Let’s be rational: worked examples supplemented textbooks improve conceptual and fraction knowledge
Date
2022-11-13
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Educational Psychology
Abstract
The current study assessed whether adding worked examples with self-explanation prompts focused on making connections between mathematical principles, procedures, and concepts of rational numbers to a curriculum focused on invented strategies improves pre-algebra students’ fraction number line acuity, rational number concepts and procedures. Finally, the study assessed whether individual differences in prior knowledge of rational numbers moderate the effect of the textbooks. The experimental textbooks resulted in significantly greater improvements overall in fraction number line estimation skills than control textbooks. Further, example-supplemented textbooks were more effective than control textbooks at improving understanding of rational number concepts for those with low prior conceptual knowledge. Both textbooks were equally effective at improving procedural skills.
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Educational Psychology on 11/13/2022, available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/01443410.2022.2144142. This article will be embargoed until 05/13/2024.
Keywords
Rational number, numerical cognition, fraction magnitude, numerical magnitude, mathematics education
Citation
Christina Areizaga Barbieri, Julie L. Booth & Kamal Chawla (2022) Let’s be rational: worked examples supplemented textbooks improve conceptual and fraction knowledge, Educational Psychology, DOI: 10.1080/01443410.2022.2144142