Charles-Cole, Syreeta;
(2017)
A Study of Children’s Views of Mathematical Manipulatives in the Transition from Primary to Secondary.
Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
‘Mathematical manipulative’ is a term widely accepted to describe entertaining tactile objects that support symbolic representation of abstract concepts, providing a conceptual framework for social collaboration and discussion. Yet evidence exists within the literature and practice that manipulatives are not being used as effectively or as widely as they could be. An Ofsted (2012) publication “Made to Measure” found, not only is there a skewing of resources with greater use of concrete representations in primary, and virtual representations in secondary, but concrete manipulatives are often reserved for use as a teaching intervention to support the lowest performing pupils. This, therefore, downgrades the value attached to concrete manipulatives. The purpose of this study was to record and report children’s views on the use of a range of mathematical manipulatives prior to, and following, the transition from primary to secondary school. The usual customs surrounding deployment and use of manipulatives within the primary classroom were also of interest. This study, framed as an inductive exploratory study design, involved a mixed methodological approach to triangulate the research subject (Creswell, 2011). The aim was to derive a range of data sources to construct a detailed picture of the children’s views. The researcher gained employment within the school for just over a year. Data collection involved two research sites. The overall survey sample consisted of 95 students. The findings reveal while year six children enjoy making use of all manipulatives, they associated the use of concrete manipulatives with younger children or to support children classified as lower attaining. There exists a veiled socialised stigma attached to concrete manipulatives due to how they are deployed. Although it is a small sample study, mathematics educators should be able to relate some of the findings to their own experiences and settings.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Title: | A Study of Children’s Views of Mathematical Manipulatives in the Transition from Primary to Secondary |
| Event: | University College London |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Additional information: | This Institution Focused Study Report is linked to: Charles Cole, Syreeta; (2020) PGCE Primary Trainee Teachers' Perceptions and Accounts of Using Manipulatives When Teaching Mathematics on Placement. Doctoral thesis (Ed.D), UCL (University College London) https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10113091/ |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10113098 |
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