Management Strategies in Promoting Mathematical Thinking: A Qualitative Study in Elementary Schools
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61838/jilmt.239Keywords:
research reasons, primary school, students, education, Mathematical thinkingAbstract
Developing mathematical thinking in primary education provides a context in which problem-solving, reasoning, visualization, and mathematical communication skills are formed in interaction with mental and emotional processes. The present study aimed at management strategies in promoting mathematical thinking in the context of primary schools. The research method is Qualitative multi-method. In the documentary section, a systematic review of scientific resources in reputable databases was conducted during the years 1990 to 2024 and in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. After applying the entry and exit criteria, 58 studies were finally eligible for qualitative analysis. In the qualitative section, the grounded theory method was implemented using purposive-theoretical sampling. The participants included 16 mathematics education specialists, elementary curriculum, mathematics lesson planners, and elementary school teachers, whose data from semi-structured interviews were analyzed through manual coding. The findings showed that the process of developing mathematical thinking takes place in a vast network of interconnected components and mechanisms. The final data analysis resulted in the extraction of 598 open codes, 219 subcategories, and 42 categories. These categories were categorized into seven basic dimensions of mathematical thinking: problem solving, understanding basic concepts, logical and argumentative thinking, spatial visualization and imagination, mathematical communicative thinking, cognitive flexibility, and understanding symbols and representations. The results showed that the use of educational strategies such as problem-based learning, strengthening argumentative thinking, developing mathematical dialogue, using multiple representations, strategic questioning, error-based learning, and designing open learning situations not only enables the realization of the seven dimensions of mathematical thinking but also has multidimensional consequences; consequences that are manifested in the cognitive-mental, academic-educational, psychological-emotional, social-life, and long-term areas. It can be concluded that the development of mathematical thinking in elementary school is the result of a systematic interaction between cognitive, educational, emotional, and environmental factors. The placement of "meaning-making" at the center of this process and the determining role of the teacher, curriculum, and learning environment highlight the need to review educational policies and design programs based on the activation of mathematical thinking. This model can provide a valid framework for improving the quality of mathematical learning and developing advanced thinking in the foundational years of education.
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