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document
Learning about the equal sign : does comparing with inequality symbols help ? This study investigated whether instruction that involves comparing the equal sign with other relational symbols is more effective at imparting a relational interpretation of the equal sign than instruction about the equal sign alone . Third- and fourth-grade students in a comparing symbols group learned about the greater than , less than , and equal signs and had the opportunity to compare the inequality symbols with the equal sign . Students in an equal sign group learned about the equal sign only . A third group of students served as a control group . Three aspects of students ' knowledge were assessed before and after the lesson : ( a ) conceptual understanding of the equal sign , ( b ) equation encoding , and ( c ) problem solving . Students in the comparing symbols group showed greater gains in conceptual understanding from pretest to posttest than students in the other two groups , and students in the comparing symbols group also scored higher on a posttest that assessed knowledge about inequality symbols and inequality problem solving . Thus , they learned about three symbols in the same amount of time as other students learned about the equal sign alone or not at all . Therefore , an instructional approach involving comparison can be an effective tool for learning about concepts in mathematics .
45809
Intervention_Educational
This study investigated whether instruction that involves comparing the equal sign with other relational symbols is more effective at imparting a relational interpretation of the equal sign than instruction about the equal sign alone
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Intervention_Educational
Third- and fourth-grade students in a comparing symbols group learned about the greater than , less than , and equal signs and had the opportunity to compare the inequality symbols with the equal sign
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Intervention_Educational
Students in an equal sign group learned about the equal sign only
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Intervention_Control
control group
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Outcome_Mental
relational interpretation of the equal sign
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Outcome_Mental
conceptual understanding of the equal sign
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Outcome_Mental
equation encoding
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Outcome_Mental
problem solving
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Outcome_Mental
conceptual understanding
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Outcome_Mental
posttest that assessed knowledge about inequality symbols and inequality problem solving
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Participant_Age
Third- and fourth-grade students