Using digital stories to reduce misconceptions and mistakes about fractions: an action study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the mistakes and misconceptions about fractions of the fourth-grade students in a primary school and to eliminate these mistakes and misconceptions through digital stories. The study has been conducted with a total of 25 students in the fourth-grade of a private primary school in Turkey. An action research method based on qualitative research approach has been used in the study. In the preparation of activities related to digital stories, the mistakes and misconceptions that students have regarding fractions are taken into account. As a data collection tool, the Determination of Misconceptions Form consisting of 30 open ended questions about the fractions prepared by the researchers and the observation notes taken during the implementation process have been used. In addition, semi-structured interviews have been conducted to identify views of teachers and students about activities designed with digital stories. The implementation has been carried out for 5 weeks. Qualitative data analysis techniques have been used in analysing the data. As a result of the research, it has emerged that teaching implementations designed with digital stories have eliminated the mistakes and misconceptions that a large majority of students have about fractions. Most of the students who had a limited perception about the concept of fraction before implementation have fully perceived the definition of fractions after the activities designed with digital stories. Likewise, most of the students who incorrectly modelled the operations with fractions before the implementation, have been able to use the correct model for the operations with fractions after the-implementation fractions. When opinions about the activities designed with digital stories have been examined, it has been found that most students' express positive opinions on digital story use in lessons and found digital stories fun, instructive and constructive.