method of measuring students' research skills, determining the sample of participants in the pedagogical experiment, conducting classes and methodological activities for the development of research skills in the 9th grade. The experiment was conducted for six months at the specialized gymnasium No. 8 with instruction in three languages named after Mukhamed Haidar Dulati in Shymkent. The validity of the scale for measuring students' research skills and two control tests is confirmed by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The results of the pedagogical experiment show a significant increase in research skills in a short period of time among students in both the first and second groups, who were engaged in solving Olympiad problems and separately solving problems with practical content.