Teachers' Understanding of Fractions: A Study on Referent Units

• In Event: Exploring Student and Teacher Cognition in Mathematics Education

Abstract

In this study, we explored teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units as well as how teachers’ understanding of referent units is related to their performance on other fraction concepts. By using data collected from 246 U.S. mathematics teachers in Grades 3–7 where fractions are taught, we found that teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units were moderately related. Our findings also indicated that teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units seemed to be associated with their performance on other fraction concepts.

Authors

• Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, University of Southern California

• ibrahim burak olmez, MEF University