THE EFFECT OF ACTIVITY-BASED TEACHING APPROACH ON THE ATTITUDES OF MATH-ACTIVITIES AND THEIR BELIEFS ABOUT MATHEMATICS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOURTH GRADERS

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya

The study examines how activity-based mathematics teaching influences elementary school fourth graders’ attitudes toward mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used with 50 students, including 25 in an experimental group and 25 in a control group. Data were collected using an Attitude Scale for Mathematics Activities and a Belief Scale for mathematics, plus student views analyzed through content analysis. Statistical results using Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests indicate significant variation favoring the experimental group and differences between pre-test and final test scores. Students reported positive opinions and suggested development activities, supporting more frequent classroom use of active student-centered approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

1. Introduction

1.1 Activity-based Learning

1.2 Activity-based teaching in mathematics education

THE EFFECT OF ACTIVITY-BASED TEACHING APPROACH ON THE ATTITUDES OF MATH-ACTIVITIES AND THEIR BELIEFS ABOUT MATHEMATICS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOURTH GRADERS Yasemin DERINGÖL, Merve UĞURLUEL, Sümeyye Betül EREN Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of activity-based mathematics teaching on the attitudes of elementary school 4th graders towards mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics. The research is designed according to the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The study group consisted of a total of 50 fourth graders, of which 25 were experimental groups, and 25 control groups. The Attitude Scale for Mathematics Activities and the Belief Scale for mathematics were used as pre-test and post-test tools for data collection. Additionally, the students’ views on this application were taken at the end of the application. In the analysis of the obtained data the Mann-Whitney U test and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test were used. Content analysis has been used to evaluate student opinions of the application, and comments of the students were quoted directly. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that students’ attitudes towards mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics had a significant variation in favor of the experimental group while there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test average scores in favor of the final test while the experimental group’s attitudes towards mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics. At the end of the study, it is found that the students of the experimental group have a positive opinion on these activities and also that the activities that the students intend to develop on the subject are similar to the studies activities. It is suggested that teaching with activities in which students are active is used more often in classrooms because of the positive impact on students’ attitudes to mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics. Keywords: Activity-based mathematics teaching, attitude towards mathematics activities, beliefs about mathematics 1. Introduction 1.1 Activity-based Learning The importance of using student-centered approaches is increasing every day as it becomes apparent that teacher-oriented traditional education cannot solve problems (Keskin & Yıldırım, 2008; Yılmaz, 2004) . According to the constructivist approach to learning, which is a student-centered approach, a person “constructs” his or her knowledge and learning process on the basis of his or her previous experience. This approach suggests that learning takes place when an individual’s psychological environment interacts with a particular structure. It obliges students to take part in a variety of activities in an active classroom while constructing the process (Abdelhamid, 2003, Murray, Donohoe,& Goodhew, 2004) . One of the effective teaching strategies of the constructivist approach, as can be seen, is activity-based teaching. It is a learning approach that encourages an individual to judge on the basis of their own activities and observations (Mert Cüce, 2012) . Activity-based learning can be defined as a teaching method in which students are seamlessly integrated into regular teaching materials and methods to efficiently incorporate them into their teaching/learning or teaching processes with different types of activities that are appropriate for specific subjects (Suydam & Higgins, 1977) . Activity-based learning allows students to interact with and process information in away that will understand and enhance information about a particular subject (Hariharan, 2011) . Instead of sitting as passive listeners, students actively participate in the learning experience (Harfield, Davies, Hede, Panko, & Kenley, 2007) . Communication is one-way in traditional teacher-centered approaches. Students are passive and independent, and students are not encouraged to think creatively. The indivi

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To examine the effect of activity-based mathematics teaching on fourth graders’ attitudes toward mathematics activities and their beliefs about mathematics.

How was the research designed and how many students participated?

The study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design with 50 fourth graders, 25 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group.

Which methods and tests were used to analyze the data?

Attitude and belief scales were used as pre-test and post-test tools, and student opinions were evaluated with content analysis. Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests were applied.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aditya