5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

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Summary

The results of the t-tests showed that 5^th graders reported more frequent deployment by
their teachers of Practical work, Using computer, Reading textbook, Whole-class
discussion and Group discussion than 8^th graders. In addition, 5^th graders were more
likely to perceive that these teaching methods promoted positive attitudes than 8^th
graders. 8^th graders reported more frequent deployment of Teacher explanation,
Individual work and Individual help than 5^th graders, and were more likely to perceive
that Individual work and Individual help would have positive effects than 5^th graders. No
significant difference was found in the perceived effects of Teacher explanation on
attitudes between the pupil groups.

4.3.3: Comparison of perceptions between 5^th grader teachers and their pupils

Because of large differences in the sample sizes for the teacher and pupil participants it
was not possible to use Inferential statistics to make comparisons. To overcome this, the
concept of effect size was used. Effect size is usually used in meta-analysis to examine
the effect across many studies. Glass et al. (1981) developed a formula for calculating
effect sizes, which they referred to as d. In the formula,

d = [Mean of experimental group minus Mean of control group divided by
Standard Deviation of control group].

The assumption is that there may be a noticeable difference between two groups where
the mean score of the group which has a higher mean score minus the mean score of
the group which has a lower mean score divided by the standard deviation of the group
which has a lower mean s∞re is over .50.

Enjoyment

Table 4.3.15 and Figure 4.3.11 show that 5^th grade teachers were likely to perceive that
Practical work, Individual help, Whole-class discussion and Group discussion promoted
enjoyment more than their pupils. Pupil responses exceeded those Oftheirteachers only
in relation to Teacher explanation and Reading a textbook but these did not have an
effect size of more than .50.

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