A REVIEW OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INCORPORATING MOVEMENT IN MATH

FOR
STUDENT UNDERSTANDING
1

A Review of the Effectiveness of Incorporating Movement and Math For

Student Understanding
Hope Darcey-Martin
Ithaca College

A REVIEW OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INCORPORATING MOVEMENT IN MATH

FOR
STUDENT UNDERSTANDING
2

Abstract:
The following paper is a literature review of the effectiveness of using
movement to enhance mathematical understanding and why or why not it
should be implemented in the classroom. Many theories exist as to what are
best practices in mathematical education. Paradigm shifts in both pedagogy
and methodology produce varied conclusions concerning how students learn,
and therefore how teachers can teach the most effectively (Martin, 71,
1994). Studies concerning the effectiveness of the use of movement in
teaching mathematics offer varied conclusions that range from movement
being detrimental to certain demographics (e.g. Bottia, Moller, Mickelson, &
Stearns, 2014), to movement being the very basis for mathematical
understanding (e.g. Bautista, Roth, & Thom, 2011). How researchers gauged
effectiveness influenced findings. Overall, studies equated effectiveness
with class participation and conversation (e.g. Bautista et. all, 2011),
comparing high scores on tests administered directly before, after instruction
(e.g. Koler, 2014; Shoval, 2011) or at the end of the year (Morgan, Farkas &
Maczuga, 2014) and item response theory scale scores that project scores

A REVIEW OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INCORPORATING MOVEMENT IN MATH

FOR
STUDENT UNDERSTANDING
3
over time (Bottia et al., 2014). The varied conclusions speak to inherent
variability of student learning and assessment in relation to effective
mathematical practice.