About
Algebra has been shown to be related to many important outcomes for students.
Students who do well in algebra tend to have:
a higher GPA in high school
a higher likelihood to graduate
increased earnings
more access to STEM jobs
Given the importance of algebra, it’s crucial to recognize its relation to fraction 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 knowledge of fractions and algebra 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 fraction knowledge predict students’ performance in formal algebra?
How do relations between knowledge of fractions and knowledge of algebra change from grade 6 to grade 8? 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 fraction 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 four Zoom sessions with an experimenter who administers tasks designed to assess participants’ knowledge of fractions and algebra.
Phase 2 – Investigate the relationship between fractions and algebra over time
Participants
150 6th-grade students from across the U.S.
Methods
Each participant completes seven sessions over the course of three years. Similar to phase 1, sessions are conducted via Zoom by an experimenter who administers tasks designed to assess participants’ knowledge of fractions and algebra.
Contact Information
Email: mathlab@wcer.wisc.edu
Address:
Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Educational Sciences Building
1025 W. Johnson St
Madison, WI 53706
Project Manager: Catherine Axness, caxness@wisc.edu, 608-890-1876
Our research is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.