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Enhancing mathematical learning and achievement of secondary one Normal (Academic) students using metacognitive strategies
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Type
Thesis
Abstract
In the light of global trends of change and the need to adapt, there is a need to ensure that our young can think for themselves so that they can find their own solutions to new problems. This importance of teaching thinking has been reflected in the Singapore Mathematics Curriculum. In particular, metacognition – thinking about thinking – has been an important aspect of the Singapore Mathematics Curriculum since 1992.
Research in addressing the issue of metacognition in the mathematics classroom is not lacking. However, such studies have generalisability limitations for the Singapore classrooms, while local researchers tend to concentrate on the academically stronger students. Furthermore, in most cases, studies were carried out using only one or two of the metacognitive instructional strategies in a rather clinical context, rendering implementation of such strategies in the real classroom difficult.
The purpose of the study is to plan an intervention programme, based on metacognitive instructional strategies that have been found to be successful in addressing metacognition in the mathematics classrooms, to address the needs of students identified to be mathematically weak in an actual classroom context.
The study aimed to investigate the effect of the Metacognitive Instructional Strategies (MIS) on the Secondary One Normal (Academic) students’
● general self-concept (overall and intellectual)
● mathematics efficacy
● self-regulated learning strategies for mathematics
● problem-solving performance – strategies in reading mathematics problems, perseverance in problem solving, success in problem solving
● mathematics achievement
The study also examines the impact of MIS on Malays, the ethnic group that has often been singled out as mathematically underachieving, compared with that on the non-Malays.
This quasi-experimental study employed an adaptation of the 4 × 2 Factorial Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The four levels of treatment included three comparison classes and an experimental class. The two levels of ethnicity are referred to as non-Malays and Malays.
Basically, the MIS Curriculum used an integration of the following approaches with
the Problem Wheel (p.29) as a background:
● Mathematics log writing
● Effective questioning
● Identification of structural properties of problems
● Pair / group problem-solving
Though the study was too brief to produce any significantly powerful results, evidences do point towards several positive outcomes of MIS, as summarised below:
● MIS contributes to the positive change in the intellectual self-concept and mathematics self-efficacy among the students. The impact is greater for the intellectual self-concept than mathematics self- efficacy among the Malay students.
● MIS contributes to the positive change in the acquisition of the selfregulated learning strategies for mathematics. The change appeared to be more pronounced among the Malay students.
● MIS contributes to an increased level of perseverance in problem solving. This is accompanied with an improvement in problem solving performance and better reading strategies used in reading mathematics. However, the level of improvement in mathematics solving performance is more pronounced among the non-Malay students.
● MIS contributes to the positive change in mathematics achievement.
Research in addressing the issue of metacognition in the mathematics classroom is not lacking. However, such studies have generalisability limitations for the Singapore classrooms, while local researchers tend to concentrate on the academically stronger students. Furthermore, in most cases, studies were carried out using only one or two of the metacognitive instructional strategies in a rather clinical context, rendering implementation of such strategies in the real classroom difficult.
The purpose of the study is to plan an intervention programme, based on metacognitive instructional strategies that have been found to be successful in addressing metacognition in the mathematics classrooms, to address the needs of students identified to be mathematically weak in an actual classroom context.
The study aimed to investigate the effect of the Metacognitive Instructional Strategies (MIS) on the Secondary One Normal (Academic) students’
● general self-concept (overall and intellectual)
● mathematics efficacy
● self-regulated learning strategies for mathematics
● problem-solving performance – strategies in reading mathematics problems, perseverance in problem solving, success in problem solving
● mathematics achievement
The study also examines the impact of MIS on Malays, the ethnic group that has often been singled out as mathematically underachieving, compared with that on the non-Malays.
This quasi-experimental study employed an adaptation of the 4 × 2 Factorial Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. The four levels of treatment included three comparison classes and an experimental class. The two levels of ethnicity are referred to as non-Malays and Malays.
Basically, the MIS Curriculum used an integration of the following approaches with
the Problem Wheel (p.29) as a background:
● Mathematics log writing
● Effective questioning
● Identification of structural properties of problems
● Pair / group problem-solving
Though the study was too brief to produce any significantly powerful results, evidences do point towards several positive outcomes of MIS, as summarised below:
● MIS contributes to the positive change in the intellectual self-concept and mathematics self-efficacy among the students. The impact is greater for the intellectual self-concept than mathematics self- efficacy among the Malay students.
● MIS contributes to the positive change in the acquisition of the selfregulated learning strategies for mathematics. The change appeared to be more pronounced among the Malay students.
● MIS contributes to an increased level of perseverance in problem solving. This is accompanied with an improvement in problem solving performance and better reading strategies used in reading mathematics. However, the level of improvement in mathematics solving performance is more pronounced among the non-Malay students.
● MIS contributes to the positive change in mathematics achievement.
Date Issued
2008
Call Number
QA14.S55 Lee
Date Submitted
2008