Teaching algebraic expressions to 6th grade students with lego: A Mixed method study

This research was conducted to examine the effect of using LEGO in learning algebraic expressions on the academic achievement of 6th grade students in algebraic expressions and to determine the students' views on learning with LEGOs. An intervention design, one of the mixed research methods, was used in the research. The study group of the research consists of 6th grade students studying in a public school in a village secondary school in a province in the east of Turkey. In the school, which has two branches at the 6th grade level, one of the branches was randomly selected and assigned as the experimental group, while the other group was selected as the control group. There were 24 students in both branches and a total of 48 students participated in the study. All of these students constitute the quantitative sample group of the study. In the qualitative part of the study, data was collected from 12 students selected from the experimental group. Quantitative data of the study were collected with the algebraic expression's achievement test, and qualitative data were collected with a semi-structured interview form. In the study, the experimental group was taught with LEGO, and the control group was taught according to the textbook. Descriptive and predictive statistics were applied to the collected quantitative data and content analysis was applied to the qualitative data. At the quantitative end of the study, it was determined that teaching with LEGO had a significant effect on teaching the subject of algebraic expressions achievement. As a result of the qualitative study, it was determined that teaching with LEGO affected both the cognitive and affective characteristics of students and increased their motivation.