Supporting Students’ Reasoning About Multiplication of Fractions by Constructing an Array Model
Abstract: The aim of the
research is to support students in constructing an array model as a bridge from
their informal knowledge to the formal one in understanding the part-whole
relation concept. The part-whole relation concept is important for students to
reason about multiplication of fractions. Realistic Mathematics Education which
is in Indonesia adapted as Pendidikan Matematika Realistik Indonesia (PMRI) is
used as an approach in designing a series of lessons. For this purpose,
hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT) became the base for conducting a
teaching experiment and designing its learning materials. The research was conducted in the fifth grade
of SD Al Hikmah Surabaya, an elementary school in Indonesia, with five students
as the participants. The collected data were qualitative data in the form of
students’ written works and the transcript of video recording during the
lesson. The data were analyzed retrospectively by confronting the conjecture of
students’ thinking in the HLT with the fact in the teaching experiment. The
result of the research shows that most students could use the contextual
problem in promoting their ability on constructing their own array model to
reason about part-whole relation.
Author: Ronal Rifandi
Journal Code: jpmatematikagg160029
