• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.663-682
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• 2016

This study conducted an analysis of strategies that the 3rd to 6th grade elementary students used when they were solving problems of comparing the size of the fractions with like and unlike denominators, and unit fractions. Although there were slight differences in the students' use of strategies according to the problem types, students were found to use the 'part-whole strategy', 'transforming strategy', and 'between fractions strategy' frequently. But 'pieces strategy', 'unit fraction strategy', 'within fraction strategy', and 'equivalent fraction strategy' were not used frequently. In regard to the strategy use that is appropriate to the problem condition, it was found that students needed to use the 'unit fraction strategy', and the 'within fraction strategy', whereas there were many errors in their use of the 'between fractions strategy'. Based on the results, the study attempted to provide pedagogical implications in teaching and learning for comparing the size of the fractions.

• Journal of Elementary Mathematics Education in Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.59-78
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to research and analyze students' informal knowledge before they learned formal knowledge about fraction concepts and to see how to apply this informal knowledge to teach fraction concepts. According to this purpose, research questions were follows. 1) What is the students' informal knowledge about dividing into equal parts, the equivalent fraction, and comparing size of fractions among important and primary concepts of fraction? 2) What are the contents to can lead bad concepts among students' informal knowledge? 3) How will students' informal knowledge be used when teachers give lessons in fraction concepts? To perform this study, I asked interview questions that constructed a form of drawing expression, a form of story telling, and a form of activity with figure. The interview questions included questions related to dividing into equal parts, the equivalent fraction, and comparing size of fractions. The conclusions are as follows: First, when students before they learned formal knowledge about fraction concepts solve the problem, they use the informal knowledge. And a form of informal knowledge is vary various. Second, among students' informal knowledge related to important and primary concepts of fraction, there are contents to lead bad concepts. Third, it is necessary to use students' various informal knowledge to instruct fraction concepts so that students can understand clearly about fraction concepts.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.537-555
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• 2017

This paper compared and contrasted Korean and Singaporean textbooks in order to explore the direction and possibility of teaching the big ideas related to the addition and subtraction of fractions with different denominators proposed by Lee & Pang (2016a). Firstly, we examined the teaching sequences related to the addition of fractions with different denominators in a series of elementary mathematics textbooks of Korea and Singapore. We then analyzed what types of representations are used and how the representations are presented for the big ideas related to the addition of fractions with different denominators. The results of the analysis showed that the contents related to fraction addition are addressed more gradually and systematically in Singaporean textbooks compared to Korean counterparts. The graphical representations appeared in the Singaporean textbooks provide specific implications for teaching the big ideas of the addition of fractions with different denominators. Based on such implications, we expect that the big ideas related to the addition of fractions with different denominators will be addressed explicitly and systematically in Korean textbooks.

• Education of Primary School Mathematics
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.129-147
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• 2019

Because of the various concepts and meanings of fractions and the difficulty of learning, studies to improve the teaching methods of fraction have been carried out. Particularly, because there are various methods of teaching depending on the type of fractions or the models or methods used for problem solving in fraction operations, many researches have been implemented. In this study, I analyzed the fractional operations of CCSSM-CA and its U.S. textbooks. It was CCSSM-CA revised and presented in California and the textbooks of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co., which reflect the content and direction of CCSSM-CA. As a result of the analysis, although the grades presented in CCSSM-CA and Korean textbooks were consistent in the addition and subtraction of fractions, there are the features of expressing fractions by the sum of fractions with the same denominator or unit fraction and the evaluation of the appropriateness of the answer. In the multiplication and division of fractions, there is a difference in the presentation according to the grades. There are the features of the comparison the results of products based on the number of factor, presenting the division including the unit fractions at first, and suggesting the solving of division problems using various ways.

• Journal of the Korean School Mathematics Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.303-326
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• 2018

Fraction has difficulties in learning because of the diversity of meanings, the ways of presenting contents and teaching methods in elementary school mathematics. Therefore, the various strategies of teaching of fraction concept is proposed as an alternative. The problem of equal sharing problem is that children can experience the concept of fractions naturally in the context of everyday distribution. Even before learning formal fractions, children can solve them in various ways based on their own experiences. The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of problem solving and problem solving strategies for children in 2nd, 4th, and 6th grades in elementary school. As a result of the research, the percentage of correct answers increased as the grade increased, but the grade levels showed a difference depending on the numbers given to the problems. Also, there were differences in the problem solving strategies according to the grade levels. Also, according to the numbers presented in the problem, the percentage of correct answers was high in items that were easy to divide, and the percentage of correct answers was low in items that were difficult to divide. When children solved the problems, they were affected by the strategies they could use immediately according to the number presented in the problem, and their learning experiences were also affected.