Algebra Tiles Manipulative and Gender Differences in Learning and Achievement in Mathematics: A Case of Sunyani West Municipality

Abstract

The issue of gender differences in the learning of mathematics has attracted the attention of many educational researchers for quite a long time for which many researchers have been researching into to understand and to find how best to resolve or minimize it. This issue steered the purpose of the study which was to investigate into the role of algebra tiles manipulatives and gender differences in learning and achievement in mathematics especially in algebra. Three schools were randomly selected from the Sunyani West Municipality for the study. A total of 70 students from three intact classes selected from these schools participated in the study. The students were pre tested to find their entry characteristics. They were then extensively taught for three weeks using the algebra tiles manipulatives. Mathematics achievement test was used to assess the students on the effectiveness on the instructional strategy. The study unveiled a significant relationship between student attitude to using the manipulatives and their mathematics achievement. The study also showed no significant differences between boys and girls performance on the post test administered at the end of the treatment. Implications of the findings were discussed and recommendations made for classroom practices.

Keywords: Manipulatives, algebra tiles, attitudes and performance