ERIC Number: EJ1296727
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Jun
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: N/A
Can Teaching Fractions Improve Teachers' Fraction Understanding?: Insights from a Causal-Comparative Study
Fuchs, Lynn S.; Malone, Amelia S.
Elementary School Journal, v121 n4 p656-673 Jun 2021
The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to gain insight into whether teaching fractions improves teachers' understanding of fractions. University master's students (n = 25) conducted tutoring on fraction magnitude in grades 3-5. The contrast condition, 17 master's students drawn from the same pool of research assistant applicants, conducted tutoring to improve science and social studies text comprehension in grades 3-5. In the fractions condition, students were at risk for mathematics difficulty; in the text comprehension condition, at risk for reading difficulty. When tutoring ended, tutors' accuracy of number line placement of single fractions and fraction sums as well as single whole numbers and whole number sums was assessed. Results indicated superior accuracy for fraction tutors over text comprehension tutors on fraction sums, with an effect size of 0.75. The effect size for placement of single fractions was 0.47. Implications are extrapolated to preservice and in-service teachers.
Descriptors: Mathematics Teachers, Mathematics Instruction, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Graduate Students, Masters Programs, Fractions, Elementary School Mathematics, Tutoring, Reading Comprehension, Effect Size, Accuracy
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A