An investigation into the effects of introducing algebra using a function-based approach

Ireland is currently witnessing a major overhaul of its mathematics syllabus for second level education. This syllabus is known as ‘Project Maths’ and came about as a results of concerns relating to the mathematics performance of students in Ireland in international comparative studies such as the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) tests (Close & Oldham 2005; Cosgrove, Shiel, Sofroniou, Zastrutzki & Shortt 2005; Perkins, Moran, Cosgrove and Shiel 2010; Oldham 2002, 2006). The author found inspiration for this research when she identified concerns in her own classroom. These concerns were two-fold; firstly the author found that first year students began secondary school with a poor attitude towards mathematics and secondly, the author found that first year students had a lot of difficulty grasping and retaining basic algebraic concepts. The author followed an action research approach to implementing an intervention in her classroom aimed at overcoming these problems. In the first phase of this research, the author carried out a comprehensive review of literature on affect pertaining to mathematics education and on the teaching and learning of algebra. As a result of this review, the author decided to use a function-based approach to teaching algebra as a means of improving students understanding of basic algebra. A collaborative peer learning environment was chosen as the main pedagogical tool for improving attitude towards mathematics. The second phase of this research saw the development and implementation of an intervention in the author’s classroom during which fourth year students tutored first year students. Quantitative and qualitative data was gathered during this phase. The third phase comprised of an analysis of data, presentation of results and discussion of findings. The data gathered produced a lot of contradicting and conflicting results. There was no significant change (p > 0.05) in either first or fourth year students’ overall attitude towards mathematics. Results indicate, however, that there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in first year students understanding of basic algebra. This result may have significance for the Project Maths Development Team as they advocate a function-based approach to the teaching and learning of algebra in the new syllabuses. Due to the limited amount of students involved in the study, however, the author does not believe that these results can be generalised in a national or global sense.