Teachers’ perceptions regarding the use of manipulatives within the secondary mathematics classroom and a study into the effective provision of initial teacher training in the use of physical based tasks to aid pupil learning.

Thesis

Research has shown manipulatives to be a useful tool within the mathematics classroom, enabling pupils to better connect abstract mathematical concepts with a concrete understanding. However, their use varies between school, teacher and stage of learning, with the majority of use occurring in primary schools. Research also implies that many teachers are ill-equipped to use manipulatives effectively, unsure how to facilitate the forming of connections; either using them to little effect or dismissing their use altogether. This study set out to answer three research questions:

· What are teachers’ perceptions of the role of manipulatives in secondary mathematics education?

· In what ways and to what extent are secondary mathematics teachers equipped to use manipulatives within the classroom?

· How can the use of manipulatives be effectively integrated into a secondary initial teacher education course?

The literature review focuses on manipulatives (within teaching and teacher education), concrete to abstract mathematical understanding and teachers’ beliefs, knowledge and growth. Data was collected through a survey (150 participants) and more in-depth semi-structured interviews of 5 mathematics teachers, with the main findings presented under the headings of the three research questions. Findings show teachers to hold predominantly positive beliefs regarding the potential usefulness of manipulatives within secondary schools. However, these belief seem to contradict teachers’ practice. The data suggests teachers to be lacking in confidence and knowledge on how best to use manipulatives, with some feeling obliged to use them but lacking the adequate skills. There is a distinct lack of education in the effective use of manipulatives and most teachers would value further professional development in this area, recognising manipulatives’ potential value. Recommendations are made on the effective embedding of manipulatives into an initial teaching programme, focusing on the barriers to using manipulatives effectively which were most prevalent in the data, and suggestions for further research.

Authors: Holland, J

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-exvy9a4vg
• Type of award: MSc taught course
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: MTED 2020; MTED
• Subjects: Education