Determination of algebraic habits of mind 7th grade students

With the development of algebraic thinking skills becoming important for students' mathematical achievements, the idea that the ways of thinking they put forward in the algebraic thinking process should turn into a permanent habit has come to the fore. In this context, in order to provide students with algebraic habits of mind (AHM), which combine many aspects of algebraic thinking, it is necessary to believe in the importance of AHM and to determine many aspects of AHM. Therefore, in this research, to determine what are the algebraic habits of the mind that 7th grade students use in solving problems in the field of algebra learning was aimed. In the research, descriptive screening model was used. The study group of the research consistseds of a total of 106 students studying in Sivas city center in the 2021-2022 academic year. The data of the research were collected with the open-ended "Algebraic Habits of Mind (AHM) Determination Test" consisting of a total of 13 questions with sub-items. The data obtained during the research process were analyzed question by question, and after each question was examined according to the indicators of the components of the ZCA, each algebraic habit of mind was categorized as habit not used (HNU), incomplete solution habit use (ISHU) and full solution habit use (FSHU). In this way, all the questions were analyzed and the error rate was determined for each question by using the frequency table and examples were given for the algebraic habits of the mind determined in the students. The research data were analyzed descriptively according to the habits of doing the opposite, creating functional rules and abstracting from transactions under the roof of Driscoll (1999) AHM. As a result of the research, it was seen that the students were able to use many features of the algebraic habits of the mind while solving algebra problems. It was concluded that the students used the habit of doing the most, that this habit was used in solving all the questions, only the indicators changed, and the skills of understanding the problem and the context (D1, D2) were the prerequisite for reaching the correct solution of a problem and displaying other habit indicators. In the research, it was found that a small number of students used the habit of doing the opposite, and students who made the wrong solution did not have habits such as checking the solution they made (UD3), so they could not correct their mistakes and reach the correct answer. In addition, it was found that students' functional rule-making habit uses skills such as pattern search (BRRF3), using representations (BRRF5) and deciphering the rule at the basic level (BRRF6), while the habit of abstracting from operations is exhibited only at the level of developing short paths (AC1) and verifying short paths (AC2). It has been seen that these AHM that students have overlap with the AHM's included in the literature.