The Effect of Pattern-based Mathematics Education Program on 61-72-Month-old Children’s Reasoning Skills

Author : Feride Gök Çolak -- Adalet Kandır
Number of pages : 13-33

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Pattern-based Mathematics Education Program (PMEP) on the reasoning skills of 61-72-month-old children. Mixed design was used in this study. As the mixed design method is experimental, pretest / posttest experimental design with control group is used. The study group was comprised of a total of 40 children (61-72 months); 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. The qualitative part of the study consists of observations and interviews with teachers. General Information Form, Cognitive Abilities Test Form-6 (CogAT-6), Teacher Observation Form, Teacher Interview Form and Parent Involvement Evaluation Form were used as data collection tools. A total of eight weeks 'Pattern-based Mathematics Education Program' (PMEP) was applied to the children in the experimental group five days a week. Cognitive Abilities Test Form-6 was given to the experimental and control groups as pretest and posttest. The same test was applied to the experimental group as retention test three weeks after the posttest. A special statistical package program was used to interpret the quantitative analysis of the data. As a result of the study, there was a significant difference between the Verbal, Numerical and Nonverbal dimension pretest and posttest scores of the experimental and control group children in favor of the experimental group (p <.05). It was determined that the difference between the Verbal and Nonverbal posttest and retention test scores of the children in the experimental group was significant, whereas the difference between posttest and retention scores in numerical dimension was not significant (p> 0.05). As a result of the analysis of the qualitative data, it was observed that the teachers were successful in the implementation of the Pattern-based Mathematics Education Program. In addition, it was observed that the education program contributed to the knowledge of teachers. When teachers' opinions were analyzed, it was determined that the education program process was generally positive, and they gained deeper knowledge about the concept of pattern. In addition, it has been suggested that the education program should be adapted to younger ages for long-term implementation.

Keywords

early childhood education, mathematics education program, pattern, reasoning

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