Using hands-On Versus Virtual Manipulatives to Assist Basic Seven (7) Students in Understanding the Concept of Algebraic Expressions : A Case Study of Bagabaga Demonstration Junior High School

This research study employs a quasi-experimental research design. The primary objective is to compare the effectiveness of hands-on and virtual manipulatives in enhancing the comprehension of the concept of algebraic expressions among Basic Seven (7) students at Bagabaga Demonstration Junior High School in Sagnarigu Municipality located in Tamale, Ghana. The research population comprised 100 students, selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The population was divided into two groups: the Experimental group and the Control group. Prior to the intervention, both groups underwent a pretest, resulting in nearly identical mean and standard deviation scores (i.e.,1.08 and 1.44). Following the intervention, a Posttest was conducted to assess the impact of the intervention methods. The Experimental group achieved a mean score of 7.3, accompanied by a standard deviation of 5.9 while the Control group attained a mean score of 8.86, with a standard deviation of 1.5. These findings suggest that the use of hands-on and virtual manipulatives has a substantial influence on the understanding of the concept of algebraic expressions among the Bagabaga Demonstration Junior High School Basic Seven (7) students. The study recommends the use of diverse approaches which employ both hands-on and virtual manipulatives to address various learning styles, integrating them with other teaching strategies as well as continuous training of teachers to effectively integrate manipulatives into the classroom, and collaborate with colleagues to share best practices. Keywords: Algebraic Expression, Algebra tiles, Hands-on Manipulatives, Virtual Manipulatives