The efficiency of homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping of students in mathematics

The questions of grouping students have always been present in the history of education with diverse intentions and according to different criteria. The researchers of education as well as teachers and pedagogues have tried to find out when the grouping should start and what the objective of grouping is, how it should be performed, and if students should be grouped into heterogeneous groups regarding their abilities or should they stay in homogeneous group. Furthermore, they ponder how long the period of grouping into homogeneous groups should last; and whereas some groups have systematic advantages and the others just disadvantages etc. In modern times, also called the knowledge society, the question arises how to help each individual to obtain quality knowledge and to be included into the usage of available human resources. Due to high teaching objectives and increased differences between students, the concerns about the form of grouping and implementation of teaching differentiation and individualization, respectively have become very important. Nowadays experts are concerned about differentiation and individualization, primarily how to recognize individual differences among pupils and how to provide quality and sustainable knowledge to all with adequate organization and didactic approach. The didactic principle of differentiation and individualization is very popular now. School should respond to the needs of differentiation considering the learning abilities of students and efficiently prepare students to enter the labour market on one hand while on the other school should contribute to the social integration and acceptance of different social values, knowledge included. The fundamental didactic challenge is how to ensure the high quality of educational process in classes on the systemic and on the operational didactic level along with taking care of creating the right social climate and relationships among pupils in classrooms. The monograph contains theoretical foundations and empirical research. The aim of the research was to analyse the effects of different forms of learning differentiation and individualization in the ninth grade of the primary school in Slovenia. Authors’ aim was analyse two teaching forms of differentiation and individualization that are primarily chosen in mathematics education, i. e. teaching in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups. The efficiency was analysed from the point of cognitive aspects (results obtained in various examinations, subject grades etc.) and conative aspects (pupils’ answers in surveys concerning teaching of the subject, attitude towards the subject, teacher-pupil relations etc.).