A content analysis for the numbers and operations learning area themed articles published in Turkey

This research aims to explore the studies on the numbers and operations learning area in mathematics education in Turkey conducted for the pre-school, primary and secondary school levels within the scope of their structures, trends of their topics and results. The research was designed with the descriptive content analysis method. Totally 5021 volumes belonged to 124 magazines published in Turkey were investigated; 301 articles were reached and the obtained data were analysed with the descriptive analysis method within the scope of the research. According to the obtained results, it was determined that the numbers and operations learning area in Turkey were first studied in 1986, that the number of studies demonstrated an increase from 2013 in general, that the reviewed studies were mainly designed with the case study pattern, that the secondary school level was the sample that was studied most in the studies, that the questionnaire/open-ended questionnaire/test/scale and interviews were used quite a lot in the data collection tools, that the content analysis method was used more in data analysis. It was noticed that addition and subtraction with natural numbers were mostly studied at primary school level; at secondary school level, the operations with fractions, natural numbers and fractions sub-learning areas were respectively focused. The study focus in the articles were mainly the fractions and various misconceptions/errors/difficulties/difficulties or problem-posing skills, mental calculations/arithmetic processing skills for fractions and operations with fractions aimed at determining the level/situation. Some results related to these studies can be referred to as more conceptual difficulties in problem-posing studies for fractions, and students overgeneralise the concept and operations of fractions. In addition, it was noticed that the participants had low levels of problem-posing and problem-solving skills related to the operations with fractions and operations with natural numbers.