Enhancing fraction learning through problem-solving and historical context: A didactic unit approach

Abstract

This study examines the outcomes of implementing a teaching unit that integrates problem-solving with the history of mathematics to improve fifth-grade students' understanding of fractions at an educational institution in Yopal, Colombia. Utilizing an educational action research methodology, the study commenced with a diagnostic assessment to identify learning gaps, followed by the design and implementation of a didactic unit. This unit comprised three activities embedded in historical contexts to facilitate the learning of fractions, with its effectiveness assessed through an exit test. Conducted with 32 fifth-grade students, the research employed diagnostic and exit tests to evaluate student performance before and after the activities. The results demonstrated that the teaching unit significantly enhanced students' abilities to understand and apply fractions, as evidenced by their improved performance in the activities within the didactic unit.

Keywords

• didactic unit
• education fractions
• history of mathematics
• pólya method