• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.475-496
• /
• 2018

Although the multiplication of decimal fractions is expected to be easy for students to understand because of the similarity to natural numbers multiplication in computing methods, students show many errors in the multiplication of decimal fractions. This is a result of the instruction focused more on skill mastery than conceptual understanding. This study is a basic study for effectively developing a unit of multiplication of decimal fractions. For this purpose, we analyzed the curriculums' performance standards, significance in teaching-learning and evaluation, contents and methods for teaching multiplication of decimal fractions from the 7th curriculum to the revised curriculum of 2015 and the textbooks' activities and lessons. Further, we analyzed preceding studies and introductory books to suggest effective directions for developing teaching unit. As a result of the analysis, three implications were obtained: First, a meaningful instruction for estimation is needed. Second, it is necessary to present a visual model suitable for understanding the meaning of decimal multiplication. Third, the process of formalizing an algorithms for multiplying decimal fractions needs to be diversified.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.8 no.2 s.16
• /
• pp.97-113
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study is to develop instructional methods for the formalized algorithm through informal knowledge in teaching division of fractions. The following results have been drawn from this study: First, before students learn formal knowledge about division of fractions, they knowledge or strategies to solve problems such as direct modeling strategies, languages to reason mathematically, and using operational expressions. Second, students could solve problems using informal knowledge which is based on partitioning. But they could not solve problems as the numbers involved in problems became complex. In the beginning, they could not reinvent invert-and-multiply rule only by concrete models. However, with the researcher's guidance, they can understand the meaning of a reciprocal number by using concrete models. Moreover, they had an ability to apply the pattern of solving problems when dividend is 1 into division problems of fractions when dividend is fraction. Third, instructional activities were developed by using the results of the teaching experiment performed in the second research step. They consist of student's worksheets and teachers' guides. In conclusion, formalizing students' informal knowledge can make students understand formal knowledge meaningfully and it has a potential that promote mathematical thinking. The teaching-learning activities developed in this study can be an example to help teachers formalize students' informal knowledge.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.807-825
• /
• 2010

Educational interest has been paid to ADHD students. Because of being easily distracted, lacking concentration, and committing hyperactive acts, they lag much behind other students in academic grades and their teachers have many difficulties in teaching them. This study aims to provide a case of enhancing an ADHD student's fraction-related achievement. To do this, we investigated his mathematical abilities in a preliminary study, devised an individualized teaching for the fractions unit, and applied them to him. And analyzing the results from observations and interviews of the student we can induce the following results: First, the ADHD student showed such types of errors in relation to fraction as lack of the concept of dividing into equal parts, lack of the concept of numerator and denominator, and errors in adding or subtracting fractions anc mixed fractions whose denominators were the same. And secondly, the fraction-related achievements of the ADHD student have improved thanks to the systematic teaching plan based on the accurate understanding of his academic gap relative to other students, his learning attitude, and his time difference. In addition, this study suggests several implications for ADHD students' learning of fractions.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.37-54
• /
• 2018

Despite the significance of fraction in elementary mathematics education, it is not easy to teach it meaningfully in connection with real life in Korea. This study aims to investigate and analyze 3rd grade students' understanding on unit fraction concepts and on comparison of unit fractions and to identify the parts which need to be supplemented in relation to unit fraction. For these purposes, I reviewed previous studies and extracted chapters which cover unit fractions in elementary mathematics textbooks based on 2009 revised curriculums and analyzed teaching contexts and visual representations of unit fractions. From this point of view, I constructed a test which consists of three problems based on Chval et al(2013) to investigate students' understanding on unit fraction. To apply this test, I selected forty-one 3rd grade students and examined that students' aspects of understanding on unit fraction. The results were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. In this study, I present the analysis results and provide implications and some didactical suggestions for teaching contexts and visual representations of unit fraction based on the discussion.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.235-263
• /
• 2009

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of children's understanding of fractions in mathematics problem solving. Kieren has claimed that the concept of fractions is not a single construct, but consists of several interrelated subconstructs(i.e., part-whole, ratio, operator, quotient and measure). Later on, in the early 1980s, Behr et al. built on Kieren's conceptualization and suggested a theoretical model linking the five subconstructs of fractions to the operations of fractions, fraction equivalence and problem solving. In the present study we utilized this theoretical model as a reference to investigate children's understanding of fractions. The case study has been conducted with 6 children consisted of 4th to 5th graders to detect how they understand factions, and how their understanding influence problem solving of subconstructs, operations of fractions and equivalence. Children's understanding of fractions was categorized into "part-whole", "ratio", "operator", "quotient", "measure" and "result of operations". Most children solved the problems based on their conceptual structure of fractions. However, we could not find the particular relationships between children's understanding of fractions and fraction operations or fraction equivalence, while children's understanding of fractions significantly influences their solutions to the problems of five subconstructs of fractions. We suggested that the focus of teaching should be on the concept of fractions and the meaning of each operations of fractions rather than computational algorithm of fractions.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.129-147
• /
• 2019

