The Investigation of Algebraic Tasks in Sixth Grades in Terms of Cognitive Demands: Mathematics Texbook and Classroom Implementations

Abstract

This study aims to examine the cognitive demands of the algebraic tasks in a sixth-grade textbook and in the four sixth-grade mathematics classrooms taught by four elementary mathematics teachers. The investigation of the tasks in the textbook indicated that 41% of the tasks pertain to procedures with connections. The investigation of the algebraic tasks implemented in the classrooms revealed that the tasks were mostly based on procedures without connections. The half of the tasks implemented in the classroom was from the textbook. While the algebraic tasks in the textbook are designed in a way to engage students in high-level cognitive
thinking, this level goes down in classroom practices.