Fifth-grade students solving linear equations supported by physical experiences

Mara Otten (1) , Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen (2) , Michiel Veldhuis (2) , Aiso Heinze

1 freudenthal group FSW
2 Universiteit Utrecht / Utrecht University [Utrecht]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a six-lesson teaching intervention on fifth-grade students’ linear equation solving abilities. A hanging mobile, a balance model consisting of a horizontal beam with on each side a number of bags hanging on a chain, played a central role in this intervention. In total, 213 fifth-graders participated in one of the two intervention conditions or in the control condition. The intervention conditions differed with respect to the type of hanging mobile; either a physical hanging mobile that students could manipulate or a static version on paper. Preliminary analyses of the scores on the pre- and post-test seemed to show an improvement in students’ linear equation solving abilities for students in both intervention conditions. Students, who worked in an embodied learning environment with a physical hanging mobile, seemed to show more improvement than students who worked with a paper-based mobile.

Mots clés: Early algebra; linear equation solving; balance model; physical experiences; embodied cognition theory

Domaines: Mathématiques [math]; Education

Mara Otten, Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Michiel Veldhuis, Aiso Heinze. Fifth-grade students solving linear equations supported by physical experiences. Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Utrecht University, Feb 2019, Utrecht, Netherlands. ⟨hal-02416443⟩