Sci. Int.

(Lahore),34(2),101-109,2022 ISSN 1013-5316;CODEN: SINTE 8 101

ENHANCING STUDENTS’ PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS AND

ENGAGEMENT IN MATHEMATICS LEARNING THROUGH
CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION
*
Cambaya, Edenly Jane D; Tan, Denis A
Science Education Department, Central Mindanao University, University Town, Musuan, Bukidnon, 8710 Philippines
Correspondence Tel.: +639177103100, *Email: [email protected]
ABSTRACT: Contextualized teaching and learning, otherwise called "Contextualized Instruction" (CI), is a methodology that
includes dynamic students in the learning process to investigate ideas acquired through the students’ information and
experience. This study was conducted to: determine the students’ problem-solving skills and engagement towards
mathematics; determine the level of students’ problem-solving skills before and after exposure to Contextualized Instruction
(CI); ascertain the level of students’ engagement towards mathematics before and after exposure to contextualized instruction;
identify the difference in the students’ problem-solving skills before and after the exposure to CI; and compare the difference
in the students’ engagement before and after the exposure to CI. A mixed-method sequential explanatory research design was
employed in the study. It was conducted at Loyola High School, Don Carlos, Bukidnon. Students in Grade 8 were the research
participants of the study. Results showed that students’ problem-solving skills during the pretest were very low, and during the
posttest and retention tests they showed high problem-solving skills. Moreover, there was an improvement in students'
problem-solving skills based on the mean scores on the posttest and retention tests. Students’ mathematics engagement levels
in cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains were high at levels before and after the treatment. Thus, there is a significant
difference in the students’ problem-solving skills before and after exposure to CI. Additionally, there is a significant difference
in the students’ engagement in mathematics before and after the exposure to CI.
Keywords: problem-solving skills, mathematics engagement, contextualized Instruction
1. INTRODUCTION requires an effective teaching strategy to make it possible.
Mathematics is both exciting and challenging. It is essential Can contextualized instruction help in developing students'
in our everyday life. To grasp the meaning of mathematics, it engagement? This question remains unanswered. Every
is just as vital to comprehend a problem as it is to solve it. It mathematics learning activity demands students to convey
is widely held that problem-solving skills enable people to knowledge from the teacher, build the capacity they require
readily overcome obstacles in their daily lives. One who can and participate directly in gaining knowledge. Student
solve problems is a self-assured, creative, and autonomous engagement in learning will be supported in achieving
thinker. learning objectives. Students will gain helpful information
Filipino students still have a lot to develop in their problem- that will improve their learning outcomes and achievements.
solving skills. As a matter of fact, Trends in International Student engagement in the learning process is measured by
Mathematics and Science Study reported that only 19% of three (3) domains: cognitive engagement, affective
Filipino students were on the low benchmark, which means engagement, and behavioral engagement.
that they had "some basic mathematical knowledge," while Effective teaching means that worthwhile mathematical tasks
81% did not even reach this level [1]. Researchers finding has are used to introduce critical mathematical ideas and
shown that 40% of their respondents are below the intellectually engage and challenge students [30]. Thus, the
satisfactory level in translating worded problems due to the researcher seeks to find an intervention that could remediate
following difficulties: carelessness, lack of comprehension, teachers' and students' teaching and learning problems in
interchanging values, and unfamiliar words [2]. It mathematics. She endeavored to employ strategies to improve
demonstrates that students are only concerned with solving the teaching process and improve students' problem-solving
routine problems and prioritize following a step-by-step skills and engagement in mathematics, hence, this
approach rather than meaningful learning. investigation.
The ability to solve problems is at the heart of human This study would focus on the effectiveness of
development. Individuals' problem-solving skills and the Contextualized Instruction (CI) because it emphasizes
problem-solving process are essential components of their applying such skills and information in a context. Through
daily lives. The primary purpose of teaching mathematics is contextualized instruction, students are actively engaged in
to enable students to solve problems in daily life [3]. Solving learning while assisting them to make meaning out of the
mathematical problems is a goal in mathematics education information they are obtaining [31]. Students gain this level
and is useful in everyday life. of understanding by putting their knowledge into practice.
