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Preservice Teachers' Strategies for Detecting and Addressing Errors in Students' Fraction Comparison Tasks

Fri, April 17, 4:05 to 5:35pm, Virtual Room

Abstract

We examine the effect of instructional scaffolds on pre-service teachers' (PST) explanations of fraction comparisons. Participants (N=86) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Correct Examples-complete explanations to study, Error Reflection-explanations marked as incorrect that have missing and incorrect information, and Defining Features–a checklist of steps required for complete explanation. The Correct Examples condition demonstrated the greatest improvements in explanation completeness. Our follow-up investigation focuses on the Error Reflection condition to assess: 1) whether PSTs detect and address errors displayed in fictitious students’ fraction comparison tasks, 2) how PSTs’ detection and addressing of errors varies by strategy used to compare fractions (distance-to-one, common numerator, benchmark-to-half), and 3) whether PSTs’ own misunderstandings relate to how they address students’ errors.

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