The Effect of Activity-Based Teaching on Remedying the Probability-Related Misconceptions: A Cross-Age Comparison

Ramazan Gürbüz, Emrullah Erdem, Selçuk Fırat

Department of Elementary Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education, Ad?yaman University, Ad?yaman, Turkey.
epartment of Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Faculty of Education, Ad?yaman University, Ad?yaman, Turkey.

DOI: 10.4236/ce.2014.51006                

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to compare the effect of activity-based teaching on remedying probability-related misconceptions of students at different grades. Thus, a cross-sectional/age study was conducted with a total of 74 students in 6th-8th grades. Experimental instructions were given to all the groups three times/ week, 40 min/session, for 2 weeks. Students’ progress was examined by pre-test and post-test measurements. The results of the analysis showed that, as a result of the intervention, all graders’ post-test scores regarding all the concepts (PC: Probability Comparison, E: Equiprobability and R: Representativeness) showed a significant increase when compared to pre-test scores. It was found out that this increase did not create a significant difference based on age in PC concept, but that in 8th grade students, it showed a significant difference in E and R concepts compared to 6th graders. On the other hand, it was also assessed that the increases observed between 7th and 8th graders with regard to E and R concepts were not significant. In summary, the implemented intervention can be suggested to have different effects depending on age and the concept.

Keywords

Activity-Based Teaching; Misconception; Probability; Cross-Age

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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