Because of the various concepts and meanings of fractions and the difficulty of learning, studies to improve the teaching methods of fraction have been carried out. Particularly, because there are various methods of teaching depending on the type of fractions or the models or methods used for problem solving in fraction operations, many researches have been implemented. In this study, I analyzed the fractional operations of CCSSM-CA and its U.S. textbooks. It was CCSSM-CA revised and presented in California and the textbooks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co., which reflect the content and direction of CCSSM-CA. As a result of the analysis, although the grades presented in CCSSM-CA and Korean textbooks were consistent in the addition and subtraction of fractions, there are the features of expressing fractions by the sum of fractions with the same denominator or unit fraction and the evaluation of the appropriateness of the answer. In the multiplication and division of fractions, there is a difference in the presentation according to the grades. There are the features of the comparison the results of products based on the number of factor, presenting the division including the unit fractions at first, and suggesting the solving of division problems using various ways.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.89-108
• /
• 2007

Finding the lack of meaningful approaches in teaching multiplication of decimal fractions, this paper tries to show from the standpoints of Dewey, Vergnaud and Brousseau that the cognition of ratio and proportion is essential to the understanding of multiplication of decimal fractions. Based upon such posture, this paper compares the characteristics and approaches to multiplication of decimal fractions in Korean and Japanese textbooks. Finally, this paper suggests ways to develop the concept of multiplication of decimal fractions in Korean textbooks.

• The Mathematical Education
• /
• v.56 no.2
• /
• pp.193-212
• /
• 2017

This study focuses on cuisenaire rods that can be used when teaching fractions to elementary school students. First of all, this study critically examines the use of cuisenaire rods in learning of fraction proposed by various researches. Then, based on this review, this study explores in detail the use of cuisenaire rods in teachers' manuals developed from the revised curriculum by 2009 and in lessons related to fraction. The results of this study show that there are subtle differences in how to use cuisenaire rods in learning fractions and these subtle differences have a significant impact on students' understanding of the fractions. Therefore, the teachers should be able to accurately grasp the differences and utilize appropriate methods for teaching purpose. The followings are some of the implications for teachers or textbook developers when using cuisenaire rods in fraction learning: First, we should use cuisenaire rods in ways that can fully exploit the interpretations of the fraction as a part-whole and the fraction as a ratio. Second, we should focus on quantitative reasoning with unit to determine what each cuisenaire rod refers to. Third, it is necessary to take a more careful and sensitive approach to the use of cuisenaire rods. Teachers and textbook developers should constantly explore ways to make good use of mathematical manipulatives to help students understand conceptually in fractional learning. Furthermore, when teaching various mathematical topics using different manipulatives, I expect that there will be sufficient discussions and specific studies on how to use each of these manipulatives.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.121-134
• /
• 2011

Stevin is known as the inventor of decimal fractions, even though many mathematicians had the concept of decimal fractions and used it before Stevin. Why? To respond to such a question, we studied about its significance which 'La Disme' had in the history of mathematics. These can be summarized as its notational aspect, the manner of developing the book, the conceptual revolution and the practical purpose. And the chapter and verse of are little known when compared to its reputation. So in this paper we considered its contents in detail and discussed some didactical implications in relation to teaching and learning of decimal fractions in elementary school : importance of place values, similarity of calculation to natural numbers, using common fractions to justify, emphasis on the applications of decimal fractions, relation to measuring units, necessity of teaching number sense, using notational aspects.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.537-555
• /
• 2017

This paper compared and contrasted Korean and Singaporean textbooks in order to explore the direction and possibility of teaching the big ideas related to the addition and subtraction of fractions with different denominators proposed by Lee & Pang (2016a). Firstly, we examined the teaching sequences related to the addition of fractions with different denominators in a series of elementary mathematics textbooks of Korea and Singapore. We then analyzed what types of representations are used and how the representations are presented for the big ideas related to the addition of fractions with different denominators. The results of the analysis showed that the contents related to fraction addition are addressed more gradually and systematically in Singaporean textbooks compared to Korean counterparts. The graphical representations appeared in the Singaporean textbooks provide specific implications for teaching the big ideas of the addition of fractions with different denominators. Based on such implications, we expect that the big ideas related to the addition of fractions with different denominators will be addressed explicitly and systematically in Korean textbooks.