While the usefulness of teaching students problem-solving Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine and measure
skills in mathematics has largely been acknowledged [4, 5, 6, the effectiveness of contextualized instruction in improving
7], questions regarding how students engage in mathematics the problem-solving skills and engagement of Grade 8
learning remain unanswered. Several studies had been students in mathematics virtual learning.
conducted on students’ conceptual change or understanding
[8, 9], teachers' skills [10-14] contemporary pedagogies [15- 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
25] and other student factors predicting performance [26-29]. The study assessed the problem-solving skills and
But still, it is a challenge for a mathematics teacher to make engagement in mathematics learning through CI at Loyola
students highly engaged in learning mathematics. Thus, it High School for SY 2021-2022. The study made use of a
102 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 Sci.Int.(Lahore),32(2),101-109 ,2022
mixed-method sequential explanatory research design was level of the students’ problem-solving skills and engagement
employed in the study. For the quantitative collection of data, in mathematics. After all the topics were covered, a posttest
a one-shot pretest-posttest was used to determine the effect of (same content as the pretest) was given to determine the
CI on students' problem-solving skills and engagement in a students’ level of problem-solving skills. The same
mathematics class. A homogeneous class was exposed to the engagement scale questionnaire was administered to
intervention. A pretest-posttest design was used to determine determine the engagement level of the students. The retention
the significant difference in students' problem-solving skills test was then administered a week after the posttest was
and engagement when exposed to CI. given. Then, an analysis of the quantitative data was
Before starting the experiment, the class was given a 34-item conducted.
teacher-made pretest and the Engagement Scale After all the tests and quantitative data analysis were done,
Questionnaire to verify their background on the topics and selected students were interviewed via Google Meet to gather
check their level of engagement in the subject prior to the qualitative data.
conduct of the strategy. After the pretest, the students were The data collected were tabulated and analyzed using
exposed to contextualized instruction and given a posttest appropriate statistical tools using the software. Descriptive
after the intervention. Seven (7) days after the posttest was statistics like mean, standard deviation, frequency, and
the conduct of the retention test. Then an analysis of the percentage were used to answer the questions on the
quantitative data was conducted. descriptive levels. A paired-sample t-test was used to
After the analysis, participants for the qualitative data determine the significant difference in the students’ problem-
collection were identified based on their scores on the pretest solving skills and engagement in mathematics. Content
and posttest in problem-solving and engagement level. The analysis was used to analyze whether the qualitative data
interview was conducted through a web interview via Google makes sense and supports the quantitative data collected.
Meet. Qualitative results were used to further explain this The following rating scale was used to better understand the data:
Score Range Descriptive rating Interpretation
study's quantitative findings, as put forward in the statement 40 – 50 90%-100% Outstanding Very high problem-solving skills
of the problem and objectives. 36 – 39 85%-89% Very Satisfactory High problem-solving skills
There were two (2) instruments used to gather the 30 – 35 80%-84% Satisfactory Moderate problem-solving skills
25 – 29 75%-79% Fairly Satisfactory Low problem-solving skills
quantitative data, namely, the validated teacher-made test and 0 – 24 74% and Did not meet Very low problem-
student engagement questionnaire. A validated teacher-made below expectations solving skills
test was used to measure the level of students’ problem-
Rating Scale Descriptive Rating Qualitative Interpretation
solving skills with 34 items covering the topics in the first 5 4.51 – 5.0 Strongly agree Strongly High Engagement
quarter of grade 7 mathematics: 30 items multiple choice; and 4 3.51 – 4.50 Agree High Engagement
3 2.51 – 3.50 Undecided Slightly High Engagement
4 items problem-solving. Items were scored 1 for every 2 1.51 – 2.50 Disagree Low Engagement
correct response, and 0 if otherwise for the multiple-choice 1 1.00 – 1.51 Strongly disagree Very Low Engagement
and 5 for every correct solution for the problem solving, and
0 if otherwise a total of 50 points. Another instrument used in 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
the study was Mathematics Student-report Engagement This section presents the analysis and interpretation of data
Scales. It is a 26-item Likert scale with items answered on a gathered from the respondents, which are relevant for testing
five-point scale, from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The the hypotheses of the study. Tables and other figures are also
scale consists of three domains: cognitive engagement, shown in this chapter to give a convenient analysis of the
behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement. The said data. The order of presentation follows the sequence of the
scale underwent a reliability test. Cronbach’s alpha objectives identified in the study.
coefficients for cognitive, behavioral, and affective
3.1 Students’ problem-solving skills
engagement scales were 0.76, 0.82, and 0.80, respectively. A
Table 1 presents the level of problem-solving skills of
reverse scoring procedure was done for a negative statement.
students in their pretest, indicating the frequency and
Additionally, the instrument used to gather the qualitative
percentage of the scores and qualitative interpretation.
