ABOUT
Overview
Algebra has been shown to be related to many important outcomes for students. Students who do well in algebra tend to have:
Higher GPA
in high school
Higher likelihood to graduate
from high school and college
Higher earnings
More access to STEM
jobs and broader society
Given this importance of algebra, it’s crucial to recognize its relation to fractions knowledge. Research has begun to dive deeper into the connection between fractions and algebra knowledge, and our project hopes to expand on this body of research.
Research Questions
How are fractions and algebra knowledge related to one another?
Which aspects of algebra knowledge are related to which aspects of fractions knowledge and strategy use?
To what extent do aspects of fractions knowledge predict students’ formal algebra performance?
How do relations between fractions knowledge and algebra knowledge change from grade 7 to grade 9? Is the association unidirectional or bidirectional?
Do the various measures of fraction knowledge predict growth in measures of algebraic thinking?
Do the various measures of algebraic thinking predict growth in measures of fractions knowledge?
Project Design
Phase 1 – Investigate the relationship between fractions and algebra
Participants
300 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students from across the U.S.
Methods
Each participant completes 4 sessions over Zoom with a trained experimenter who administers tasks designed to assess participants’ fraction and algebra knowledge
Phase 2 – Investigate the relationship between fractions and algebra over time
Participants
150 7th grade students from across the U.S.
Methods
Each participant completes 7 sessions over the course of three years. Similar to phase 1, sessions are completed over Zoom with a trained experimenter who administers tasks designed to assess participants’ fraction and algebra knowledge.
Contact Information
Email: mathlab@wcer.wisc.edu
Address: Educational Sciences, 1025 W Johnson St, Madison, WI 53706
Project Manager: Valerie Buroker, vburoker@wisc.edu, 608-890-1876
