The Effect of Davis and Biggs Models on Mathematics Achievement and Algebraic Thinking Skills among Intermediate Stage Female Students

Abstract

Abstract:The current research aims to investigate the effect of teaching mathematics using Davis and Biggs models on academic achievement and algebraic thinking skills among second-intermediate grade female students. To achieve this aim, the researcher adopted the experimental method with a partial control design for three groups (two experimental and one control) with a post-test. The research population was defined as second-intermediate grade female students in the General Directorate of Education in Baghdad / Karkh 3 for the academic year (2025-2026). The purposive sample consisted of (95) students distributed into three groups: The first experimental group (32 students) was taught according to the Davis Model, the second experimental group (32 students) was taught according to the Biggs Model, and the control group (31 students) was taught according to the traditional method. The groups were statistically equated in the variables of (chronological age, previous mathematics knowledge, and intelligence).

The researcher constructed two instruments: The first was an Achievement Test consisting of (40) multiple-choice items, and the second was an Algebraic Thinking Skills Test consisting of (16) items measuring skills of (pattern recognition, symbolic representation, generalization, and modeling). The validity and reliability of both instruments were verified. After conducting the experiment, which lasted for a full semester, the data were analyzed statistically using One-Way ANOVA and Eta Squared (η²).The results revealed that students in both experimental groups significantly outperformed students in the control group at the 0.05 level of significance in both the achievement test and the algebraic thinking test, with a very large effect size for both models. No statistically significant differences were found between the two experimental groups. In light of the results, the researcher recommended incorporating activities based on SOLO taxonomy levels and Davis model steps into developed mathematics textbooks, and suggested conducting similar studies to investigate their effects on other branches like geometric skills and other dependent variables such as self-regulated learning.