This empirical study investigates the impact of metacognitive strategies and self-regulating processes in learners' achievement on solving math word problems. It specifically analyzes the impact of the linguistic factor and the number of steps and arithmetical operations that learners need to apply during the process of solving math word problems. Two hundred sixty-three learners, of three classes of third graders (N=130) and four classes of fifth graders (N=133) of the elementary cycle from two urban schools of Kosovo, participated in the study. Almost half of the total number of the third and fifth-graders were exposed to metacognitive instruction. The rest of the learners were included in control classes in which they performed tasks without having been given any specific guidance, based exclusively on traditional methods and respective textbooks. All the learners were tested in math word problems twice, before the intervention and after it. Research findings have shown that metacognitive strategies and self-regulating processes that learners use to control their actions, to reason, and to reflect, are one of the main resources that influence their success in solving a math word problem. Although the difference between the pre-test and the post-test results was statistically significant solely with the fifth-grade experimental classes, yet an improved performance was observed in third-grade experimental learners' classes compared to control classes. Theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed in the end of the study.
This paper discusses the functionality of mathematics textbooks for lower secondary school in Kosovo, as representations of the curriculum. A summary is given of the main orientations and aims of the current Kosovo curriculum for mathematics in lower secondary school. This is followed by an assessment of the level of implementation of the main curriculum objectives within textbook design and an analysis of the nature of the key elements of textbook content that enable curricular objectives to be met. These elements include the use of motivational factors, real and interdisciplinary application of mathematical concepts and content in the expository parts of the text, workedout examples, the use of real and interdisciplinary contexts in the tasks for students to work through individually, problems and problem-solving procedures and strategies, as well as the inclusion of a range of individual and group learning activities. The results of the analysis indicate a huge mismatch between the main curriculum objectives and textbook design. The conclusion is that Kosovan students in lower secondary school are not given adequate opportunities for developing critical mathematical skills and abilities in accordance with the orientations of the national curriculum.
This study examined the quality and types of mathematical tasks used for classroom instruction in an upper secondary school – gymnasium. All the mathematical tasks presented in nine different school classrooms during the first semester of the school year 2018/2019 were analysed against a 5D analytical framework. The dimensions of the individual task analysis were contextual features; the answer forms required; forms of presentation; types of required mathematical activity and cognitive demands involved. Performed analysis gived perspective on the learning opportunities offered in classroom instruction for building mathematical competencies specified in the current state education curriculum. The results indicate that the selection of tasks was not in accordance with the curriculum requirements. Mostly, teachers used close-ended, non-applicative, lower-level cognitive tasks presented in symbolic form, promoting operations and calculations as a central activity. These types of tasks are usually associated with knowledge and skills of lower orders. In this case, classroom instruction had low potential and very little room left to build a significant portion of competencies and learning outcomes of higher orders.
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