Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons^™

Addressing The Multiplication Makes Bigger And Division Makes Smaller Misconceptions Via Prediction And Clickers, Kien Lim

Kien H Lim

This article presents a lesson that uses prediction items, clickers and visuals via PowerPoint slides to help prospective middle-school teachers address two common misconceptions: multiplication makes bigger and division makes smaller (MMB–DMS). Classroom research was conducted to explore the viability of such a lesson. Results show that the lesson was effective in creating awareness that multiplication does not always make bigger and division does not always makes smaller, uncovering students’ misconceptions, and providing opportunities for students to learn from mistakes. Students liked the activity for various reasons, such as getting to learn certain mathematical ideas, to think about the problems, …