Learning Mathematics with Technology: The Influence of Virtual Manipulatives on Different Achievement Groups

摘要

This study examined the influence of virtual manipulatives on different achievement groups during a teaching experiment in four fifth-grade classrooms. During a two-week unit focusing on two rational number concepts (fraction equivalence and fraction addition with unlike denominators) one low achiev ing, two average achieving, and one high achieving group participated in two instructional treatments (three groups used virtual manipulatives and one group used physical ma nipulatives). Data sources included pre- and post-tests of students' mathematical content knowledge and videotapes of classroom sessions. Results of paired samples /-tests examin ing the three groups using virtual manipulatives indicated a statistically significant overall gain following the treatment. Follow-up paired samples individual t-tests on the low, aver age, and high achieving groups indicated a statistically sig nificant gain for students in the low achieving group, but only numerical gains for students in the average and high achiev ing groups. There were no significant differences between the average achieving student groups in the virtual manipula tives and physical manipulatives treatments. Qualitative data gathered during the study indicated that the different achieve ment groups experienced the virtual manipulatives in differ ent ways, with the high achieving group recognizing patterns quickly and transitioning to the use of symbols, while the average and low achieving groups relied heavily on pictori al representations as they methodically worked step-by-step through processes and procedures with mathematical sym bols.