Improve: A Multidimensional Method For Teaching Mathematics in Heterogeneous Classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of the present research was to design an innovative instructional method for teaching mathematics in heterogeneous classrooms (with no tracking) and to investigate its effects on students’ mathematics achievement. The method is based on current theories in social cognition and metacognition. It consists of three interdependent components: metacognitive activities, peer interaction, and systematic provision of feedback-corrective-enrichment. The method is called IMPROVE, the acronym of which represents all the teaching steps that constitute the method: Introducing the new concepts, Metacognitive questioning, Practicing, Reviewing and reducing difficulties, Obtaining mastery, Verification, and Enrichment. The research includes two studies, both implemented in seventh grades: One focused on in-depth analyses of students’ information processing under the different learning conditions (N = 247), and one investigated the development of students’ mathematical reasoning over a full academic year (N = 265). Results of both studies showed that IMPROVE students significantly outperformed the nontreatment control groups on various measures of mathematics achievement. The theoretical and practical implications of the research are discussed.

Education process visualization in metacognition development and sustainability

“…There are equal requirements as to grammar, vocabulary, text and listening comprehension, so the emphasis of the www.ijcrsee.com 69 study is put on meta-cognition development as well as knowledge management skills, good planning skills, reflective thinking and results evaluation. "A person's ability to control a wide variety of cognitive enterprises depends on the actions and interactions among these components" (Mevarech and Karmarski, 1997).…”

The Effects of Learning Strategies on Mathematical Literacy: A Comparison between Lower and Higher Achieving Countries

“…Schoenfeld (1985), for example, claims that it is not enough to master the computations, but rather to develop meta-cognitive skills, such as control and elaboration strategies. Different studies show that when students use elaboration strategies intensively, their mathematical achievements improve (Baroody, 2006;Mevarech, 1999;Mevarech & Kramarski, 1997). Other studies show that students who used control strategies achieved higher scores than students who used memorization strategies (e.g., Geary, 2005;Gersten & Davis, 1999).…”

Entrepreneurial Cognition

“…Mevarech and Kramarski (1997) created an instructional method to help students enhance their mathematical reasoning by developing their metacognitive skills through four types of questions based on (1) comprehension, (2) connection, (3) strategy, and (4) reflection (Mevarech and Kramarski 2003: 469). We refer to these questions as "metacognitive questions" as they are used to stimulate learners' metacognition.…”