data was the 3-item interview questions. Table 1. Level of Students’ problem-solving skills in the pretest
The participants of this study were divided into two sets: the Range CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION Qualitative Description
whole homogeneous class, composed of fifty-three (53) F = 53 %
90% - 100% 0 0% Very High Problem-Solving Skills
Grade 8 students from Loyola High School who were 85% - 89% 0 0% High Problem Solving Skills
officially enrolled in School Year 2021–2022 during the first 80% - 84% 2 4% Moderate Problem Solving Skills
quarter, and six (6) students from the whole homogeneous 75% - 79% 0 0% Low Problem Solving Skills
74% and below 51 96% Very Low Problem-Solving Skills
class, interviewed based on their mean difference (MD) score Mean = 20.75 (Very Low Problem-Solving Skills)
in problem-solving and engagement; one (1) highest MD, one As illustrated in table 1, 96% of the students had very low
(1) zero MD or close to zero, and one (1) lowest MD or problem-solving skills in the pretest, and 4% had moderate
negative MD. problem-solving skills. The group had a mean score of 20.75,
A designed lesson plan for utilizing contextualized equivalent to a mean percentage score (MPS) of 39.16, which
instruction was followed and validated by a mathematics indicates that the scores of the students did not meet the
teacher and the school principal. This intervention used a expectations or had very low problem-solving skills. The
real-life application in every lesson taught to the students. researcher discovered that participants could not solve the
Prior to instruction, the pretest and engagement scale questions well through a deep checking of the students’
questionnaires were administered to determine the initial
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Sci. Int.(Lahore),34(2),101-109,2022 ISSN 1013-5316;CODEN: SINTE 8 103
written works, which were the solutions to pretest questions. Table 2. Students’ Level of Problem Solving Skills in the posttest.
They could not give a complete solution to each question and Range CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION Qualitative Description
F = 53 %
could not answer all the pretest questions. Figure 1 shows the 90% - 100% 35 66% Very High Problem-Solving Skills
pretest solutions of some students. 85% - 89% 11 20% High Problem Solving Skills
80% - 84% 4 8% Moderate Problem Solving Skills
75% - 79% 1 2% Low Problem Solving Skills
74% and below 2 4% Very Low Problem Solving Skills
Mean = 45.26 (High Problem Solving Skills)
The table shows that in the posttest, 66% of the students had
very high problem-solving skills, 20% had high problem-
solving skills, 8% had moderate problem-solving skills, 2%
had low problem-solving skills, and 4% had very low
problem-solving skills. The group obtained a mean score of
45.26, equivalent to an MPS of 85.40%, indicating a result of
high problem-solving skills. The data implies that 96% of the
students passed the posttest, which means that they scored
above 75% on the problem-solving test. Moreover, the MPS
conveys that students obtained high problem-solving scores
after exposure to CI.
The students could still remember the topics discussed in the
first quarter, specifically: factors of polynomials and rational
algebraic expressions. The students indicate that they learned
more from the lessons after exposure to CI, as follows:
“Uhmm. I learned a lot from the topics discussed. I also
like the way the teacher delivers the lesson because it is
based on our experiences and real-life situations. Now, I
Figure 1. Students’ problem-solving written outputs (pretest) finally understand rational algebraic expressions.”
-Participant 1
Students have a little background on some of the topics since “Giganahan ko mag tuon ug math karun. Giganahan ko
they encountered algebraic expressions in 7th grade, but they sa strategy gigamit sa teacher. Ni arang-arang akong
could not solve them correctly. The interview responses of skills sa pag solve” (I enjoyed learning math this time. I
the participants elaborated on their written outputs as follows: like the strategy that the teacher employed. My skills in
"Uhmm.. Before pa sa klase, familiar lang ko sa algebraic solving had improved.)
expressions kay naagian nako sa grade 7 pero dili kaayo -Participant 2
ko kablo mo solve kay dili ko kabalo mag analyze sa Participants 1 and 2 claimed that they liked the teacher’s
problem. Ug sa uban topics, dili ko familiar" (Before the discussion because it was based on their personal experiences
start of the class, I am familiar with algebraic expressions and real-life situations. These interview responses also
since I encountered them in my 7th grade but I cannot elaborate on the beauty of CI being utilized by the teacher in
solve them because I don't know how to analyze them. And
teaching the subjects. Although before the implementation,
I am not familiar with the other topics.)
-Participant 1
most of the students had very low problem-solving skills, as
“Naa koy idea gamay sa mga topics. Kadumdum ko kay indicated in table 1, after the intervention, students had
na discuss ni sa among grade 7” (I have few ideas about achieved passing scores, as shown in their posttest scores.
the topics. I have remembered it since it has been This result shows a change in students’ problem-solving
discussed in Grade 7.) skills. Figure 2 shows the pretest and posttest solutions of a
-Participant 2 student.
The students’ prior knowledge was the basis for the results of Pretest
their pretest. However, learning competencies were not met
by the students. Students’ performance level in the pretest
was deficient as previously observed [32]. Moreover, these
findings are expected due to the insufficient basic foundation
of students. More so, they have no foundation for the
concepts yet. Similarly, students’ poor performance in
mathematical problem-solving is due to the lack of
mathematical skills needed to solve problems, and they do
Posttest
not know how to apply these skills to particular problem
situations [33].
