Meta-synthesis of postgraduate theses on abstraction in mathematics education

The main aim of this study is to examine the structures, types of abstraction, results and suggestions of postgraduate research on Abstraction in Mathematics education in Turkey, based on the results and suggestions of theses. In this study, a qualitative research design was used and document analysis was preferred as the research design. Within the scope of the research, 47 postgraduate studies are examined. The data were analyzed based on descriptive content analysis and meta-synthesis methods. As a result of the analyzes of the data obtained, it is determined that postgraduate studies on abstraction started to be included in the literature in 2006, there are more studies at the master's degree level, and the majority of the studies are designed with qualitative research method and case study pattern. It is concluded that postgraduate theses were mostly conducted with 6th, 7th and 8th grade students at the secondary school level, the preferred sample sizes consisted of small groups and the maximum variety sampling method was mostly used when determining the sample groups. It is determined that descriptive content analysis is frequently used in theses, and success tests are used as a data collection tool. Another result is that there are more studies based on socio-cultural approach. The results obtained from the analyzed theses show that students with high success levels are able to construct the abstraction process better than other students and that preliminary knowledge is important in the process. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that the structure of epistemic acts in abstraction theorems is intertwined and that the teacher has a great importance in the abstraction process.