Evaluation of teaching based on manipulative supported metacognitive planning: Example of factors and multiples

In this study, student actions in a learning environment based on virtual and physical manipulative supported metacognitive planning designed in the subject area of factors and multiples were examined. In this context, the aims of the study are to reveal the metacognitive skills exhibited by the students in the designed learning environment, and to get students' opinions about manipulatives and the teaching environment. For the purposes of the study, the case study model, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. In this direction, six-week teaching sections were designed. The process was carried out by arranging the next teaching sections with the outputs obtained from the teaching sections organized every week. The sample of the study consists of 19 students attending the 8th grade of a secondary school in a province located in the north-east of Turkey in the 2020-2021 academic year. A semi-structured interview form was used to collect the data of the study. The obtained data were analyzed by content analysis method. As a result of the study, three themes were reached: students' assessments of metacognition, students' assessments of manipulatives, and students' assessments of the teaching environment. With the findings of the study, it was concluded that the 8th grade students exhibited metacognitive skills, they experienced a different teaching environment for the first time in the mathematics lesson, they had a virtual or physical manipulative experience for the first time, and they preferred virtual manipulatives more than physical manipulatives. In line with the results of the study, suggestions and recommendations were given in the relevant subject area.