Solving proportion problems in schools is a very difficult task for most children. Too often children are taught to use techniques for solving fractions when working with ratio and proportion problems. Although these techniques may prove useful for obtaining a solution to a proportion problem, they do not provide rich learning opportunities for students to construct proportional relationships. 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 components in observing and interacting with the participants as they solved ratio and proportion problems. 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. That is, the individual is unable to reason proportionally. Another outcome of this study was the importance of finding meaningful and doable proportion tasks for the informants to complete. 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. / Typescript. / "Summer Semester, 1992." / "Submitted to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy." / Advisor: Grayson H. Wheatley, Professor Directing Dissertation. / Includes bibliographical references.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_292005 |
| Contributors | Atkins, Sandra L. (authoraut), Wheatley, Grayson H. (professor directing dissertation), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (xi, 182 leaves : illustrations), computer, application/pdf |
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