Title: The Influence of Visual Representations on Mathematical Problem Solving and Numeracy Performance
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between different forms of problem representation and students’ performance on a number of mathematics measures including problem solving, spatial ability and numeracy sense. Participants (58 Grade 6 students) solved mathematics problems and reported their solutions. The participants mode of representation, which included problem-solving success and representational preference, was placed along a visual-nonvisu al continuum. The mode of representatio n did not influence problem solving or numeracy performance. However, when students at the extremes of the continuum were investigated, students who predominantly used visual methods performed better on these measures. Both psychologists and education researchers interested in imagery have classified problem solvers as belonging to one of three categories: (a) visualizers, who had a preference for holistic approaches involving extensive use of visual methods; (b) nonvisualizers or verbalizers, who had a preference for more verbal approaches; and (c) those who tended to use both visual and non-visual methods (Krutetskii, 1976; Lean & Clements, 1981; Lowrie & Kay, in press; Presmeg, 1985, 1986; Suwarsono, 1982). Suwarsono (1982) developed a Mathematical Processing Instrument (MPI) that was used to assess a student’s preference for solving mathematical problems in either a visual or nonvisual mode. He claimed that the MPI could locate both problem solvers and problems on a single unidimensional verbalizer-visualizer scale with the instrument being used extensively in the research literature (including Hegarty & Kozhevnikov, 1999; Lean & Clements, 1981; Lowrie & Kay, in press). In all of these studies a participant was classified along the continuum based on the type of representation predominantly used to solve the problem. This was the case whether or not the problem was solved correctly. Recently, other writers have suggested that categorizing students along a visualizerverbalizer continuum was too general a classification when considering problem representation (Hegarty and Kozhevnikov, 1999; Riding & Read, 1996). In the present study the visualizer-verbalizer classification takes into consideration both the manner in which the problem is represented and the actual success in solving.
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 10
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