Table 2 presents the students’ levels of problem-solving skills
in their posttest, indicating the frequency, percentage of
scores, and qualitative interpretation.

Figure 2. Sample student’s output in problem-solving (pretest

vs. posttest)
104 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 Sci.Int.(Lahore),32(2),101-109 ,2022
As reflected in Figure 2, the student was able to get a correct difference of 0.07 in the mean posttest scores. As responded
answer during the posttest as expected. Moreover, as claimed by the students during the interview, the increase can be
in the interview, this change is attributed to the CI used by explained by the strategy employed by the teacher, which
the teacher. This is the main reason why students have they liked because they could relate to it.
absorbed the ideas or concepts that result in them having a The result conforms to the study [33] which observed that
better score than on their pretest. those students exposed to an exciting teaching strategy like
However, two (2) students still have very low problem- the enhanced gradual release of responsibility instructional
solving skills. Based on the interview conducted, the students model (EGRRIM) improved their problem-solving skills in
do not have a good foundation in mathematics and are not the posttest and retention test. A similar study revealed that
good at analyzing problems. students performed better in the posttest and retention tests
“Hmm. Ma’am, bugok gyud ko ug math ma’am. [36]. It is also supported by research results that students
Bisan unsaon nako ug paminaw kadjut ra nako exposed to different teaching environments showed increased
ma dumduman. Malimtan na dayun nako. content in knowledge and higher retention after the treatment
Nindotan ko sa atong klase mam pero di ko ka [37].
answer inig mag test nata. Di sad ko kabalo mag Students’ Engagement in Mathematics
analyze ug problem” (I am not good in math, Every mathematics learning activity demands students to
ma’am. No matter how hard I tried to listen, I convey knowledge from the teacher and build the capacity
could still forget it. I like our class ma’am but I they require and participate directly in gaining knowledge.
cannot answer in the assessment. Also, I don’t Engagement in Mathematics is used to verify that CI can help
know how to analyze problem.) maximize the learning towards the subject.
-Participant 6 The research started by identifying the students’ level of
As explained by Participant 6, he is not good at mathematics. problem-solving skills. This was done through Mathematics
He tried his best to remember the concepts but could not Student-report Engagement Scales [37]. The scale consists of
possibly do it. Indeed, some factors could explain the low three domains: cognitive engagement, affective engagement,
problem-solving skills of students. Yet, the most significant and behavioral engagement. The results of the engagement of
challenges students face in solving mathematical problems students in Mathematics before and after exposure to
stem from a lack of understanding of the problem in terms of contextualized instruction are shown in tables 4 and 5.
their ability to analyze the problem and identify the given and
their ability to remember [34]. Students’ Engagement in Mathematics before the
Nevertheless, the majority of the participants improved their Intervention
scores in the posttest. Improvement is expected because they Table 4 shows the mean scores of the students’ engagement
now know the concept. However, it is noteworthy to mention in mathematics before the intervention. Before the
that one of the reasons students tend to remember their intervention, five items in the cognitive engagement have
lessons and obtain high posttest scores is the use of CI, as higher means which are the following: "I try to connect what
elaborated by Participants 1 and 2. These findings are I am learning to things I have learned before" (4.21), "I try to
supported by researchers, who found that groups of students understand my mistakes when get something wrong" (4.21),
exposed to different teaching environments increased their "I go through the work for math class and make sure that it's
content knowledge and had higher posttest scores after the right" (4.15), "I think about different ways to solve a
treatment [19]. Additionally, students’ problem-solving skills problem" (4.13), and "I would rather be told the answer than
improved after the treatment [35]. have to do the work*" (3.60), which are all qualitatively
Table 3 presents the level of students’ problem-solving skills described as high engagement. On the other hand, three
in their retention test, indicating the frequency, percentage of negatively-stated items in the cognitive engagement category
scores, and qualitative interpretation. Data shows that 68% of fall into the slightly high engagement level. The overall mean
students had very high problem-solving skills, 19% had high in cognitive engagement is 3.75, indicating that students had
problem-solving skills, 7% had moderate problem-solving high engagement before the intervention.
skills, 2% had low problem-solving skills, and 4% had very Based on the results, students displayed an eagerness to learn
low problem-solving skills. Retention test results showed mathematics. They are willing to solve mathematical
high problem-solving skills of the students having a mean problems in different ways and connect their learning with
percentage score of 85.33. what has been learned. Despite their perception that
Table 3. Level of students' problem-solving skills in the retention test. mathematics is a complicated subject, they are actively
Range CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTION Qualitative Description engaged in mathematics.
