Training Can Increase Students’ Choices for Written Solution Strategies and Performance in Solving Multi-Digit Division Problems

Frontiers in Psychology

Marije F. Fagginger Auer¹ 

关键词: mathematics;    multi-digit arithmetic;    division;    solution strategies;    adaptivity;    training;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01644

学科分类：心理学（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Making adaptive choices between solution strategies is a central element of contemporary mathematics education. However, previous studies signal that students make suboptimal choices between mental and written strategies to solve division problems. In particular, some students of a lower math ability level appear inclined to use mental strategies that lead to lower performance. The current study uses a pretest-training-posttest design to investigate the extent to which these students’ choices for written strategies and performance may be increased. Sixth graders of below-average mathematics level (n = 147) participated in one of two training conditions: an explicit-scaffolding training designed to promote writing down calculations or a practice-only training where strategy use was not explicitly targeted. Written strategy choices and performance increased considerably from pretest to posttest for students in both training conditions, but not in different amounts. Exploratory results suggest that students’ strategy choices may also be affected by their attitudes and beliefs and the sociocultural context regarding strategy use.

【 授权许可】

CC BY