An examination of studies on measurement in mathematics education: The example of length measurements

The aim of this study is to examine previous studies on the teaching of length measurements, a sub-learning area within the measurement learning area of the primary school mathematics education curriculum, using the research synthesis method. The concept of measurement and length measurements are frequently used, consciously or unconsciously, in mathematics education and daily life. It is possible to consider measurement as a part of a person's life. It is known that people have a curiosity to recognize the beings, objects, and things around them and to understand the differences between them. It can be said that this intrinsic drive in people makes the need for measurement even more important (Albayrak, 2010). It is thought that introducing the concept of length measurement from an early age within the scope of the measurement learning area can support children's mental development; it is stated that comparison, ordering, and concrete experiences made in this process can contribute to logical thinking, problem-solving, and language skills. The method of the study was carried out using the research synthesis technique, one of the qualitative research methods. The articles used in the study were obtained from scientific studies and theses in the Web of Science and YÖK National Thesis Center databases within the scope of academic literature review. For the studies examined, the year of the research, the methods used, the sample groups, and the objectives were considered. Thematic content analysis method was used for data analysis. According to the findings, it is thought that topics in the measurement learning area can be more abstract compared to some mathematics topics; however, making these topics concrete with tools and materials and relating them to daily life can support learning. In addition, it is stated that the differences between daily usage and mathematical definitions in length measurement can make it difficult for students to understand. The distribution of the studies examined in this study according to years shows that interest in the topic of length measurement has increased in recent years. The vast majority of the studies are in the form of articles, and qualitative methods were used most frequently. Although the studies covered different sample groups, they were most intensively conducted on middle school students. Test and interview techniques were preferred as data collection tools. Thematically, most of the studies focus on the learning process; in addition, topics such as student achievement, misconceptions, and measurement skills are also addressed. In general, the findings reveal that length measurement plays an important role in the development of students' cognitive skills and is a fundamental area in mathematics education. The analyses reveal that the most intensive learning outcome in the program is in the "length measurement" stage. It is understood that the learning outcomes at the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade levels of primary education are entirely structured within the sub-learning area of length measurement, progressing from concrete to abstract. The findings indicate that classroom teachers are careful in selecting examples appropriate to the students' level; however, their ability to model using different types of representations in the solution processes remains limited. Furthermore, despite their efforts to design activities appropriate to the students' comprehension level, it appears that they have difficulty establishing a sufficient connection between procedural processes and conceptual understanding. In contrast, it has been determined that the professional development process positively improved teachers' subject matter knowledge regarding the sub-learning area of length measurement. This clearly demonstrates the decisive role of professional development activities in both teachers' subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge.