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The purpose of the study is to investigate fourth graders'''' conceptions of equivalent fractions based on the children''''s meanings of fractional number words presented by Ning. The item response theory of non-parameter developed by Jeng is used as an analytical tool to accurately show the relation between the ability and the performance of children, to understand children''''s conceptions of fractional numbers and their solution strategies, and to demonstrate the theoretical model built by Ning. The fourth graders within the Taichung Normal College''''s assisted region are chosen as research subjects. Using the method of stratified random sampling, we obtain 1064 effective written samples. From the analysis of written tests, we can find some item characteristic curves show a flat segment indicating that children within a specific range of ability can not cross a certain obstacle-concept. After specifically analyzing these children''''s tests and interviewing them, we find the following situations: (1)For those children with ability values between-1.26 and -0.74, they have the conceptions of numbers and the dividing activities, but their conceptions of numbers are just sequential integration operations and their dividing activities can not numberize the subdivided units. Their conceptions of numbers belong to juxtaposed patterns. (2)For those children with ability values between 0.15 and 0.68, they have the conceptions of embedded numbers in progressive unitary operations, but they can not corretcly manipulate the subdividing activities. Their conceptions of numbers belong to embedded patterns. According to the analysis of the interview with Yo (psendo name), this study assumes that Yo has the part-whole conceptions. Her conceptions of numbers belong to the type of additive fractions.
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