Middle school students’ views on a children’s book incorporating mathematical concepts

Öz

Children’s literature integrating mathematical concepts is an effective pedagogical tool for fostering mathematical thinking and enhancing conceptual understanding. By embedding mathematical ideas within narrative structures, such literature can render mathematical content more accessible and meaningful. This study investigates middle school students’ perceptions of children’s literature incorporating mathematical concepts, examining its perceived benefits and challenges within mathematics instruction. The research was conducted with 14 middle school students from a public school in the Western Black Sea Region, employing a qualitative case study methodology. Content analysis was utilized to examine students’ perspectives. Findings indicate that participants generally held positive attitudes toward such literature, recognizing its potential to facilitate mathematics learning, though certain challenges were identified. Many students recommended these books to peers who struggle with mathematics or demonstrate limited interest in the subject. Participants provided favorable evaluations regarding the book's narrative style, character development, and integration of mathematical concepts, though some critiques were noted. The findings underscore the necessity of a well-structured relationship between textual and visual elements to optimize instructional effectiveness. Future research should explore the integration of children’s literature in mathematics education across diverse educational levels and examine the pedagogical implications of various literary genres in supporting mathematical learning.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Children’s literature
• Conceptual Understanding
• Mathematical Concepts
• Middle School Students
• Students’ views.

Ortaokul öğrencilerinin matematiksel kavramlar içeren çocuk kitabına dair görüşleri

Öz

Matematiksel kavramları içeren çocuk edebiyatı, öğrencilerin matematiksel düşünme becerilerini geliştirmek ve kavramları daha iyi anlamalarını sağlamak için etkili bir öğretim aracıdır. Bu tür edebi eserler, matematiksel fikirleri hikâye kurgusuna yerleştirerek matematik içeriğini öğrenciler için daha anlaşılır ve ilgi çekici hale getirebilir. Bu çalışma, matematiksel kavramların yer aldığı bir çocuk kitabına yönelik ortaokul öğrencilerinin görüşlerini incelemiştir. Bu tür kitapların matematik öğretimindeki olası faydaları ve karşılaşılan zorluklar ele alınmıştır. Bu araştırma, Batı Karadeniz Bölgesi'ndeki bir devlet okulunda öğrenim gören 14 ortaokul öğrencisiyle gerçekleştirilmiş nitel bir durum çalışmasıdır. Öğrencilerin görüşlerini analiz etmek için içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, katılımcıların genel olarak bu tür kitaplara olumlu yaklaştığını ve bu kitapların matematik öğrenimini kolaylaştırabileceğini düşündüklerini ortaya koymuştur. Bununla birlikte, bazı zorlukların da fark edildiği belirlenmiştir. Öğrencilerin çoğu, matematikte zorlanan ya da bu derse ilgisi az olan arkadaşlarına bu kitapları önerdiğini belirtmiştir. Katılımcılar, kitabın anlatım tarzını, karakterlerini ve ele alınan matematiksel kavramları genel olarak olumlu değerlendirmiş; ancak bazı eleştiriler de sunmuştur. Elde edilen bulgular, öğretim sürecinde kullanılacak kitapların metin ile görseller arasında uyumlu ve dengeli bir ilişki kurmasının önemine dikkat çekmektedir. Gelecek araştırmalarda, çocuk edebiyatının farklı eğitim düzeylerinde matematik öğretimine nasıl entegre edilebileceği ve farklı edebi türlerin matematik öğrenimini desteklemedeki pedagojik etkileri daha ayrıntılı olarak incelenebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Çocuk Edebiyatı
• Kavramsal Anlama
• Matematiksel Kavramlar
• Ortaokul Öğrencileri Öğrenci Görüşleri.

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