The Relationship Between Opportunities to Learn Algebra and Students' Algebra Achievement: A Comparative Study

• In Event: Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: Division H Poster Session: Assessment in Schools

Abstract

This study used the eighth-grade Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 and 2011 to examine (i) the trends in the opportunities to learn (OTL) algebra, and (ii) the relationships between the OTL algebra and students’ algebra achievement in three countries: Botswana, Singapore, and the United States. The study showed that students in Singapore and the United States whose teachers taught certain algebra topics before their students reached 8th grade or at eighth grade performed significantly higher. The findings from this study suggest that learning algebra topics early is beneficial for students’ algebra achievement. These findings point to the importance of considerations on coherence in algebra curriculum and further research on effective instructional strategies for teaching early algebra.

Author

• Rachel Angela Ayieko, Duquesne University