The Effect of the Realistic Mathematics Education Approach: Meta-Analysis of the Measured Mathematical Ability Angle

Abstract

Although the literature has presented the overall effect of the RME approach, no specific studies have analyzed its relationship to the type of mathematical ability being measured. This meta-analysis study was conducted to measure the overall effect of RME and explore its relationship to types of mathematical ability and consider its implications. ERIC databases, sage publishing, springer publishing, and google scholar were examined to achieve relevant research. The study analyzed 54 effect sizes from 38 individual studies that have been published in the past two decades, and a total of 4798 students were involved. Random effects models with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated, and statistical calculations used the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) program. Based on the analysis, it was found that the overall effect size of the study was 0.97. The analysis results show that the implementation of RME has a considerable positive impact on students' mathematical abilities. The moderator analysis revealed that the implementation of RME has a massive impact on the low or medium-level cognitive domains. Finally, the research implications are discussed and provide critical information for future RME implementation and as a basis for future meta-analysis studies.