Mastering Reasoning Skills Among Form Four Students In

the topic of Differentiation Based on Marzano

Dimensional Mastery Learning Model.
Mohamad Nizam Arshad*1, Noor Azean Atan2, Abdul Halim Abdullah 3, Mahani
Mokhtar4 and Mohd Salleh Abu 5
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Faculty of Education, University of Technology Malaysia, Malaysia.

pidahnzam@yahoo.com, azean@.utm.my, p-halim@utm.my, p-mahani@utm.my and salleh@utm.my

Abstract. Malaysian Education Development Plan (2013-2025) has stipulated reasoning skills as one of the major components in
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) which needs to be mastered by students. The need for students to master mathematical
reasoning is seen to be important when they learn Mathematics particularly for analytical mathematical topics such as
differentiation. This study aimed at improving the level of reasoning skills among students in the topic of Differential which is
one of the topics in Additional Mathematics. The study participants consisted of 30 students from a secondary boarding school in
Johor and they were selected through purposive sampling. This study used a pre-experimental, one group pretest-posttest design
and a single group time series design. A pre-test was given to the participants in advanced and followed by several repetition
tests before the post-test assessment was given. The data collection for this study used a set of Reasoning Test Question on
Differentiation (UPSP) and 10 sets of learning activities on Differentiation which was based on a modified Marzano Rubric for
Specific Task of Situations (1992). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Research findings through
paired-sample t-test showed that there is a significant difference between scores of mean for the pre-test and post-test (p < 0.05).
Besides that, analysis of paired-sample t-test showed a significant difference between each construct in the reasoning skills such
comparing, classifying, inductive and deductive toward the mastery of students in reasoning before and after using the learning
strategy of reasoning. In conclusion, Marzano Model of Dimensional Learning (1992) is a thinking skill model which can
improve students' reasoning skills and also the achievement of students in the topic of Differentiation. The findings also imply
that the process of teaching and learning play an important role in ensuring students capability to emphasize on the
implementation process of reasoning skills and further work to improve student understanding of mathematical concepts.
Keywords: Reasoning skills, Dimensional Model of Mastery Learning, Comparing, Classifying, Inductive and Deductive,
Topic Differentiation

Scope : Mathematics Education

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