| The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of peer collaboration on 5-6-year-olds' solving of addition and subtraction word problems. The interaction features in the peer collaboration was also examined. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the study. In experiment one, a sample of 40 children (M=68.8, SD=3.5) participated in the study, 20 were high scorers and 20 were low scorers. A high scorer was paired with a low scorer to participate in collaborative tasks in solving addition and subtraction word problems. The methods of descriptive statistics, t test and correlation analysis were used to compare the change of children's performance in solving addition and subtraction word problem, the way to represent the problem and strategy choice before and after the collaboration. In experiment 2, three pairs of children were observed and the characteristics of the children's collaboration process in solving addition and subtraction word problems were discussed.The result indicated that the cooperative task in solving addition and subtraction word problems had a positive effect on the following performance of low scorers. Low scorers' performance on different kind of problems increased and their choice of strategies was more effective. In the process of peer cooperation, the high scorers paid more attention to the process of problem solving while the low scorers focused more on performance. The level of children's activeness in thinking related closely to their performance. In the process of cooperation in solving addition and subtraction word problems, the low level of children's expressive language and the way to express put a limit on children's intersubjective. It is necessary for adults to provide scaffolding. The majority of the children in the study were lack of the willingness and effective skills for cooperation. Children's level of representation of the word problem was not related to the way to present the problem.
|
PDF Full Text Request