Learning about the equal sign: Does comparing with inequality symbols help?

Hattikudur, Shanta; Alibali, Martha W.

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2010.03.004

Cited by 68 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Although an operational understanding of the equal sign can be sufficient for solving standard equations, it contributes to learners' ability to solve more complex problems (Hattikudur & Alibali, 2010). Byrd, McNeil, Chesney, and Matthews (2015) found that even late elementary learners still view the equal sign as operational instead of an indication of the relationship between quantities.…”

Section: The Notion Of the Equal Signmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Byrd, McNeil, Chesney, and Matthews (2015) found that even late elementary learners still view the equal sign as operational instead of an indication of the relationship between quantities. Hattikudur and Alibali (2010) suggest that learners who hold an operational understanding encounter difficulties in the transition to algebra. Furthermore, learners who hold operational understandings perform poorly compared to those who have a relational understanding (Knuth, Stephens, McNeil, & Alibali, 2006).…”

Section: The Notion Of the Equal Signmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hattikudur and Alibali (2010) found that the instructional approaches used in the United States could not help learners develop a relational understanding…”

Section: Sources Of Learners' Operational Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These types of approaches hinder learners' understanding of the equal sign as they promote an operational understanding of the equal sign (Carpenter, Franke, & Levi, 2003;McNeil, 2007). Hattikudur and Alibali (2010) postulate that learners who are taught the equal sign as operation equals answer may foster the incorrect view of the equal sign as an operational symbol rather than a relational one. Li et al (2008) argue that learners are rarely taught to interpret the meaning of the equal sign.…”

Section: Contribution Of This Paper To the Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Much thought and research have gone into exploring learners' understanding of the equal sign in elementary and middle schools (Essien & Setati, 2006Hattikudur & Alibali, 2010Hohensee, 2017, Jones, Inglis, Gilmore, & Dowens, 2012Stephens, Knuth, Blanton, Isler, Gardiner, & Marum, 2013). Linchevski and Herscovics (1996) argue that teachers and learners should be made aware of the demarcation between arithmetic and algebra.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Grade 9 Learners’ Structural and Operational Conceptions of the Equal Sign: A Case Study of a Secondary School in Soshanguve

Machaba

2017

EURASIA J MATH SCI T

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This article gives an account of Grade 9 learners' understanding of the concept of the equal sign and how they move from an arithmetic to an algebraic equation. A case study, using a sequential mixed method research design, was conducted in a secondary school in Soshanguve, a township in Gauteng, South Africa. Out of the 49 learners who wrote a test on the concept of the equal sign, eight were selected for an interview. The study revealed that Grade 9 learners in this school interpreted the equal sign as a 'do something' and unidirectional (one-sided) sign, not as the concept that represents an equivalent (concept of keeping both sides of the equal sign equal) of two quantities. The researchers attributed misinterpretation of the equal sign to how learners had been taught the concept of number sentences in lower grades, where greater emphasis was placed on rules than on the meaning of a concept.

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Section: The Notion Of the Equal Signmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Notion Of the Equal Signmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hattikudur and Alibali (2010) found that the instructional approaches used in the United States could not help learners develop a relational understanding…”

Section: Sources Of Learners' Operational Understandingmentioning

confidence: 99%