INCREASING STUDENT LEARNING IN MATHEMTICS THROUGH

COLLABORATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES

Laguna Northwestern College Corinthian Center

F. Reyes St. Balibago Sta. Rosa City Laguna

By
Baquero, Cresalyn M.
Domogoy, Ronalee R.
Elomina, Fatima Mae L.
Hernandez, Lailanie B.

A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR INCREASING STUDENT

LEARNING IN MATHEMATICS

In the School of
LAGUNA NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE
CORINTHIAN CENTER

AUGUST, 2019

All rights reserved. This work may not be produced

in whole part, by facsimile or other means,
without permission of the authors.
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION AND ITS BACKGROUND

I. INTRODUCTION

In an attempt to this mathematical world, most of us decide on a

purchase, choose an insurance or health plan, or use spreadsheet, we rely

mathematical understanding. The World Wide Web, CD- ROMs, and other media

disseminate vast quantities of quantitative information. The level of mathematical

thinking and problem solving needed in the workplace has increased

dramatically. In such a world, those who understand and can do mathematics will

have opportunities that others do not. Mathematical competence opens doors to

productive futures. A lack of mathematical competence closes those doors.

Students have different abilities, needs, and interests. Yet everyone needs to be

able to use mathematics in his or her personal life, in the workplace, and in

further study. All students deserve an opportunity to understand the power and

beauty of mathematics. Students need to learn a new set of mathematics basics

that enable them to compute fluently and to solve problems creatively and

resourcefully.

It has taken such a long time to discover the importance of Mathematics in

our world the discoveries lead us to more technological or what was called

Industrial Era, wherein the different usage of technological devices occurred. In

this era, application of Mathematics helps to develop and invent such

technological devices. Through these applications our life became easier.

Nowadays, Mathematics is the key to all Sciences.

Despite explaining more about mathematics and the proof that it’s really

important, the students today do not like this subject. They think that the

Mathematics is a boring subject, and it’s hard to understand formulas, they

always say “Why it is necessary to study Mathematics, only four major operations

are enough and the rest no longer needed. Where most of the time most of us,

do use graphs and for formulas in our daily living.” Only if they understand the

logic behind this subject and the principles applied in different problems, if they

get what Mathematics meant to be, they will find that it is not a boring subject,

that mathematics is an interesting one. Mathematics becomes part of our life, not

only in our academic subjects, but in all part of our integral life. We don’t see that

even in simple conversation, mathematics take place. In our transportation it also

occurs, and in our daily living it definitely applied.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

According to Schereiber (2000) those who have positive attitudes toward

mathematics have a better performance in this subject.

Mathematics achievement has shown that the students from each major

level of Education in Asia seemed to outperform their counterparts. Many studies

have examined students’ thinking about school and their attitude toward

Mathematics. Mathematics performance involves a complex interaction of factors

on school outcome. Although the relationship between mathematics performance

and students collaboration has been studied widely, it is important to explore the

collaborative strategies of teaching that will increase students’ mathematics

performance.

Wendy Hansen (2008) stated that they boys are more likely than girls to

be math geniuses. The researcher found that neither gender consistently

outpaced the other in any state or at any grade level. Even on test questions

from the National Assessment of Education Progress that were designed to

measure complex reasoning skills, the gender differences were minuscule,

according to the study.

Student engagement in mathematics refers to students’ motivation to learn

mathematics, their confidence in their ability to succeed in mathematics and their

emotional feelings about mathematics. Student engagement in mathematics

plays a key role in the acquisition of math skills and knowledge – students who

are engage in the learning process will tend to learn more receptive to further

learning. Student engagement also has an impact upon course selection,

educational pathways and later career choices.

Mathematics performance has improved, again, through expecting

students to achieve, providing instruction based on individual student needs and

using a variety of methods to reach all learners. One factor has been aligning the
math curriculum to ensure that the delivery of instruction is consistent with the

assessment frequency.

This particular study attempts to determine the increase of students

learning in mathematics through the use of collaborative teaching strategies of

Laguna Northwestern College Corinthian Center, grade 9 (nine) and 10 (ten)

Academic Year 2018-2019.

III. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Dweek, C.S. ( 1999) stated that students believe that their ability is fixed,

probably at birth, and there is very little if anything they can do to improve it is

called fixed IQ theories. They believe ability comes from taken rather than from

the slow development of skills through learning. ”It’s in the genes.”Either you can

do it with little effort, or you will never be able to do it, so you might as well give

up in the face of difficulty. E.g. “ I can’t do math.” And Untapped Potential

theorists, students believe that ability and success are due to learning, and

learning requires time and effort. In the case of difficulty one must try harder, try

another approach, or seek help etc.

Inzclicht (2003) stated that entity and incremental theories of ability were

assessed separately so that their separate influences could examined;

mathematics performance was examined by controlling for prior math

performance. Entity theory was expected to be a negative predicator of

performance, whereas incremental theory was expected to be a positive

predicator.

Guohua Peng (2002) stated that simple traditional methods gradually

make the students feel that mathematics is pointless and has little value to them

in real life. It becomes a subject they are forced to study, but one that is useless

to them in real life.

Dan Hull (1999) stated that growing numbers of teachers today –

especially those frustrated by repeated lack of student success in demonstrating

basic proficiency on standard tests are discovering that most students’ interest

and achievement in math, science, and language improve dramatically when

they are helped to make connections between new information (knowledge) and

experiences they have had, or with other knowledge they have already mastered.

Students’ involvement in their schoolwork increases significantly when they are

taught why they are learning the concepts and how those concepts can be used

outside the classroom. And most students learn much more efficiently when they

are allowed to work cooperatively or collaboratively with other students in groups

or teams.

IV. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The major concept of this study is focused on the grade 9 (nine) and

grade 10 (ten) student increase their learning in mathematics through the use of
collaborative teaching strategies of Laguna Northwestern College Corinthian

Center Academic Year 2018- 2019.

Figure 1; shows the relationship of input variables which contains the

extent of the student- related factors and the extent of the teacher related factors.

While the process contains the survey, data, gathering, data analysis, and data

interpretation. And output variables contain the analysis of student-related factors

and teacher-related factors.

FIGURE1.PARADIGM OF THE STUDY

1. The profile of the A survey The study aims to
respondents in questionnaire was provide
terms of gender. formulated to recommendations
know the or solutions
2. What are the perception of regarding on the
factors that would respondents in problem.
increase students, terms of the Moreover, it will
learning in students answer the
mathematics in a consideration in factors that the
collaborative increasing students in grade
teaching strategies learning in a 8 in Laguna
in terms of: collaborative Northwestern
teaching College as well
2.1 Readiness strategies.
2.2 Motivation
2.3 Environment
The researchers
3.What are the provide 30
consideration of questionnaires to
increasing students the grade 8
learning in a department
collaborative students.
teaching strategies
in terms of: All of the 30
questionnaires
3.1 Solving distributed were
Problems answered by the
3.2 Reporting a respondents and
certain topic. returned back.

Data gathered will

be used and
analyzed.

V. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

VI. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

VII. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

VIII. DEFINITION OF TERMS
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND RELATED LITERATURE

I. RELATED LITERATURE

II. RELATED STUDIES

III. SYNTHESIS OF THE REVIEWED RELATED LITERATURE

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

I. RSEARCH DESIGN

II. LOCALE AND POPULATION

III. DESCRIPTION OF THE RESPONDENTS

IV. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

V. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURES

VI.STATISTICAL TREATMENT OF DATA

 Table 3 and 4

Frequency Distribution of the Increasing Student Learning in

Mathematics through Collaborative Teaching strategies of the students in

Laguna Northwestern College

MALE and FEMALE

A. Readiness

1. I can recite formulas in mathematics when I read the lessons ahead the

discussion.

2. I can answer question when I have a hard copy of the topic.

3. I can make presentable reports it is given ahead of time.

4. I can solve fluently math problems if have the knowledge on math formulas.

5. I can answer my examinations when I am given pointers to study.

B. Motivation

1. I participate in class when my teacher gives prizes.

2. I express my ideas when my teacher give points to oral recitation.

3. I am more active in class when it comes to group activities in mathematics.

4. I listen attentively when my teacher has a sense of humor.

5. I understand the lessons in mathematics well when my teacher presents audio

and visual presentations.

