Effects of Thematically Integrated Mathematics Instruction on Students of Mexican Descent

Abstract

The effects of thematically integrated instruction in mathematics on achievement, attitudes, and motivation in mathematics among middle school students of Mexican descent were investigated. A school-university collaborative effort led to the development and testing of a thematic approach undertaken as a means of contextualizing instruction for students considered to be at risk for school failure. Instruction relied heavily on small, collaborative learning groups and hands-on activities designed to help students make real-world sense of mathematical concepts. As hypothesized, experimental and control students made equivalent gains in computational skills, but experimental students (thematic treatment) surpassed controls in achievement on mathematical concepts and applications. The two programs did not have a differential effect on attitudes toward mathematics or self-perceptions of motivation in mathematics, but motivational variables did predict achievement outcomes for both groups. Issues of “opportunity to learn” the full range of mathematics content of the curriculum within a thematic approach are examined.