F = 53 %
90% - 100% 36 68% Very High Problem-Solving Skills Table 4 also reveals that students had a high engagement in
85% - 89% 10 19% High Problem Solving Skills the affective domain. Only one item falls into a slightly high
80% - 84% 4 7% Moderate Problem Solving Skills
75% - 79% 1 2% Low Problem-Solving Skills engagement, which is "I often feel frustrated in math class.*"
74% and below 2 4% Very Low Problem-Solving Skills The overall mean for affective engagement is 3.94, indicating
Mean = 45.23 (High Problem-Solving Skills)
that students had a high engagement. Hence, the students
The result suggests that students, when exposed to CI, had a displayed comfort during mathematics class. They enjoyed
better capability of retaining or holding the essential concepts learning and solving mathematics.
or ideas previously learned. Moreover, students’ problem-
solving skills were sustained in the retention test with a slight
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Sci. Int.(Lahore),34(2),101-109,2022 ISSN 1013-5316;CODEN: SINTE 8 105
Table 4. Students’ engagement in Mathematics before intervention the behavioral sense. It is also evident that students put effort
Qualitative into learning mathematics, despite its complexity.
Indicators Mean
Description
COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT
Finally, the overall mean of engagement based on the three
I try to connect what I am learning to things I have 4.21 Agree (3) domains is 3.96, indicating that students had a high
learned before. engagement in mathematics. This implies further that
I try to understand my mistakes when getting 4.21 Agree
something wrong. students' engagement in the cognitive, affective, and
I go through the work for math class and make sure 4.15 Agree behavioral domains was high even prior to the intervention.
that it's right.
Students were highly engaged and enjoyed learning and
I think about different ways to solve a problem. 4.13 Agree
solving mathematics.
I would rather be told the answer than have to do 3.60 Agree
the work.*
The result of this study is supported by a similar study
When work is hard I only study the easy parts.* 3.42 Undecided conducted by researchers [38] when they found that students
Do just enough to get by.* 3.40 Undecided had high engagement levels even before the intervention.
I don't think that hard when I am doing work for
2.91 Undecided
However, it contradicts the findings on students having low
class.*
engagement levels before the intervention [39].
Pooled Mean 3.75 Agree
Students’ Engagement in Mathematics after the Intervention.
Table 5 presents the mean scores of the students’ engagement
AFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT in Mathematics before the intervention. As shown, among the
I don't care about learning math.* 4.38 Agree 26 indicators: the students rated “strongly agree” on the ten
I want to understand what is learned in math class. 4.34 Agree (10) items, “agree” on the fourteen (14) items, and
I enjoy learning new things about math. 4.11 Agree “undecided” on the two (2) items.
I look forward to math class. 4.09 Agree After the intervention, four items with higher means in the
I don't want to be in math class.* 4.00 Agree cognitive domain are the following: "I go through the work
I get worried when I learn new things about math.* 4.00 Agree for math class and make sure that it's right" (4.64), "I try to
I think that math class is boring.* 3.83 Agree understand my mistakes when getting something wrong"
I often feel down when I am in math class.* 3.81 Agree
(4.58). "I think about different ways to solve a problem"
(4.57), and "I try to connect what I am learning to things I
I feel good when I am in math class. 3.74 Agree
have learned before" (4.51).
I often feel frustrated in math class.* 3.08 Undecided
Table5 4. Students’ engagement in Mathematics after intervention
Pooled Mean 3.94 Agree Qualitative
Indicators Mean
BEHAVIORAL ENGAGEMENT Description
COGNITIVE ENGAGEMENT
If I don't understand, I give up right away.* 4.43 Agree
I keep trying even if something is hard. 4.42 Agree I go through the work for math class and make sure 4.64 Strongly Agree
that it's right.
I stay focused. 4.23 Agree
I try to understand my mistakes when get something 4.58 Strongly Agree
I put effort into learning math. 4.23 Agree wrong.
I think about different ways to solve a problem. 4.57 Strongly Agree
I complete my homework on time. 4.11 Agree
I try to connect what I am learning to things I have 4.51 Strongly Agree
I do other things when I am supposed to be paying learned before.