C. Environment

1. I can focus in class if the environment is clean.

2. I can answer examinations effectively if the surroundings is quite.

3. I can easily understand what the topic is all about if the class is silent.

TABLE 3 and 4:
Answerable in terms of; ALWAYS, OFTEN, SOMETIMES,
RERELY, NOT AT ALL.
 CHAPTER III

I.

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Four student researchers conducted this exertion research project to

increase
Four student researchers conducted this exertion research project to increase
their 72 high school students’ achievements in mathematics. The student
researchers had observed a trend of low scores on teacher made chapter tests
and non- completion of daily homework. Regiment tests showed that most
students scored below average on the mathematics portion, and the number of
students having to repeat mathematics courses had increased. The students’
overall grades in mathematics have dropped, along with their inclination towards
mathematics learning.

The project included 30 high students enrolled in either Algebra 1-4 or Geometry
classes, from August 24, 2018 up to January 17, 2019. In each mathematics
classes, there is a conflation of both freshmen and sophomores containing ten
boys and ten girls. Both mathematics classes are collaborative classes where a
regular education mathematics teacher and a special education teacher teach
collaboratively.

The student researchers planned three different interpose including incorporating

multiple intelligence based lessons, offering commendatory reinforcement for
homework, and involving the students in more regular group work. The student
researchers started by having their students respondent participate in multiple
intelligence survey and based their lessons on intelligences most conspicuous in
their classes. To increase homework completion, the student researchers
rewarded students who completed five succeeding assignments with a free
homework pass. The group work took place during homework time in class.
Students divided into groups of four or five based on their competence level and
worked as a team on homework and other activities.

The student researchers constellate data using three different tools which
included obtaining average test scores, average homework completion, and
student surveys to understand how the collaborative setting affected their
learning.
They found that some of the interpose did not work as planned. For example,
offering commendatory reinforcement to increase homework completion had a
negative effect on the students. The decline in the average homework completion
was 0. 75 % in one class and 7.22 % in the other mathematics class. There were
crossbred results from both classes regarding to the average test scores.
Inclusively, the majority of the students felt that being in a collaborative setting
helped to ameliorate their learning in mathematics.
 1
CHAPTER 1
PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT

General Statement of the Problem

Four college student researchers observed that within their
high school there had been a recent increase of academic failure
within mathematics, and they questioned whether a collaborative setting
would help increase their students’ success in these field. Initial evidence
of this problem included low regiment test scores and an increase in
the number of students who had to repeat a mathematics course in order
to receive sufficient credits for graduation. The student researchers
believed that this was evidenced in the classroom setting by the lack of
daily homework completion and by the students’ beggared motivation
succeed.

Immediate Problem Context

The four college student researchers conducted this research
in their classrooms in the same high school building. Their high school is
described in detail in the following section. All the data was drawn from
the year 2018 State School Report Card, High School Students.

The High School is a private school located in Balibago Rd,

Sta. Rosa, Laguna that was established in 1978. It is a small
brick building that houses a total of 72 students and 10 full-time
faculty members. Among these students 10.5% of them came from low
income families.
2

The limited English proficiency rate of the students was

at 8%. The high school dropout rate in 2018 was 5.3% while the chronic
truancy rate was at 2 .4%.

The financial earnings of the teachers and administrators at this

district average at 50, 452 per year. The teachers in this district
have been working for an average for 12.5 years. The number of teachers
with a bachelor’s degree is 6 .1%. The number of teachers with a
master’s degree and or higher degree is 4 .7%. In this district 22.4% of
the students are male, and 49 .6% are female. The average class size at
this high school as of the first school day in June 2019 was recorded.
The ratio of students to teachers is 10.9% students to one teacher.

The graduation rate for all students in this high school is 50 %.

The graduation rates by category are as follows: 22.4% male, 49.6 %
female. The inclusively State Achievement Examination performance
for the 2018-2019 school year was 50%. This score represents those
who met or exceeded the LNC Learning Standards.

The High School has one principal and two assistant principals, one
of which acts as a dean. In addition, there are four other deans who
handle discipline issues in the school. Every department is assigned a
department head who deals with scheduling, and curriculum structure.
The department head is also responsible for conducting teacher
evaluations.

The High School is known for its academy.

