Learning Activities in a Dynamic Learning Environment to Foster a Basic Fraction Concept
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| Title: | Learning Activities in a Dynamic Learning Environment to Foster a Basic Fraction Concept |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rowena Merkel (ORCID |
| Source: | International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. 2025 23(8):3953-3979. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 27 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Grade 5 Intermediate Grades Middle Schools |
| Descriptors: | Learning Activities, Environmental Education, Mathematical Concepts, Fractions, Elementary School Mathematics, Elementary School Students, Grade 5, Prior Learning, Arithmetic |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10763-025-10602-6 |
| ISSN: | 1571-0068 1573-1774 |
| Abstract: | Research indicates that generating multiple solutions during a problem-solving phase before subsequent instruction (problem-solving prior to instruction) has a beneficial effect on the acquisition of conceptual understanding. This effect can be supported by visualizations that enable the use of multiple solution strategies through interactive manipulation. In a digital learning environment for fraction comparison tasks using dynamic fraction bars (i.e., fraction bars that can be interactively manipulated), we investigated how solution strategies adopted by students predicted their learning outcomes in relation to the basic (non-symbolic, representational) fraction concept and how learning in a dynamic learning environment compared to learning in a static environment (i.e., fraction bars without interactive manipulation) leads to a better basic fraction concept. The experiment included 92 fifth graders. We found a descriptive but nonsignificant trend of students in the dynamic condition performing better on a post-task than those in the static condition. However, there was a substantial aptitude--treatment interaction. In the static environment, students' prior mathematical conceptual understanding of basic arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication of natural numbers had a significant effect on the learning outcomes, whereas in the dynamic learning environment, students' prior mathematical knowledge did not influence their learning outcomes. Moreover, the quality of the solution strategies employed in the dynamic digital learning environment predicted the learning outcomes in the post-task. This finding shows that students who use the dynamic fraction bars effectively achieve a better learning outcome. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1501359 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Research indicates that generating multiple solutions during a problem-solving phase before subsequent instruction (problem-solving prior to instruction) has a beneficial effect on the acquisition of conceptual understanding. This effect can be supported by visualizations that enable the use of multiple solution strategies through interactive manipulation. In a digital learning environment for fraction comparison tasks using dynamic fraction bars (i.e., fraction bars that can be interactively manipulated), we investigated how solution strategies adopted by students predicted their learning outcomes in relation to the basic (non-symbolic, representational) fraction concept and how learning in a dynamic learning environment compared to learning in a static environment (i.e., fraction bars without interactive manipulation) leads to a better basic fraction concept. The experiment included 92 fifth graders. We found a descriptive but nonsignificant trend of students in the dynamic condition performing better on a post-task than those in the static condition. However, there was a substantial aptitude--treatment interaction. In the static environment, students' prior mathematical conceptual understanding of basic arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication of natural numbers had a significant effect on the learning outcomes, whereas in the dynamic learning environment, students' prior mathematical knowledge did not influence their learning outcomes. Moreover, the quality of the solution strategies employed in the dynamic digital learning environment predicted the learning outcomes in the post-task. This finding shows that students who use the dynamic fraction bars effectively achieve a better learning outcome. |
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| ISSN: | 1571-0068 1573-1774 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10763-025-10602-6 |