4.02 Agree
attention.*
I would rather be told the answer than have to do the 3.79 Agree
Don't participate in class.* 4.19 Agree work.*
I talk about math outside of class. 3.87 Agree When work is hard I only study the easy parts.* 3.68 Agree
Do just enough to get by.* 3.55 Agree
Pooled Mean 4.19 Agree I don't think that hard when I am doing work for
3.36 Undecided
class.*
Overall Mean 3.96 Agree Pooled Mean 4.08 Agree
* negative indicators (scoring is reversed)
Legend:
Scale Range Descriptive Rating Qualitative Interpretation AFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT
5 4.51-5.00 Strong agree Strongly high engagement
4 3.51-4.50 Agree High engagement I don't care about learning math.* 4.53 Strongly Agree
3 2.51-3.50 Undecided Slightly high engagement
2 1.51-2.50 Disagree Low engagement
I don't want to be in math class.* 4.42 Agree
1 1.00-1.50 Strongly disagree Very low engagement I look forward to math class. 4.34 Agree
I want to understand what is learned in math class. 4.30 Agree
Moreover, in behavioral engagement, all items fall into the
I enjoy learning new things about math. 4.23 Agree
high-level engagement. The overall mean for behavioral
I get worried when I learn new things about math.* 4.13 Agree
engagement is 4.19. Thus, it shows that students had high
I think that math class is boring.* 4.02 Agree
engagement before the intervention. Students do not give up
I feel good when I am in math class. 3.98 Agree
right away, even if they do not understand the topic (4.43).
They keep on trying, even if something is hard (4.42). They I often feel down when I am in math class.* 3.96 Agree

stay focused and put the effort into learning mathematics I often feel frustrated in math class.* 3.40 Undecided
(4.23). They complete their homework on time (4.11) and pay Pooled Mean 4.13 Agree
attention (4.02) during mathematics class, although they talk
less about mathematics outside the class (3.87). The results BEHAVIORAL ENGAGEMENT
reveal that students are engaged in learning mathematics in I talk about math outside of class. 4.72 Strongly Agree
If I don't understand, I give up right away.* 4.57 Strongly Agree
106 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 Sci.Int.(Lahore),32(2),101-109 ,2022
I stay focused. 4.53 Strongly Agree something is hard, they stay focused and put effort into
I put effort into learning math. 4.53 Strongly Agree learning mathematics and other subjects.
I keep trying even if something is hard. 4.51 Strongly Agree Finally, the overall mean of the three domains is 4.21,
I do other things when I am supposed to be paying
4.32 Agree
indicating a high engagement level after the intervention.
attention.*
Behavioral engagement has a higher mean than cognitive and
Don't participate in class.* 4.28 Agree
affective domains. Students were more likely to be engaged
I complete my homework on time. 4.08 Agree
in the behavioral sense.
Pooled Mean 4.44 Agree This confirms that mean scores of the students on
engagement increased after the intervention [38] and students
Overall Mean 4.21 Agree
had positive engagement after the intervention [36].
* negative indicators (scoring is reversed)
Legend: The paired t-test between the Pretest and Posttest Scores
Scale Range Descriptive Rating Qualitative Interpretation
5 4.51-5.00 Strong agree Strongly high engagement of Students Problem-Solving Skills
4 3.51-4.50 Agree High engagement The result of the paired t-test between the pretest and posttest
3 2.51-3.50 Undecided Slightly high engagement
2 1.51-2.50 Disagree Low engagement scores of students in problem-solving skills, when exposed to
1 1.00-1.50 Strongly disagree Very low engagement
contextualized instruction, is shown in Table 6.
Table 6. Comparison of students’ problem-solving skills between pretest
Students find the CI engaging because they can relate it to and posttest
real-life situations. They realized that they enjoyed learning Group N Mean SD t-value Sig.
Mathematics with this strategy used by the teacher. It is Problem Pretest 53 20.75 9.403 18.742 0.000**
reinforced by the student's responses in the interview as Solving
follows: Skills Posttest 53 45.26 3.181
“Chada kaayu atong klase ma’am. Nalingaw ko at
**p-value highly significant at 0.05 level
the same time naka learn kog daghan. Chada gyud
mag tuon nga i-relate sa kinabuhi kay mas dali
masabtan. Dali nako ma analyze ang problem if ma Table 6 reveals that the t-value is 18.742 with the probability
relate nako sa kinabuhi” (Our class is very nice, value of 0.000 (p<0.05), indicating a highly significant
ma’am. I enjoyed it at the same time I learned a lot. difference. Thus, the null hypothesis, which states that “there
It is nice to study if it is related to real life situations is no significant difference in the students’ problem-solving
because it is easy to understand. I can easily analyze skills when exposed to CI,” is rejected. This means that the
the problem if I can relate it in life.) students have improved their problem-solving skills in the
-Participant 4 posttest compared to the pretest after exposure to CI. This
"Kuan, di man sa ingon nga bright kog math, pero
also implies that CI has improved the problem-solving skills
maka ingon ko nga naka tuon gyud ko ma'am ug
maka enjoy ang klase kay dili boring. Siguro tungod of students.
