Probing Gesturing in a Concreteness Fading Vector Addition Learning Experience

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Six
  In Roundtable Session: Section 1C Mathematics Roundtable Four (Table 10)

Abstract

In this study, we designed a concreteness fading intervention that taught middle schoolers vector addition. Our intervention allowed the participants to experience informal vector addition, solve the same problem in a simulation game, work on similar problems on a worksheet, and present their learning in a story creation activity. We examined their use of gestures during the intervention and discovered pointing and representational gestures were mostly used. The participants used pointing gestures to index objects related to the task and indicate the following representations, and their representational gestures simulated their actions, reflected their mathematical thoughts, replaced their speech, and performed abstract pointing. Our study provided a scrutinized way to inspect learning in a concreteness fading intervention.

Authors

• Yilang Zhao, University of Tennessee
  Presenting Author

• Mitchell J. Nathan, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Non-Presenting Author