Solving proportion problems in schools is a difficult task for most children. Often techniques for solving fractions are utilized in teaching ratio and proportion. These techniques may prove useful for obtaining a solution, they do not provide rich learning opportunities for students to construct proportional relationships. / Researchers have studied proportional reasoning and have described the developmental stage at which individuals are able to solve proportional reasoning tasks, as well as the individual solution strategies. While this body of research has provided information for examining children's proportional reasoning, these studies do not provide us with insights into the constructions the children make when they are trying to make sense of proportional tasks. / Individual interviews, problem solving episodes, and personal journals were the primary tools used in collecting data for this study. The problem solving episodes became the key component in observing and interacting with the participants. The tasks used during these problem solving episodes included scaling furniture, mixing paint, and a giant's footprint. A detailed description and analysis of the tasks is included. / The researcher found that individuals must have many elaborated constructions to solve proportion tasks. Without these elaborated constructions the individual is unable to effectively coordinate the information needed to solve proportion tasks. Another outcome of this study was the importance of finding meaningful and doable proportion tasks. Unexpected outcomes of the study included the effect of engaging in problem solving on the identity of the child and the role of language in giving meaning to the tasks. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2282. / Major Professor: Grayson H. Wheatley. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76660 |
| Contributors | Atkins, Sandra L., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 193 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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