LAMPOS, Felix Jr. B. Unpublished Masteral Thesis, University of Nueva Caceres , Naga City , 2003.
Keywords: Manipulatives and Mathematical Achievement
This study was designed to determine the effects of using manipulatives on the achievement level of freshmen high school students in Mathematics I, Southern Luzon Polytechnic College-Judge Guillermo Eleazar Campus, Tagkawayan, Quezon, S/Y 2001-2002. Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions: 1) What is the level of achievement of the Students in Mathematics as to comprehension, computation and analysis prior to the implementation of teaching strategies? And 3) Is there a significant difference between the traditional approach and the use of manipulatives?
This study used the quasi-experimental method using a total of fifty students as the student-respondents. A teacher-made test was used to determine the mathematical achievement of the students in three skills: comprehension, computation and analysis skills.
Major conclusions of the study were: 1) The achievement level of both the control and experimental groups in the pre-test was below average. 2) Post-test results on the achievement level of the control group was average; whereas for the experimental group, the achievement level was above average. 3) Based on the pre-test results, no significant difference was found between the control and experimental groups which was shown by the computed t-value less than the tabular value which implied that the two groups were of the same level of mathematical achievement; however, the post-test results showed significant difference between the control and experimental groups where the computed t-value was greater than the tabular value which revealed that the experimental group has higher level of mathematical achievement than the control group; furthermore, the computed t-value of the mean gain between the control group exposed to traditional approach and the experimental group exposed to the use of manipulatives was greater than the tabular value which revealed that there was a significant difference between the traditional approach and the use of manipulatives, the use of manipulatives being a more effective teaching strategy in Mathematics than the traditional approach.