The Impact of the Drill and Practice Learning Model on the Cognitive Development of Students in the Concrete Operational Stage

Abstract

Addition is a fundamental arithmetic concept that is abstract for students still in the concrete operational stage of cognitive development. To address this, an appropriate instructional model was selected to facilitate student understanding; specifically, the teacher chose a "drill and practice" model to allow students to explore their grasp of addition. However, challenges arose during the process, given that the students were in a transitional phase between the preoperational and concrete operational stages. This study examines the phenomena observed in the cognitive development of students in the concrete operational stage resulting from the implementation of the drill and practice model. Data collection involved interview and classroom observation. The study yielded both positive and negative findings regarding the students' cognitive development. Implementing the "Drill and Practice" model helps teachers address student learning challenges during the early concrete operational stage through intensive practice and repetition; however, its implementation still faces obstacles, specifically a poor understanding of addition concepts, a tendency among students to rely on rote memorization, and a lack of student-to-student interaction, which lead to confusion and a classroom atmosphere that is less than conducive to learning.