Proportional Reasoning: How Do the 4th Graders Use Their Intuitive Understanding?

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Proportional Reasoning: How Do the 4th Graders Use Their Intuitive Understanding?
Language: English
Authors: Sumarto, Sylvana Novilia, van Galen, Frans, Zulkardi, H., Darmawijoyo, D.
Source: International Education Studies. 2014 7(1):69-80.
Availability: Canadian Center of Science and Education. 1120 Finch Avenue West Suite 701-309, Toronto, ON M3J 3H7, Canada. Tel: 416-642-2606 Ext 206; Fax: 416-642-2608; e-mail: ies@ccsenet.org; Web site: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/es
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2014
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Elementary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Logical Thinking, Intuition, Grade 4, Mathematical Concepts, Mathematics Instruction, Elementary School Mathematics, Problem Solving, Elementary School Students, Pretests Posttests, Interviews
Geographic Terms: Indonesia
ISSN: 1913-9020
Abstract: In Indonesia, proportion is being taught formally in Grade 5 (10-11 years old). However, the existing learning approach does not support the development of the students' proportional reasoning. The way to teach proportion by giving cross multiplication is not meaningful for the students. They just memorize the procedure without understanding how it works. Within a design research, a learning sequence was developed for Grade 4 students (9-10 years old) in order to develop their proportional reasoning as well as their ability to solve the proportional problem before they learned more formally in Grade 5. The students of Grade 4 might have an intuitive understanding about proportionality and they might be able to deal with the comparison problem. How do they use this intuitive understanding to solve the comparison problem and what kind of difficulties that they faced? These questions were addressed through the analyzing of the students' work on the pretest and the video of students' interview. The result shows that the students' intuitive understanding, in principle, can help them to deal with the comparison problem. The students' experience may lead them to use the concept of proportionality instead of the absolute value in simple comparison problem.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 13
Entry Date: 2015
Accession Number: EJ1068940
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In Indonesia, proportion is being taught formally in Grade 5 (10-11 years old). However, the existing learning approach does not support the development of the students' proportional reasoning. The way to teach proportion by giving cross multiplication is not meaningful for the students. They just memorize the procedure without understanding how it works. Within a design research, a learning sequence was developed for Grade 4 students (9-10 years old) in order to develop their proportional reasoning as well as their ability to solve the proportional problem before they learned more formally in Grade 5. The students of Grade 4 might have an intuitive understanding about proportionality and they might be able to deal with the comparison problem. How do they use this intuitive understanding to solve the comparison problem and what kind of difficulties that they faced? These questions were addressed through the analyzing of the students' work on the pretest and the video of students' interview. The result shows that the students' intuitive understanding, in principle, can help them to deal with the comparison problem. The students' experience may lead them to use the concept of proportionality instead of the absolute value in simple comparison problem.
ISSN:1913-9020