• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.935-949
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of virtual manipulatives apps that can be used to teach students struggling to learn mathematics. To achieve this goal, ten general characteristics of 23 virtual manipulatives apps were evaluated. The instructional, interface, and interactive design features of apps were also evaluated on five-point scale ratings of 18 items. In addition, SPSS frequency analysis and the correlation between each feature was analyzed. Frequently presented instructional contents among 23 virtual manipulatives apps were geometry, arithmetic operation, number concept and measurement. The frequently presented level of instructional contents was lower grade elementary school and kindergarten age. The frequently presented instructional type was the simulation. Regarding the design features, instructional design was rated as the highest (mean = 3.7); interactive design (mean = 3.6) and interface design (mean = 3.3) were also rated higher than neural. In addition, as the learning strategy was appropriately presented, it was evaluated that there was less screen linkage and content error.

• School Mathematics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.79-95
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• 2002

This paper is to make strides toward an enriched understanding of student learning and performance in mathematics that acknowledges the roles social and cultural contexts play in what students learn as well as what we are able to team about student learning. A student's mathematical practice over a year and a half is presented in detail in order to explore the relationships between classroom contexts and student performance. This study was situated at a K-4 urban elementary school in the United States. The data used for this study included classroom observations, interviews with the teachers and the student, and document collection. The data were analyzed by characterizing each classroom context and exploring the student's practice both in the classrooms and in the interviews. Despite the student's ongoing status as a struggling student, there were tremendous changes in his level of engagement in and persistence with mathematical tasks. The student was substantially more engaged in and enthusiastic about the daily mathematics lessons in third grade than he had been in second. However, we found little improvement in his mathematical understanding and performance during class or in the interviews. This highlights that increased engagement in the mathematical tasks does not necessarily signal increased learning. This paper discusses several issues of learning and performance raised by the student, looking at the relationship between classroom context and student performance. This paper also considers implications for how students' performances are interpreted and how learning is assessed.