And their extra time allotted in some programs where their teachers allows
them to incorporate additional reading strategies in basic mathematics
skills, which can bring the students up to sophomore standards.

Additionally, new in the 2018 -2019 school year, this high school
has incorporated a mathematics resource room that also serves as a test
make-up center. This center enables students to receive additional help
provided by mathematics teachers.

When approaching this high school, one notices a basketball court

an outside track, but no football field. All football games are conducted at
a different high school within the district.

There are one computer labs accessible to students and staff,

including twenty five computers. The High School is 41 years old that had
three additions during that time frame. The student researchers believe
that the beggared morale of the High School is directly related to the
building’s poor physical condition.This includes leaking ceilings, falling
chalkboards, bathrooms with overflowing toilets, desks covered in graffiti
and broken chairs. These conditions may also affect the students’ lack of
motivation and attention during class.

The student researchers have noted that the students tend not to
take daily notes in class and that the students do not see the relevance in
doing homework for practice. Students are also performing poorly on tests
in their mathematics classrooms. There is little access to new technology
and other tools for learning. A class size of 50 students for this school
seems large for one teacher. Most students come from a lower economic
status and many parents are preoccupied with more than one job and are
often hard to reach.

Local Context of the Problem

This high school is located at Balibago Rd, Sta. Laguna.
In 2000 the city had a population of 94,487. There are 3,118 people per
square mile with a population growth rate of 11%. To separate the
population by age groups, 38.03% are residents between the ages of 1
and 24, 54.01% are between 25 to 64, and 7.98% are of ages 65 and up.
A total of 59.99% of the population claim to be religious. Several religions
are represented: 34.39% of the population is Catholic, 15.74%
Protestant, 0.39% Latter Day Saint, 5.05% other Christian faith, 0.25%
Jewish, 0.04% of eastern faith, and 0.12% Islamic.

The average household income is 24,278, while the average

number of people in a household is 2.95. The unemployment rate
in this community is 4.30%. The job growth is 1.14%. The prediction for
job growth within the next ten years is 21.38%. The majority of the
population works in sales or an office position.

The city was founded in 1835 by two men who settled on a nearby
river. Over the next 165 years, this city would include the world’s largest
watch making factory, and the largest producer of dairy products in the
south Luzon. This city also houses a number of facilities, including a
recreational and fitness center, a cultural center which houses their own
world-renowned orchestra, golf courses, and a riverboat casino.

This high school is the product of 6 elementary schools and 2

middle schools. The mission of this High School is “ …to provide all
students with quality curricula and programs to meet intellectual,
emotional, physical and moral potential in a safe environment which
respects the dignity and value of the individual.”

National Context of the Problem

According to, Catherine Gewertz of The Civic Enterprises for the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently studied the reasons why
students drop out of high school (Gewertz, 2006). Catherine Gerwerz
obtained the viewpoints of diverse high school dropouts between the
ages of 16 and 25. According to her findings, the major reasons why
students leave school are that they are bored with school, could not keep
up with the work due to frequent absenteeism, influence from their peers,
lack of rules with too much freedom, and they were failing classes, along
with personal reasons of parenthood or the need to provide for their
family. The majority of the dropouts in her research commented on
becoming uninterested in school starting within the first two years of high
school. The author, Gewertz, conducted interviews of 467 drop-out
students in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Results from the interviews
confirmed that students were dropping out of school because they were
unmotivated to attend classes the classes were uninteresting to them and
unchallenging.

In 1999, the College Board reported on the trend for lower

academic achievement by students (mainly minority). In response, the
Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning combined seven
papers from known experts on diverse issues to generate a list of causes
for this low achievement along with offering suggestions for district and
state policy makers to help teachers improve students’ academic
success.

Reflection
Students are showing a steady decline in achievement in
mathematics and we would like to identify methods that will increase this
area of decline. Looking at the demographics of the community that holds
this high school, we suspect that some of the student behaviors and
problems stem from a low average household income and a lack of
educational background. We intend to increase our knowledge of
collaboration and cooperation with our students and other teachers in this
process. By looking at our students tests scores, homework completion,
and their opinions on collaborative teaching, we will be able to tell if our
efforts are successful and in turn will be growing in our profession.