Effects of a Fraction Equivalence Intervention Combining CRA-I and Number Line Representations
Open Access
Author:
Morano, Stephanie Marie
Graduate Program:
Special Education
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
May 02, 2017
Committee Members:
Paul J Riccomini, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor Paul J Riccomini, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Mary Catherine Scheeler, Committee Member Charles A Hughes, Committee Member Gwendolyn Monica Lloyd, Outside Member
Keywords:
fractions magnitude knowledge CRA number line special education learning disabilities
Abstract:
This study examines the effects of an instructional intervention focused on fraction equivalence content using explicit instruction and concrete-representational-abstract-integrated (CRA-I) format lessons. The intervention was designed to help students build fraction magnitude knowledge and make connections between area-model and number line model representations of fractions. The four-week intervention was implemented with fourth grade students at risk for mathematics failure and with identified disabilities in a pretest-intervention-posttest comparison group experimental design study. Results indicated that students in the intervention group (n = 31) significantly outperformed students in the control group (n = 29) on tests of fraction equivalence and fraction number line estimation accuracy, but not on an assessment aligned with students’ core mathematics instruction or on an assessment composed of released Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) fractions items. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
