ERIC Number: EJ766064
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 21
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1033-2170
EISSN: N/A
The Case of Bruce: A Teacher's Model of His Students' Algebraic Thinking about Equivalent Expressions
Hallagan, Jean E.
Mathematics Education Research Journal, v18 n1 p103-123 2006
The purpose of this article is to describe a middle school mathematics teacher's model of his students' responses to algebraic tasks involving equivalent expressions and the distributive property. The teacher engaged in two model-eliciting activities designed for teachers by creating a library of his students' work and an accompanying "Ways of Thinking"[WOT] sheet (Doerr & Lesh, 2003). These activities were designed to help reveal the teachers' models of students' algebraic thinking and to promote the development of that model. Results of the analysis showed that the teacher developed a clearer understanding of the role of a variable in algebraic instruction. The teacher employed visual strategies for the first time and began to perceive their usefulness in helping students understand the equivalence of two expressions. (Contains 8 figures.)
Descriptors: Mathematics Teachers, Algebra, Mathematical Formulas, Mathematical Models, Mathematical Concepts, Middle School Students, Middle School Teachers, Interviews, Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. MERGA-GPO Box 2747, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia. Web Site: http://www.merga.net.au/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A