Comparison approach is a cognitive process that is often used in a variety of domains specially to support effective mathematics learning. Students with low mathematical proficiency often make mistakes when solving a mathematical problem using different types of solving strategies. These mistakes can be prevented by presenting different strategies using the comparison approach in mathematics learning. If students are encouraged to compare, the similarities and differences become highlighted. This study examines the benefits of different types of comparison approaches in mathematics learning through a systematic review of research literature published between 2009 -2018, resulting in a total of 20 interventions (20 studies) that met the criteria for this study. The findings showed that students’ conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility are related to the greater implementation of the intervention, which when used sufficiently, can improve long-term mathematics learning. This study suggests that teachers may need additional support in preparing mathematics instruction using the comparison approach and that knowing the benefits of different types of comparisons in mathematics learning may persuade and help them to decide what to compare and when to use comparisons.
Abdul Rahman, M.N., Syed Zamri, S.N.A., & Leong, K. E. (2018). Kajian Meta-Analisis
Pengetahuan Guru Matematik Di Malaysia. Jurnal Kurikulum & Pengajaran Asia Pasifik, 6(2), 11-22.
Abreu-Mendoza, R. A., & Arias-Trejo, N. (2015). Numerical and Area Comparison Abilities in
Down Syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 41-42, 58-65.
Abreu-Mendoza, R. A., Soto-Alba, E. E., & Arias-Trejo, N. (2013). Area vs. Density: Influence of
Visual Variables and Cardinality Knowledge in Early Number Comparison. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, Article ID 805.
Bingolbali, E. (2011). Multiple Solutions to Problems in Mathematics Teaching: Do Teachers
Really Value Them? Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(1).
http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2011v36n1.2
Clarke, D.M., & Roche, A. (2009). Students’ Fraction Comparison Strategies as a Window into
Robust Understanding and Possible Pointers for Instruction. Educational Studies in
Mathematics, 72(1), 127-138.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., Morrison, K. (2011). Research Methods in Education (Seventh).
Routledge.
De Smedt, B., Verschaffel, L., & Ghesquiere, P. (2009). The Predictive Value of Numerical
Magnitude Comparison for Individual Differences in Mathematics Achievement. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 103, 469-479.
Fazio, L. K., DeWolf, M., & Siegler, R. S. (2015). Strategy Use and Strategy Choice in Fraction
Magnitude Comparison. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.
Ganor-Stern, D., & Steinhorn, O. (2018). ADHD and Math - The Differential Effect on Calculation
and Estimation. Acta Psychologica, 188, 55-64.
Ganor-Stern, D., & Weiss, N. (2015). Tracking Practice Effects in Computation Estimation.
Psychological Research, 80, 434-448.
Ganor-Stern, D. (2015). When You Don’t Have to Be Exact: Investigating Computational
Estimation Skills with A Comparison Task. Acta Psychologica, 154, 1-9.
Hattikudur, S., & Alibali, M. W. (2010). Learning about the equal sign: Does comparing with
inequality symbols help? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 107(1), 15–30.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.03.004
Hattikudur, S., Sidney, P. G., & Alibali, M. W. (2016). Does Comparing Informal and Formal
Procedures Promote Mathematics Learning? The Benefits of Bridging Depend on Attitudes Toward Mathematics. Journal of Problem Solving. 9(1), 13-27.
Lemaire, P., & Lecacheur, M. (2011). Age-Related Changes in Children’s Executive Functions and
Strategy Selection: A Study in Computational Estimation. Cognitive Development, 26, 282-294.
Linsen, S., Verschaffel, L., Reynvoet, B., & De Smedt, B. (2015). The Association Between
Numerical Magnitude Processing and Mental Versus Algorithmic Multi-Digit Subtraction in Children. Learning and Instruction, 35, 42-50.
Rittle-Johnson, B., Star, J. R., & Durkin, K. (2009). The Importance of Prior Knowledge When
Comparing Examples: Influences on Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge of Equation Solving. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(4), 836-852. doi:10.1037/a0016026
Richland, L.E., Stigler, J. W., & Holyoak, K. J. (2012). Teaching the Conceptual Structure of
Mathematics. Educational Psychologist. 47(3), 189-203.
Sasanguie, D., & Reynvoet, B. (2013). Number Comparison and Number Line Estimation Rely on
Different Mechanisms. Psychologica Belgica, 53(4), 17-35.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/pb-53-4-17
Star, J. R., Rittle-Johnson, B., & Durkin, K. (2016). Comparison and Explanation of Multiple
Strategies: One Example of a Small Step Forward for Improving Mathematics Education. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3 (2), 151-159. doi:10.1177/2372732216655543.
Star, J. R., Kenyon, M., Joiner, R., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2010). Comparison helps students learn
to be better estimators. Teaching Children Mathematics, 16(9), 557-563.
Star, J. R., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2009). It pays to compare: An experimental study on
computational estimation. Jou
In-Text Citation: (Hamza, Abdullah, & Osman, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Hamza, I. S. B. A., Abdullah, A. H. Bin, & Osman, S. B. (2019). When You Don’t have to be Sequential: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(2), 1142–1157.
Copyright: © 2019 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode