Data on students’ mathematical reasoning test scores: A quasi-experiment

Abstract

The data presented here were collected from 301 grade 11 students selected from six public secondary schools within one district. These students participated in a quasi-experimental study whose aim was to investigate the effects of the Student-Teams Achievement Division (STAD) on students’ mathematical reasoning. Six intact classes from the participating schools were selected using a cluster random sampling method, three of which were randomly assigned to the control group while the other three were randomly assigned to the experimental group. Respondents’ demographic information (identity, gender, school type, and age) are presented alongside their raw scores on pretest and posttest measures. The mathematical reasoning test (MRT) items presented to students aimed at assessing their conjecturing, justifying and mathematizing abilities. Student scores from each of these three mathematical reasoning dimensions were aggregated to form a total score for both the pretest and posttest measures. These data can provide some insights into the extent to which different learning conditions can support the development of reasoning among the learners of school mathematics. The MRT items presented in the supplementary data files can also act as a basis for the formulation of new tasks aimed at assessing students’ mathematical reasoning skills.

Keywords

• Conjecturing
• Justifying
• Mathematical reasoning
• Mathematizing
• Quasi-experiment