Early understanding of measurement division and the effects of a minimal intervention via a game-based activity

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Published: Dec 22, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/icw.36065
Konstantinos
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Early Childhood Education
Anastasia Kandyli
University of Western Macedonia, Department of Early Childhood Education
Abstract

In this study, we contribute to an ongoing design research effort dedicated to crafting educational activities that promote early multiplicative thinking. Specifically, our focus is on assessing kindergarten children's capacity for performing measurement division when presented with word problems accompanied by pictorial representations. Additionally, we conduct a preliminary investigation into the impact of a group play-based instructional intervention on young children's proficiency in solving measurement division problems. Measurement division tends to be overlooked in kindergarten and early elementary school due to the perception that it is too challenging for children of this age. Our study engaged 35 kindergarten children, aged 4-6 years, who had not received any prior instruction on division. Through individual interviews at both pre-test and post-test stages, the children encountered four word problems involving measurement division. During the teaching intervention, the intervention group (comprising 14 children) participated in a group kinetic game. In this game, they were tasked with forming groups of a specified number and drawing inferences about the relationship between the group's size and the number of groups formed. Results indicated that children initially demonstrated an understanding of measurement division in simple word problems presented with pictorial representations. Furthermore, the instructional intervention appeared to be beneficial for the intervention group, as it guided them in focusing on divisor/quotient relationships and cultivating advanced strategies for measurement division. These findings suggest that young children can develop sophisticated multiplicative thinking skills when exposed to well-designed learning environments grounded in mathematical play.

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