In prior work, we fit the mixture Rasch model to item responses from a fractions survey administered to a nationwide sample of middle grades mathematics teachers in the United States. The mixture Rasch model located teachers on a continuous, unidimensional scale and fit best with 3 latent classes. We used item response data to generate initial…

The purposes of this study are to report current Preservice Teachers' (PTs) decimal abilities regarding the types of error patterns that they commit and to analyze characteristics of the errors in the problems posed for multiplication and division in decimals. We have determined common concept- and procedure-based errors made by the PTs. 37 PTs in…

Teachers' understanding of the concepts they teach affects the quality of instruction and students' learning. This study used a sample of 303 teachers from across the USA to examine elementary school mathematics teachers' knowledge of key concepts underlying fraction arithmetic. Teachers' explanations were coded based on the accuracy of their…

To provide effective fractions instruction, teachers need deep understanding of fraction concepts (i.e., content knowledge) and skill in using visual representations of fractions to support student learning (i.e., pedagogical content knowledge); yet, research indicates that many pre- and in-service teachers lack knowledge in both areas. The…

This study investigates college students' understanding of arithmetic fraction operations as defined by the Common Core State Standards in grades three through six Mathematics. This study is meant to extend upon an extensive body of research regarding elementary and middle grades students' understanding of fraction operations and see if recognized…

The understandings prospective mathematics teachers develop by focusing on quantities and quantitative relationships within real numbers have the potential for enhancing their future students' understanding of real numbers. In this article, we propose an instructional sequence that addresses quantitative relationships for the construction of real…

The number one plays a special role in mathematics because it is the identity element in multiplication and division. The present findings, however, indicate that many middle school students do not demonstrate mathematical flexibility representing one as a fraction. Despite possessing explicit knowledge of fraction forms of one (e.g., 95% of…

Students often show difficulties in understanding rational numbers. Often, these are related to the natural number bias, that is, the tendency to apply the properties of natural numbers to rational number tasks. Although this phenomenon has received a lot of research interest over the last two decades, research on the existence of qualitatively…

This document includes instructional tips on: (1) Building on students' informal understanding of sharing and proportionality to develop initial fraction concepts; (2) Helping students recognize that fractions are numbers that expand the number system beyond whole numbers, and using number lines to teach this and other fraction concepts; (3)…

This programed mathematics textbook is for student use in vocational education courses. It was developed as part of a programed series covering 21 mathematical competencies which were identified by university researchers through task analysis of several occupational cl"sters. The development of a sequential content structure was also based on…

This programed mathematics textbook is for student use in vocational education courses. It was developed as part of a programed series covering 21 mathematical competencies which were identified by university researchers through task analysis of several occupational clusters. The development of a sequential content structure was also based on…

Introduces addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions using area models such as rectangles and circles, or linear models such as the number line and fraction strips. (ASK)