Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Algebra Rules Object Boxes As An Authentic Assessment Task Of Preservice Elementary Teacher Learning In A Mathematics Methods Course, Audrey C. Rule, J. E. Hallagan

Open Educational Resources

The purpose of this study was to describe elementary preservice teachers’ difficulties with understanding algebraic generalizations that were set in an authentic context. Fifty-eight preservice teachers enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course participated in the study. These students explored and practiced with authentic, hands-on materials called “object boxes,” then created sets of their own object box materials. Each algebra rules object box contained materials to illustrate and describe four different algebraic generalizations, or “rules.” The variables “n” and “z” were used in each of the generalizations. For each generalization, there was a set of objects attached to a piece …