Analysis of a teaching experiment on fair distribution with secondary school students

Autores: A.T. Antequera, M.C. Espinel
Localización: International journal of mathematical education in science and technology, ISSN 0020-739X, Vol. 42, Nº. 2, 2011, págs. 213-228
Idioma: inglés
DOI: 10.1080/0020739x.2010.510218
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Resumen
- The aim of this study is twofold. The first is to investigate the ability of secondary school students to understand the different distribution schemes and thus, indirectly, to contribute to the educational discussion and approach to be used for distribution problems so as to lessen reliance on the ubiquitous cross-multiplication rule in proportional distribution. The experiment was conducted with secondary school students using a specifically devised scenario involving a distribution problem. We present an analysis of the students' performance with respect to their concept of fair distribution in a given situation. Their ability to apply the various rules in a new situation is determined. The results provide an insight into the possibilities offered by teaching different distribution methods, especially with mathematically gifted students. The second aim is for instructors to appreciate the value of teaching other distribution methods that apply in real life in addition to a proportional distribution so that they may include in the mathematics classes some recently developed concepts from the field of cooperative game theory.