Abstract
Comparison approach is a cognitive process that is often used in a variety of domains specially to support effective mathematics learning. Students with low mathematical proficiency often make mistakes when solving a mathematical problem using different types of solving strategies. These mistakes can be prevented by presenting different strategies using the comparison approach in mathematics learning. If students are encouraged to compare, the similarities and differences become highlighted. This study examines the benefits of different types of comparison approaches in mathematics learning through a systematic review of research literature published between 2009 -2018, resulting in a total of 20 interventions (20 studies) that met the criteria for this study. The findings showed that students’ conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility are related to the greater implementation of the intervention, which when used sufficiently, can improve long-term mathematics learning. This study suggests that teachers may need additional support in preparing mathematics instruction using the comparison approach and that knowing the benefits of different types of comparisons in mathematics learning may persuade and help them to decide what to compare and when to use comparisons.
Highlights
Comparing approach supports learning in children and adults across a variety of domains including mathematics (Ganor-Stern & Steinhorn, 2018; Abreu_Mendoza & Arias-Trejo, 2015; AbreuMendoza, Soto-Alba & Arias-Trejo, 2013; Lemaire & Lechacheur, 2011)
Based on the critical analysis on the objective and the research questions, there is only one research theme from previous researches that is relevant to the analysis i.e. the types of comparison approaches followed by the different school levels and comparisons in mathematic learning
The results from the analysis indicated that comparisons of numbers and comparisons of various solutions strategies are the most commonly adopted research themes in mathematical learning
Summary
Comparing approach supports learning in children and adults across a variety of domains including mathematics (Ganor-Stern & Steinhorn, 2018; Abreu_Mendoza & Arias-Trejo, 2015; AbreuMendoza, Soto-Alba & Arias-Trejo, 2013; Lemaire & Lechacheur, 2011). Identifying similarities and differences in multiple strategies is the basic path of flexible change in knowledge among students. Flexible change in mathematics knowledge might be possible if students have some prior knowledge of one of the strategies in order to transfer and engage with mathematics Previous research has found that when students are familiar with one strategy, they can learn a new strategy via analogy to recall the familiar one (Rittle, Star & Durkin, 2009). Students who constantly learn through comparison will experience enhanced mathematical competence in procedural knowledge, procedural flexibility and conceptual knowledge (Durkin, Star & Rittle, 2017; Ziegler & Stern, 2014, Lemaire & Lechachure, 2011; Clarke & Roche, 2009)
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