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ISSN 2063-5346
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Assessing the Efficacy of Algebra Tiles in Algebra Instruction

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DR. JENNIFER M. MONTERO
» doi: 10.48047/ecb/2023.12.si7.571

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to assess how effective algebra tiles are in teaching Elementary Algebra. The researcher employed a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design and conducted a documentary analysis to gather data. The study was conducted at a certain school which had two sections. Using the fishbowl sampling method, “one section was randomly assigned as the control group”, while the other became the experimental group. Both groups were administered a pre-test. Following the pre-test, the experimental group received the treatment using algebra tiles, while the control group followed the conventional method. After the treatment, a post-test was conducted for both groups. This study involved 40 grade-7 students from a single class. To assess their achievement in Elementary Algebra, a 20-item standardized test was utilized, which was sourced and modified to align with the selected content areas. Algebra tiles were employed as teaching tools throughout the study. The test consisted of multiple-choice questions and remained unchanged for both the pre-test and post-test administrations. To compare the effectiveness of the two teaching methods and evaluate the students' achievements in Algebra, the mean scores were utilized. Additionally, analysis of covariance was employed to determine if there were any significant differences in the achievements of students taught using Algebra tiles versus those taught using the conventional method across various content areas. The results indicate that the experimental group had higher mean scores than the control group for both the pretest and posttest. Additionally, the mean scores of the control group decreased from the pretest to the posttest, whereas the experimental group showed an increase in mean scores during the posttest. “These findings suggest that the applied method was effective in improving students' performance. Furthermore, the statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores. This implies that there is a substantial disparity in achievement scores between the students in the experimental and control groups”. Based on these findings, the researcher recommend that teachers utilize this method and incorporate it into their instructional materials. They also suggest organizing seminars, workshops, and training sessions to provide further information and enhance educators' understanding of this type of manipulative in Algebra, aiming to deepen comprehension of Algebraic concepts.

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