Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies
Considering that the teaching of mathematics in elementary school is an important prerequisite for the development of mathematically literate citizens, it is essential to identify what makes it effective. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of effective interventions in element...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Branko Bognar Sanela Mužar Horvat Ljerka Jukić Matić |
| author_facet | Branko Bognar Sanela Mužar Horvat Ljerka Jukić Matić |
| author_sort | Branko Bognar |
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| description | Considering that the teaching of mathematics in elementary school is an important prerequisite for the development of mathematically literate citizens, it is essential to identify what makes it effective. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of effective interventions in elementary school mathematics education. To this end, a scoping review was conducted that included 44 experimental studies published between 2014 and 2023. Through a qualitative analysis of the intervention descriptions, we identified 27 characteristics, which were categorized into nine thematic units. We found that, on average, seven characteristics were used per intervention. The results of this study suggest that effective elementary school mathematics instruction should foster students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency through problem-solving, active learning, and mathematical games. This can be achieved through a dynamic alternation of whole-class instruction and cooperative and individual learning with the use of manipulatives and visualizations to reach the level of abstraction. Considering that the analyzed interventions rarely addressed students’ common errors and critical thinking, future research could focus on these aspects in elementary school mathematics education. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-914b332d50d24be1995a1ad197160725 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-914b332d50d24be1995a1ad1971607252025-01-24T13:30:30ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-01-011517610.3390/educsci15010076Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental StudiesBranko Bognar0Sanela Mužar Horvat1Ljerka Jukić Matić2Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University J. J. Strossmayer of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, CroatiaDepartment of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Slavonski Brod, 35000 Slavonski Brod, CroatiaSchool of Applied Mathematics and Informatics, University J. J. Strossmayer of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, CroatiaConsidering that the teaching of mathematics in elementary school is an important prerequisite for the development of mathematically literate citizens, it is essential to identify what makes it effective. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of effective interventions in elementary school mathematics education. To this end, a scoping review was conducted that included 44 experimental studies published between 2014 and 2023. Through a qualitative analysis of the intervention descriptions, we identified 27 characteristics, which were categorized into nine thematic units. We found that, on average, seven characteristics were used per intervention. The results of this study suggest that effective elementary school mathematics instruction should foster students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency through problem-solving, active learning, and mathematical games. This can be achieved through a dynamic alternation of whole-class instruction and cooperative and individual learning with the use of manipulatives and visualizations to reach the level of abstraction. Considering that the analyzed interventions rarely addressed students’ common errors and critical thinking, future research could focus on these aspects in elementary school mathematics education.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/76effective mathematics interventionselementary schoolsmathematics teachingresearch review |
| spellingShingle | Branko Bognar Sanela Mužar Horvat Ljerka Jukić Matić Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies Education Sciences effective mathematics interventions elementary schools mathematics teaching research review |
| title | Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies |
| title_full | Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies |
| title_short | Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies |
| title_sort | characteristics of effective elementary mathematics instruction a scoping review of experimental studies |
| topic | effective mathematics interventions elementary schools mathematics teaching research review |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/76 |
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