The impact of kinesthetic instructional strategies and manipulatives on fourth grader’s self-efficacy and self-confidence toward multiplication

Abstract

Self-efficacy and self-confidence are listed as significant contributors to students’ general attitudes and performance in mathematics. Having negative beliefs toward mathematics is commonplace for children in the United States. These beliefs have an impact on the amount of effort, persistence, and resilience an individual will spend when engaging in any activity. Educators are seeking ways to improve self-efficacy and self-confidence in math through kinesthetic instructional strategies and manipulatives that use repetitive, action-based movements shown to strengthen our brain’s neuroplasticity, which improves computational efficiency and speed of learning. This research examined the effectiveness of kinesthetic learning strategies on 111 fourth-grade students’ self-efficacy and self-confidence toward math and multiplication. Quantitative data analysis was used to determine significant differences in student efficacy from pre-assessment to post-assessment. Quantitative analysis of results revealed statistically significant differences in participants’ self-efficacy and self-confidence toward multiplication after the implementation of kinesthetic instructional strategies and manipulatives.