A Comparison between the Closed Classroom Environment and the Open Classroom Environment in Teaching Mathematics to Female University Students

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the (closed classroom environment, CCE) and the (open classroom environment, OCE) in teaching mathematics to female university students through the validity and reliability implications used by the female students. The study sample included (31) female students, divided into (17) female students in (OCE), and (14) female students in (CCE) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A purposive sample was chosen, and a mathematics scale was applied to detect the effect of the closed and (OCE) on mathematical operations, which include (Differentiation and Integration, algebra, probability and statistics, and geometric shapes). For Differentiation and Integration (-0.144), teaching algebra (-0.033), teaching statistics (0.094), and teaching geometric shapes (-0.105), the values are not statistically significant at the significance level (0.05).

The results showed that the reliability of the split-half method on (CCE) was (Part1 = 0.951), and on (OCE) it was (Part2 = 0.919), meaning that the split-half method was (0.978). And the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was (0.959).

The results showed that there are no statistically significant differences at the significance level (0.05) between (CCE) and (OCE) for Differentiation and Integration. There are differences in algebra in favor of (CCE), there are differences in statistics and probability in (OCE), and there are differences in geometric shapes in (OCE).

The results showed that there are no statistically significant differences at the significance level (0.05) between (CCE) and (OCE) due to the teacher type variable.

The study recommends conducting more studies and research related to (OCE) and (CCE) and their impact on mathematics.