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A Comparison of Textbooks' Presentation of Fractions
Author(s) -
Cady Jo A.,
Hodges Thomas E.,
Collins R. Lee
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
school science and mathematics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.135
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 1949-8594
pISSN - 0036-6803
DOI - 10.1111/ssm.12108
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , mathematics education , curriculum , fraction (chemistry) , reform mathematics , proportionality (law) , connected mathematics , psychology , pedagogy , political science , chemistry , medicine , organic chemistry , law , radiology
In the U nited S tates, fractions are an important part of the middle school curriculum, yet many middle school students struggle with fraction concepts. Teachers also have difficulty with the conceptual understanding needed to teach fractions and rely on textbooks when making instructional decisions. This reliance on textbooks, the idea that teaching and learning of fractions is a complex process, and that fraction understanding is the foundation for later topics such as proportionality, algebra, and probability, makes it important to examine the variation in presentation of fraction concepts in U . S . textbooks, especially the difference between traditional and standards‐based curricula. The purpose of this study is to determine if differences exist in the presentation of fractions in conventional and standards‐based textbooks and how these differences align with the recommendations of N ational C ouncil of T eachers of M athematics, C ommon C ore S tate S tandards, and the research on the teaching and learning of fractions.