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A train leaves New York….
Do real world based examples help or hinder students when it comes to understanding mathematics?
According to this New York Times article, Ohio State University researchers have found that teaching with equations works better than using situation-based word problems that attempt to make math more relevant to students.
The study was done with college students but could apply to secondary and primary students as well, according to the April 25 Times article.
The researchers took two groups of students and taught each of the students a “simple but unfamiliar mathematical system,” according to the article. Some of the students learned the system through abstract equations while others learned through examples. The students were then told to use the math system they had just learned to figure out the rules of a children’s game.
Find out what happened after the jump.
According to the article, the students who had learned the system only using abstract symbols did the better than students who learned only by example or students who learned by example and then by concrete examples.
So basically, these researchers are saying that teaching math by giving the examples of two trains leaving the station or how many apples Johnny has isn’t the best way to teach math.
The thought behind the switch to using situation-based word problems is that it helps students learn by making the math problems relevant to their lives. But according to the researchers, that method of teaching blurs the underlying math technique and students are able to transfer that skill to other problems.
So let’s say a student learns in class a technique like multiplying fractions using an example about pies and what portion of all the pies were eaten. In theory if that student were to see the same technique presented in a different way on the Ohio Achievement Test, they may not be able to apply those same skills.
One of the school districts I covered prior to coming to the Middletown Journal adopted a set of math textbooks for 5th through 8th grade that predominately focused on word problems like the one this study warns against.
Have you looked at a math textbook lately? Did you notice a lot of example based word problems? Do you think this study is accurate or do you think making math relevant real life does help students learn? Any teachers out there want to weigh in?
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