An Action Research of Applying Magic Board to Equivalence Fraction Remedial Instruction for Fifth Graders

• Main Authors: Kuei-Lien Hsiung, 熊貴蓮
• Other Authors: Yuan Yuan
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/03896372429548502678

碩士 === 中原大學 === 教育研究所 === 102 === Abstract This study aims at investigating the use of Magic Board to create remedial instructional materials for equivalent fractions as well as the influences on the students’ concepts of equivalent fraction. As an action research, this study targets seven fifth-graders in the Hand-in-Hand Project in the researcher’s school. The related data in the three-week teaching process is collected and analyzed, including discussions and reflections with members in the research group, recordings of the teaching process, reflection diaries, students’ pretest and post test results, and interviews. The results are shown as the following. 1. The process and things to consider when Magic Board is used to create materials for equivalent fractions It is expedient to construct the structure of the concept first when the materials are being developed, and also to organize the stating of the questions meaningfully. The key questions or open questions are provided depending on students’ myths, enabling the questions to lead to the key points. Using the features of the elements, the myths are clarified through class discussions, and previous experiences are solidified and new ones extended, all of which help strengthen the construction and association of mathematical concepts. The discussions and reflections in the research group can help the researcher to break through the personal blind sides and better the materials by aggregating many people’s intellectual efforts. 2.Difficulties and solution strategies confronted in the process of implemlenting the teaching activities (1) Some students were not familiar with graph decomposition and could not cut the graph into eight equal parts as assigned. Before starting the instruction, the teachers can provide sufficient opportunities for students to practice decomposing the graphs into equal parts. (2) Students did not do well on the equivalent fractions of discrete magnitude, so that they could not simply use graphs to represent the situation in which one unit represented many. Instead, they fixated on using one as the unit. More opportunities can be provided for students to manipulate objects such as the resin plaques or the pieces in the board game, helping them discover the connection between the denominator and the parts the graphs are decomposed into, and also the relationship between the total number and the units. 3. Using Magic Board in teaching equivalent fractions helps achieve learning effectiveness The rate of correct answers in the aspects of “the ability to equate” and ”the comparison, addition, and subtraction of fractions of different denominators” all achieved the pass rate of 80%, as the researcher expected. As for the students using the materials regarding “equivalent fractions”, two of them answered 60% of problems correctly and did not reach 80%. However, each of them achieved the improvement percentage of 40% and 50% respectively, which is hard to for student’s to complete. This shows that the materials have facilitated teaching effectiveness.