Impacting Student Confidence : The effects of using virtual manipulatives and increasing fraction understanding.

수학에 대한 자신감 증진: 가상학습교구를 통한 분수 개념 이해의 결과

There have been studies reporting the increase in student confidence in mathematics when using technology. However, past studies indicating a positive correlation between technology and confidence in mathematics do not explain why they see this positive outcome. With increased availability and easy access to the Internet in schools and the development of free online virtual manipulatives, this research was interested in how the use of virtual manipulatives in mathematics can affect students confidence in their mathematical abilities. Our hypothesis was that the classes using virtual manipulatives which allows students to connecting dynamic visual image with abstract symbols will help students gain a deeper conceptual understanding of math concept thus increasing their confidence and ability in mathematics. The participants in this study were 46 fifth-grade students in three ability groups: one high, one middle and one low. During a two-week unit on fractions, students in three groups interacted with several virtual manipulative applets in a computer lab. Data sources in the project included a pre and posttest of students mathematics content knowledge, Confidence in Learning Mathematics Scale, field notes and student interviews, and classroom videotapes. Our aim was to find evidence for increased level of confidence in mathematics as students strengthened their understanding of fraction concepts. Results from the achievement score indicated an overall main effect showing significant improvement for all ability groups following the treatment and an increase in the confidence level from the preassessment of the Confidence in Learning Mathematics Scale in the middle and high ability groups. An interesting finding was that the confidence level for the low ability group students who had the highest confidence level in the beginning did not change much in the final confidence scale assessment. In the middle and high ability groups, the confidence level did increase according to the improvement of the contest posttest. Through interviews, students expressed how the virtual manipulatives assisted their understanding by verifying their answers as they worked and facilitated their ability to figure out math concept in their mind and visually.

본 연구는 가상학습교구를 이용한 수업이 학생들의 수학적 개념 이해를 돕고, 이러한 개념 이해의 증가가 학생들의 수학 학습에 대한 자신감을 증진시키는 지를 분석하는데 목적이 있다. 또한, 다수의 질 높은 수학관련 소프트웨어의 개발에도 불구하고 비용상의 문제로 사용에 제약을 받았던 수학교실 상황에, 무료로 제공되는 가상학습교구의 활용 가능성 모색은 본 연구가 갖는 또 다른 의미이다. 워싱턴 디씨 근교 초등학교 5학년 학생들을 대상으로 가상학습교구를 이용하여 분수개념을 지도하였고, 학생들이 분수개념을 획득함에 따라 나타내는 자신감의 증거를 찾았다. 실험 전후에 성취도와 자신감 검사가 실시되었고, 수업 중의 인터뷰와 학생 활동지 수업관찰을 통해 자료를 수집하고 분석하였다.