CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION OF THE RESEARCH STUDY
7.6 Contributions of the study to the field of knowledge
146
147
The research study also serves as a starting point for further researches in the field of critical thinking skills with young learners and promotion of mathematical literacy in young learners.
Additionally, the present research study brings in a model of teaching from the findings of the study as new knowledge in the field of teaching critical thinking skills to learners in the 3-8-year age bracket.
7.6.1 The proposed model of teaching young learners critical thinking skills to promote mathematical literacy
A model has been proposed emerging from the summary of the findings of this particular research study. The model is grounded within the social constructivist epistemology involving a large social network. There is a symbiotic relationship among different factors that make up the model. All factors focus on promoting learners’ critical thinking skills. The pivot for all factors is that learners exhibit different outcomes as a result of their interaction with different factors in the ambits of social constructivism. The different elements of the model are thus interconnected and converge on learners’ critical thinking skills which, in turn, results in different outcomes, one of which is mathematical literacy.
148
Figure 1: Critical Thinking Model for Learners in the 3-8-Year Age Range.
Based on the model, critical thinking does not develop in a vacuum but through interaction of different variables. The inter-dependence of the different variables in the social ambiance cultivates critical thinking skills in the young learner. The model also reveals that the manifestation and use of critical thinking results in different requisite skills for young learners including mathematical literacy.
149 7.6.1.1 The young learner
Young learners are central to the whole teaching process, that is, they are at the core of all the teaching under normal circumstances. This research study is hinged on social constructivism in which the learner interacts with different elements that result in the development or acquisition of critical thinking skills by the learner. The proposed model reveals that the acquisition of critical thinking skills by young learner results in the manifestation of different capabilities or skills.
7.6.1.2 Provision of teaching and learning tools
Young learners should be provided with teaching resources to interact with during the teaching of mathematics if they are to acquire critical thinking skills to promote mathematical literacy. The provision of teaching resources depends on the learners’ culture and determines the kind of teaching methodologies that the teacher may employ. In the provision of teaching resources, the teacher should also consider the age of learners, their background, gender and the kind of activities that suit the age level of the learner.
7.6.1.3 Culture
Culture has been noted to have a major setback on the teaching of critical thinking skills since it has been noted to influence the teaching of mathematics to young learners. The situation in the home, the kind of resources found in the home, and the expectations of the community have a bearing on the development or acquisition of critical thinking skills by young learners.
7.6.1.4 Age
The learners’ chronological age or mental age determines the kind of learning resources that the teacher should provide in the teaching and learning situation. Age is also influenced by learners’
culture which might also have its expectations of them. Both age and culture may either promote or stifle the critical thinking skills of learners. The present research study indicated that critical thinking may improve with the increase in chronological age and the provision of age appropriate work to learners is thus necessary..
7.6.1.5 Background
The research study indicated that there are several factors aligned to background as an influence on the teaching of critical thinking skills. Young learners who are exposed to video games, screen time and other electronic devices engage in higher order thinking processes. The research study
150
has shown that learners’ critical thinking skills could be enhanced as young learners interact with technological resources.
The socio-economic status also has a bearing on learners’ acquisition of critical thinking skills since the availability of resources is related to how they interact with resources and how teachers facilitate the development of critical thinking skills in them. Lack of resources in learners’ homes may stifle the development of critical thinking skills in young learners.
Intellectual support offered by families and teachers through reinforcement of schoolwork may foster learners’ critical thinking skills during the teaching of mathematics. Every young learner has a potential to think critically if well supported and lack of support by families may stifle critical thinking skills and development of mathematical literacy in the young learners.
7.6.1.6 Gender
Gender is associated with how young learners are socialised. The way learners from different backgrounds are socialised also determines the kind of activities learners engage in. Gender differences therefore affect how boys and girls think depending on how they are socialised as well as the conceptions and misconceptions held by the community gender roles.
7.6.1.7 Learner activities
The activities that young learners engage in depend on what is expected of them in society. The way the community expects a boy or a girl to behave has a bearing on learners’ development of critical thinking skills. The approach that teachers employ also depends on what the community expects of boys and girls. It has been revealed in this research study that there are misconceptions held about boys and girls which may affect the development of critical thinking skills in young learners either positively or negatively.
7.6.1.8 Teacher
Some teachers were observed employing activities and methodologies that are integrated with learners’ background or culture. The provision of teaching resources has been seen to be determined by what is locally available. Other teachers were observed using resources from the social context in the teaching of mathematics. The teachers also created opportunities for young learners to work in groups with their tasks and this is in line with the theoretical framework of the present research study.
151 7.6.1.9 Methodology in teaching
The teaching methodologies teachers employed in their teaching of mathematics depended on the dictates of learners’ background, gender expectations and culture. In addition, the methodologies were also determined by the availability of resources as well as the chronological and mental age of learners being taught.