Volume 16 No 11 (2018)
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Using Cooperative Learning to Overcome Students’ Misconceptions about Fractions
Abdul Halim Abdullah, Elizabeth Julius, , Ting Yann Yann , Mahani Mokhtar , Sharifah Nurarfah S. Abd Rahman
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify misconceptions about Fractions among Year 4 students. In addition, the
study also investigated effectiveness of Cooperative Learning in correcting students’ misconceptions about
Fractions. This study was conducted among Year 4 students from two classes in a primary school in Johor Bahru.
Sixty students (30 students for experimental group and 30 students for control group) of heterogeneous academic
levels were involved in the study. Descriptive quantitative design was used in this study. A pre-test was given to
students before treatment to investigate their misconceptions about Fractions. Students in the experimental group
were taught for four weeks using STAD strategy which is a Cooperative Learning approach. However, students in
the control group were taught for four weeks using a traditional method. A post-test was given after the treatment
to investigate the effectiveness of Cooperative Learning in correcting students’ misconception about Fractions. The
quantitative data were presented in percentages. Results of the study show that there are four misconceptions
about Fractions among Year 4 students. First, the bigger the number of denominators, the bigger the Fractions;
second, the students viewed whole number as numerator in Fractions; third, the students viewed numerator and
denominator as separate numbers and fourth, students failed to find a common denominator. In addition, the
findings of this study also show that cooperative learning is effective in correcting students’ misconceptions about
Fractions. Therefore, Cooperative Learning is recommended to be used as a teaching strategy to overcome
students’ misconceptions about Fractions.
Keywords
Misconception, Cooperative Learning, Fraction
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