sa strategy ma'am. Ganahan na kayo ko mag solve As reflected in the table, the pretest scores have a higher SD
ma'am bisan gaka challenge ko pero nalingaw nako (9.403), indicating a higher deviation of scores, while in the
mag solve solve ug problems" (I could not say I am posttest, it lowers down to 3.181. This indicates that scores of
intelligent in math but I could say that I have really the students are now closer to the mean and are less spread
learned and I enjoyed it because it's not boring. than the pretest scores. This is supported by the interview
Maybe because of the strategy. I love to solve even if answer, demonstrating that the students were able to have a
I am challenged but I enjoyed solving problems.) deeper understanding of polynomials and rational algebraic
-Participant 5
expressions, which contributed to students' high posttest
Based on the results, students had a higher level of
scores.
engagement than before the intervention. The overall mean in “Nakasabot rajud ko sa algebraic expressions
cognitive engagement is 4.08, indicating that they go deeper ma’am. Maglisud ko ug sabot sa una, pero karun
to solve the problem. The students challenged themselves to murag nahayagan na akong huna huna ani nga
develop the right solution to every problem. topic. Naka tuon pud ko sa polynomials ma’am
Table 5 also displays that in an affective domain, students bisan karun pako ka encounter ana” (I finally
have a high level of engagement after their exposure to CI. understood algebraic expressions, ma’am. I have
The overall mean score for affective engagement is 4.13, difficulty understanding before but now it seems
indicating a high engagement level. This is the same as their clear about this topic. I also learned polynomials
even if I just encountered it.)
level of engagement before the intervention, but the increase
-Participant 5
in mean score is evident. The only item that is rated
It is supported that a significant difference exists in the
"undecided" is "I often feel frustrated in math class" (3.40). It
students’ problem-solving skills when exposed to treatment
indicates that students are confused if they are frustrated in
in the posttest [40]. Similar findings [33] was observed that a
math class.
significant difference existed in the students’ problem-solving
Additionally, in the behavioral domain, students showed high
skills between the pretest and posttest. This finding confirms
engagement in mathematics. The overall mean in behavioral
the potential of CI to enhance the problem-solving skills of
engagement is 4.44, indicating a high engagement level. This
students.
implies that students do not give up right away; even if they
do not understand the topic, they keep trying. Even if

March-April
 Sci. Int.(Lahore),34(2),101-109,2022 ISSN 1013-5316;CODEN: SINTE 8 107
The paired t-test between the Pretest and Retention Test was boring. But now, my fears are gone and I am no
Scores of Students Problem-Solving Skills longer bored in the class.)
Table 7 displays the result of the paired t-test of the pretest -Participant 3
and retention test scores of students’ problem-solving skills ….pero maka ingon ko nga naka tuon gyud ko ma’am ug
maka enjoy ang klase kay dili boring. Siguro tungod sa
when exposed to contextualized instruction. strategy ma’am. Ganahan na kayo ko mag solve ma’am
Table 7. Comparison of students’ problem-solving skills between pretest
and retention test bisan gaka challenge ko pero nalingaw nako mag solve
solve ug problems” (… but I could say that I have really
Group N Mean SD t-value Sig. learned and I enjoyed the class because it’s not boring.
Problem Pretest 53 20.75 9.403 18.862 0.000** Maybe because of the strategy. I love to solve even if I am
Solving challenged but I enjoyed solving problems.)
Skills Retention 53 45.23 3.055 -Participant 5
**p-value highly significant at 0.05 level The use of CI in the teaching of polynomials and rational
As shown in the table, the t-value is 18.862 with a probability algebraic expressions has shown a potential effect on student
value of 0.000 (p<0.05), indicating a highly significant engagement. Students enjoyed the class, even though it was
difference. Thus, the null hypothesis, which states that "there challenging, and they did not find the mathematics class
is no significant difference in the students' problem-solving boring anymore. More so, Participant 3 claimed that he/she
skills when exposed to contextualized instruction," is did not fear the subject any longer.
rejected. This means that the students enhanced their A significant difference in students' engagement in
problem-solving skills in the retention test when compared to Mathematics when exposed to engaging teaching pedagogy
the pretest. Students' understanding of mathematics problems was also found by a related study [41]. However, the result of
was evident as they enhanced their understanding after the this study indicating sustained high engagement of students in
intervention. pretest and posttest contradicts researchers' findings that
The above findings are supported by related studies on students before the intervention had low engagement levels
getting significant differences in the problem-solving skills of and only became highly engaged after the intervention [39].
the students exposed to treatment in terms of retention tests as
well as the retention scores [33]. This can be attributed to the 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
strategy in which students developed their problem-solving Based on the results, the following conclusions are drawn:
skills. The level of students' problem-solving skills during the
The paired t-test between the Pretest and Posttest Scores pretest is very low and high in both the posttest and retention
of Students’ Engagement in Mathematics tests. The group has improved based on the mean scores in
Table 8 presents the comparison of the pretest and posttest the pretest, posttest, and retention tests.
scores of students' engagement in mathematics when exposed Students have a high engagement level in cognitive, affective,
to contextualized instruction. The mean score before the and behavioral domains before and after exposure to
intervention is 3.96 and the mean score after the intervention contextualized instruction (CI). However, the mean scores
is 4.21. The t-value is 4.66 with a probability value of 0.000 increased in all domains after the intervention.
