Filling in the Gaps: Creating an Online Tutor for Fractions

Evidence has shown that students have significant difficulties in learning about the many representations of fractions. Because of the importance of fractional and proportional reasoning in more advanced mathematical study, such as algebra, an online tutor was developed to help children better understand fractions. Magnitude representations, specifically number line estimation practice questions, were highlighted in this tutor to emphasize the measurement property of fractions and the relationships between fractions and whole numbers. A study in which the type of fractions presented and practiced is manipulated between subjects is proposed to explore the relationship between fraction instruction and transfer to other fraction estimation contexts. It is hypothesized that presenting mixed numbers (fractions greater than one) will elicit better transfer to other types of fractions than presenting proper fractions (fractions less than one).