Effect of visual-based instruction on elementary pre-service teachers’ conceptual understanding of fractions
Joseph Saili 1 * , Elizabeth Boby Samuel 2 , Angel Mukuka 3
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1 District Education Board, Kalulushi District, ZAMBIA2 Department of Mathematics, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, ZAMBIA3 Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, Mukuba University, Kitwe, ZAMBIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Research from different settings show that many elementary school teachers lack a deep conceptual understanding of fractions. A quasi-experimental research was carried out to determine the effectiveness of visual-based instruction on elementary pre-service teachers’ (PST) conceptual understanding of fractions. Data from 97 first-year PSTs at a college of education were collected using an achievement test on the concepts and operational procedures of fractions. Test scores were analysed using descriptive statistics, and the independent samples t-test. The average change in performance from the pre-test to the post-test was assessed using a normalized gain g  for each instructional approach. While the difference was not statistically significant, the computed normalised gains show that the visual-based instruction yielded better results than the traditional lecture method. These findings demonstrate a need for raising awareness among pre-service and in-service elementary school teachers on the effectiveness of visual-based instructional approaches for enhancing learners’ understanding of fractions.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 2023, Volume 3, Issue 1, Article No: em030

https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/13063

Publication date: 12 Mar 2023

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