Reasoning Skills in Mathematics Teaching: A Meta-Synthesis on Studies Conducted in Turkey

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the results of studies conducted in Turkey on reasoning skills in mathematics teaching and to reveal what kind of trend there is in this field. Within the scope of this study, databases were searched with the keywords "reasoning"(muhakeme, akıl yürütme) and "reasoning skill" (Muhakeme becerisi, akıl yürütme becerisi), and the results were examined in accordance with the inclusion criteria regarding mathematics teaching. One hundred sixty-three studies were included. Each of the studies included in the meta-synthesis study was analyzed descriptively according to type, year, method, sample type and size, data collection tools, statistical analysis, learning field, keywords, reasoning type and purpose. In addition, the studies’ results were content analyzed and tabulated by coding the differences and similarities between them with a holistic approach. It has been determined that studies on the learning fields in the mathematics curriculum are mostly carried out in the field of learning numbers and operations in the secondary school mathematics curriculum. When evaluated in terms of reasoning types, almost half of the studies were conducted on mathematical reasoning. It has been observed that after mathematical reasoning, the most focus is on proportional reasoning. When the aims of the studies included in the research were examined, it was determined that the most focused ones were "examining the factors affecting reasoning skills", "measurement of reasoning skills" and "the effect of teaching practices on reasoning skills". In the studies examined, it was seen that there were 33 teaching practices whose effects on reasoning skills were examined.