Investigating Primary School Fourth-Grade Students’ Representations and Modeling Performances of Types of Fractions and Unit Fractions

YAVUZ KAMACI

Investigating Primary School Fourth-Grade Students’ Representations and Modeling Performances of Types of Fractions and Unit Fractions

Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Yıldız Technical University, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Basic Education, Turkey

Approval Date: 2021

Thesis Language: Turkish

Student: YAVUZ KAMACI

Supervisor: Zeynep Doğan

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

In this research, the representations and modeling performances used by 4th-grade students towards types of fraction and unit fraction were investigated. Survey model, one of the descriptive research types, was used in the research. The sample of the study consist of 249 primary school 4th-grade students. The research data were collected using two open-ended questionnaires, 'Fraction Representation Form' and 'Fraction Modeling Form' developed by researcher. Descriptive and content analysis was used in the analysis of the data. According to the findings obtained from the research, it is seen that the most preferred representations by students in expressing proper, improper, mixed number and unit fractions are visual, symbolic and verbal representations, respectively. The area model is the most preferred visual representation of the students. In the area model, students often use a rectangular geometric shape. While three types of fraction models are used in the proper and unit fraction, the set model is not used in improper and mixed number fraction. It is seen that students generally use symbolic representations correctly, but some students confuse fraction concepts. Students generally use formal fraction definitions in their verbal representations. When the modeling performances of the students are examined, it is seen that they are generally unsuccessful. While the type of fraction students are most successful at is proper fraction, the type of fraction they fail the most is mixed number fraction. When the wrong answers given by the students in their performance situations are examined, it is seen that they make various mistakes. Some of these errors confuse of numerator and denominator, cannot divide the whole into equal parts, and use types of fraction interchangeably.