Research On The Influence Of Strategy Training On The Estimation Ability Of Pupils

Computational estimation is a kind of ability that is commonly used in our daily life.The training of cpmputational estimation can promote children’s proper judgment of space geometry and better understanding to quantitative relation.It also can contributes to children’s overall awareness and general understanding in the calculation or measurement.To select appropriate strategies is a key factor in computational estimation.Therefore, the study of elementary estimation strategy choice has important research significance.According to the development theory of computational estimation(Case & Sowder 1990),strategy choices mode theory(Siegler 1996,1998,2002),the content in computational estimation(Sowder & Wheeler 1989),master of the different part of knowledge(Dowker 2002),and the general framework of children’s cognitive strategies promoted by Lemaire and Siegler. We analyzed the effect of short-term training of strategy guide on computational estimation in children graded 5.Mainly discussed the effect on the estimating results(accuracy,reaction time) and strategy choices(number of strategies,the best strategy hit rate) of four different type of problem.The study consisted of three parts.The first research analyzed children’s existing estimates ability by examining their estimating accuracy and reaction time and strategy choices in four different problems.The second research was going to explore the effects on strategy choices(the development of number of strategies and best strategy hit rate) in two conditions:strategic directions and no strategic directions. The third research was going to explore whether strategic directions can develop children’s estimation abilities by examining short-time strategic directions’ effect on estimation accuracy.The result of the study showed:(1)The children grade five already had the estimation abilities,and it was affected by calculation form and numeric types. In general, children’s integer estimation abilities better than decimal estimation abilities, addition and subtraction estimation abilities better than multiplicative and division estimation abilities. (2)Children’s strategy choices was affected by calculation form and numeric types. Children tended to use a variety of strategies to solve the same type problem of estimation,and chose computational estimation strategies in an adaptive way. Strategy choice has the characteristics of variety, expansibility andadaptability.(3) "Rounding" and "Interception" strategy are the most basic estimation strategies of all the estimation strategy, and children are used to use the two strategies.(4)There are positive correlation of the best strategy hit race and the estimation accuracy, the higher the best strategy hit race is,the higher the estimation accuracy became.(5)There are obvious differences in the number of strategies and the best strategy hit rate in two conditions:strategic directions and no strategic directions. Short-term strategy training or strategic directions had a positive impact on children’s computational estimation strategy choices,and it can promoted the development of children’s computational estimation ability.