(p<0.05) indicating a significant difference between the There is a significant difference in students’ problem-solving
pretest and posttest scores on students' engagement in skills after the intervention. The students’ problem-solving
mathematics when exposed to CI. Hence, the null hypothesis skills are statistically significant in the posttest and retention
stating "there is no significant difference between the pretest tests. CI helps students build and improve their skills as they
and posttest on students' engagement in mathematics when become invigorated and fearless enough to respond to every
exposed to CI" is rejected. given problem.
Table 8. Comparison of students’ mathematics engagement before and There is a significant difference in all domains of students’
after intervention engagement in Mathematics when exposed to CI. Students
t- are cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally engaged in
Group N Mean SD Sig.
value mathematics learning.
Mathematics Pretest 53 3.96 0.3076 4.66 0.000**
engagement Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the
Posttest 53 4.21 0.4586 following recommendations are given:
Parents and teachers are encouraged to provide students with
**p-value highly significant at 0.05 level
the opportunities and experiences to develop their problem-
solving skills, even if it is not a mathematics class. They may
Increased students’ engagement in learning mathematics is
allow their children or students to solve real-life problems at
caused by CI as supported by a similar study [40] that tested
any point in their life.
CI can improve students' academic performance and self-
Mathematics teachers may venture into potential teaching
efficacy beliefs. The responses of the students confirm this
pedagogies that capture students’ interest in being engaged in
result during the interview as follows:
“Kanang kuan ma’am, ganahan na kaayo ko mag klase ta
learning Mathematics.
ma’am. Sauna mahadlok ko mag sulod sa math nga klase Mathematics educators and curriculum makers might
kay boringan ko sa math. Pero pag klase na nato, nawala consider using CI as it aids in students’ learning by positively
akong kahadlok ug dili nako boringan” (I like our class affecting students’ understanding of problem-solving. It helps
ma’am. I am afraid to join math class before because it them visualize and solve problems. It can assist students to
apply these ideas to an assortment of challenging word
108 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 Sci.Int.(Lahore),32(2),101-109 ,2022
problems. Furthermore, it helps make the learning of International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research,
mathematics more significant and simpler. 7(8), August 2018, 96-105.
To keep students highly engaged, it is recommended for [10] Caballes, D. G., & Tiria, R. A. (2020). The digital skills of
mathematics educators to use contextualized instruction in secondary school teachers in Manila. CiiT International
teaching mathematics as the strategy provides engaging and Journal of Software Engineering and Technology, 12(3), 33-
purposeful experiences throughout the learning process. It is 37.
also suggested that parents guide and help the students [11] Caballes, D. G., & Doblada, J. C. L. (2021). Relationship of
teachers’ technology skills and selected profile: basis for
engage in Mathematics learning and monitor their learning to redesigning training for online distance learning modality.
promote higher engagement. Instabright International Journal of Multidisciplinary
Mathematics educators, school administrators, and Research, 3(1), 17-22.
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solving skills in the class. The use of contextualized of ICT skills of junior high school faculty of Tagumpay
instruction in delivering lessons is beneficial for improving National High School. CiiT International Journal of Wireless
the students’ problem-solving skills. The utilization of Communication, 11(5), 80-85.
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their abhorrence towards mathematics. (2021). Competency level of science teachers in teaching
Finally, future researchers may find other teaching strategies evolution: basis for training design. Global Journal of
to improve students’ problem-solving skills and engagement. Advanced Research, 8(8), 235-243.
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The implementation of this study is highly significant, and
pedagogy in teaching knowledge, skills, attitudes of
the use of this method is highly encouraged. Sebastinian graduates. CiiT International Journal of Digital
Image and Processing, 12(3), 49-52.
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The researchers would like to extend their gratitude to Central challenges in an inquiry-based approach to teaching science:
Mindanao University headed by Dr. Jesus Antonio G. Derije, provision for a special science research elective course. CiiT
the University President and the Department of Science and International Journal of Software Engineering and
Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) led by Technology, 12(3), 38-44.
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