The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of elementary teachers' use of manipulative materials for mathematics instruction with teachers' hands-on training in the use of manipulative materials, their attitude toward mathematics and using manipulatives and school climate. The study was undertaken to predict what variables contribute to teachers' use of manipulative materials. / Research shows that mathematics educators recognize the importance of using manipulative materials in teaching elementary school mathematics. However, many teachers do not use them, and many pupils do not understand the meaning behind the mathematics they are being taught. / The researcher predicted that teacher variables (the amount and recency of hands-on mathematics training with active involvement with manipulative materials, teacher attitudes toward mathematics and manipulatives, grade level and teaching experience) and school variables (principal attitudes, district policy, school climate, and number of years at a school) will account for a significant amount of the variance in teacher's use of manipulative materials for mathematics instruction. / A random sample of 172 teachers, 15 assistant principals and 15 principals from fifteen schools were chosen from three Florida counties to answer questionnaires concerning their own attitudes, school climate and district policy toward using manipulatives. The researcher visited classrooms of all participating teachers with a checklist, to observe the presence of manipulative materials, where materials were placed and evidence of children's products that showed understanding through active involvement with materials. / Pearson correlations and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. All tests required a significance level of.05. Recency of training, attitude toward using manipulatives, attitude toward mathematics, grade level and district policy were significant in the regression model. Recency and amount of training correlated highly and were believed to measure the same characteristics. / Findings indicate that of the variables studied, recent training in the use of manipulatives contributes significantly to classroom use of manipulative materials. This study lends support for ongoing inservice training or University training with hands-on instruction in the use of manipulatives for teachers at all elementary levels. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-10, Section: A, page: 2927. / Major Professor: Kathryn Scott. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77863 |
| Contributors | Krug, Irene Judith., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 132 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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