In the Singapore primary school Mathematics curriculum, students are taught the model method that uses bar diagrams to visualize the problem structure in a given word problem. When these students progress to secondary school, they learn the algebraic way of solving word problems. Studies (e.g. Ng et al.) have shown that poor bridging of students…

Describes a study of eighth graders that examined the effect of the use of a linked multiple representation software program on student conceptions of algebraic functions, including graphing techniques. Results of classroom observations and paper-and-pencil tests are discussed, and the adapted curriculum used in the experiment is described. (17…