Supervisors info:
Ανδρονίκη Μπούφη, Καθηγήτρια, ΠΤΔΕ, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The transition from additive to multiplicative reasoning is considered to be a simple affair, if this reasoning is promoted by a sequence of specific standardized steps given by some authority, as it happens in second grade textbooks. In practice though, it is a very demanding task for both teachers and students. This dissertation refers to my attempt in supporting two second graders in their development of multiplicative reasoning. Their classroom teacher had already taught the topic of multiplication, based on their textbooks. An initial assessment of students’ knowledge showed that they were experienced difficulties in understanding number as a composite unit. By considering that multiplicative reasoning requires the ability to coordinate composite units, the teaching intervention, which is the object of this study, focused on promoting this ability. By reflecting on my meetings with the students, this study
brings to the fore the affordances but mainly the constraints, in using a set of instructional activities, that could have fostered student’s learning.
Keywords:
additive and multiplicative reasoning, composite units, coordination, learning levels
