Arab Educational Information Network

The current study aimed at investigating the influence of the cognitive apprenticeship approach (CAA) on improving grade ten students’ communicative skills, ability to solve mathematic problems, and motivation. It adapts the “thinking visibility” teaching strategy in teaching mathematics. In particular, the current study aimed at answering the following questions: 1) what is the effect of thinking visibility methods on grade ten female students’ ability to solve mathematic problems? 2) What is the effect of thinking visibility methods on grade ten female students’ acquisition of mathematics communicative skills? 3) What is the effect of thinking visibility methods on grade ten female students’ motivation to learn mathematics? Eighty-three grade ten female students participated in the current study; they were assigned to the sample from one of Ministry of Education public schools at Al Jami’a district. Two groups (experimental group EG, and control group CG), were chosen randomly for the sample. The experimental group consisted of 42 participants and followed the “thinking visibility” method suggested by the current study, while the control group consisted of 41 participants and followed the regular method. A problem-solving test covering two units (circle and tangents, fourfold form and solving system of equations), and students’ motivation scale was prepared for the current study. Two tools (mathematics communicative skills test, and the students’ motivation scale) were implemented prior and after the treatment take place. One-way ANCOVA was used to analyze the results in order to examine the hypothesis of the current study. In addition, IETA value was calculated to identify the effect of the suggested method on grade ten students’ ability to solve mathematic problems, to acquire mathematics communicative skills, and motivation to learn mathematics. The study concluded to the following points: 1) the results showed significant statistical difference between the two groups performance mean at the indication level (α=0.05), for the problem-solving test in favor of the treatment group. 2) The results showed significant statistical difference between the two groups performance mean at the indication level (α=0.05), for the mathematics communicative skills test in favor of the treatment group. 3) The results showed significant statistical difference between the two groups performance mean at the indication level (α=0.05), for the students’ motivation to learn mathematics test in favor of the treatment group. Finally, the current study concluded to the following recommendations: 1) teachers of mathematics should be encouraged and trained to use the “thinking visibility” method in their classes. 2) Adapt the “thinking visibility” method to design and develop mathematics activities and drills either in textbooks or supporting materials. 3) Conduct further studies to investigate the “thinking visibility” method’s influence on teaching other mathematics issues that was not covered by the current study such as “mathematics thinking”. (Author's abstract)