Using variation theory to analyze what preschool children experience exemplified by wholes and parts as the object of learning
2010 (English)In: The 4th International Multi-Conference on Society, Cybernetics and Informatics. Proceedings Volume I: June 29th - July 2nd, 2010, Orlando, Florida, USA / [ed] Carrasquero, J. V., Holmqvist, M., McEachron, D., Tremante, A., Welsch, F., Winter Garden, FL, USA: International Institute of Informatics and Systematics , 2010, p. 8-11Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
Preschool children's learning is the subject of this study. Three children aged 4, 5 and 6 participated. The data consists of individual interviews with the children before and after the intervention and a videotaped intervention. Our results show that children seem to see a whole as something that is not cut into pieces, no matter what i looks like. They do not necessarily refer to the whole when they see a half, nor do they imagine the halves or quarters in a whole that is not cut into pieces. On the other hand, if they see halves they do not have any difficulty putting them together into a whole, but this happens when they can see the material in front of them. The results reveal some interesting findings, pointing at the natural flexibility small children have in discerning a half in relation to a whole insteac of in relation to a representation (like a full circle). On the other hand - the children show difficulties in seeing what parts a whole can be divided into. This is the other way around, as children in higher grades with a view of the circle as the correct representation of a whole, which sometimes makes it hard to manage problem solving at higher grades where flexibility in how to understand proportions is needed.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Winter Garden, FL, USA: International Institute of Informatics and Systematics , 2010. p. 8-11
Keywords [en]
variation theory, preschool, learning study, mathematical concepts
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hkr:diva-7143ISBN: 978-1936338-05-4 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hkr-7143DiVA, id: diva2:346257
Conference
The 4th International Multi-Conference on Society, Cybernetics and Informatics
2010-08-312010-08-312020-11-17Bibliographically approved