The Effectiveness of The CLEAR Module in Improving Year Four Pupils’ Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge of Fractions Titles in Urban School

Azarul  Mokhtar; Ahmad Fauzi  Mohd Ayub; Siti Salina  Mustakim; Rozita Radhiah  Said

Various heuristic approaches can be used as a solution to mathematical problems, and this study focuses on mnemonic techniques. Fraction is also a difficult topic for pupils to master. This module is known as "CLEAR" (Circle, Line, Evaluate, Answer, Recheck). Therefore, this research aims to determine the effectiveness of the CLEAR module on the students’ cognitive aspects of students. This study adopted the quasi-experimental pre-post-test research design and was conducted in a school. The findings showed that a significant difference between the achievement scores of students who used the CLEAR module compared to students who used the conventional method in the post-test and post-delayed test. This study also found a significant difference in the students’ mean scores for problem-solving skills; students who used the CLEAR module scored higher than students who used the conventional method in the post-test and post-delayed tests. In regard to their conceptual knowledge, there is also a significant difference between the students’ mean scores in the post-test and post-delayed test. In this light, where students of the treatment group had better conceptual knowledge compared to students of the control group. Students who used the CLEAR module showed better conceptual knowledge than students who used the conventional methods. Furthermore, for procedural knowledge, students in the treatment group have shown better procedural knowledge compared to students in the control group in the post-delayed test. The findings on mathematical word problems show that the use of the CLEAR module can improve students’ achievement in the topic of fractions. It indicates that the use of the CLEAR module is suitable for use by teachers to increase students’ interest and achievement in mathematics, especially in the topic of fractions. This study contributes to a new teaching strategy, specifically the modular-based approach as a mathematics T&L practise in primary schools.

Alghazo, Y. M., & Alghazo, R. (2017). Exploring Common Misconceptions and Errors about Fractions among College Students in Saudi Arabia. International Education Studies. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v10n4p133
Ally, M. (2005). Using learning theories to design instruction for mobile learning devices. Engineering Education, 5–8.
Angateeah, K. S. (2017). An investigation of students’ difficulties in solving non-routine word problems at lower secondary. International Journal of Learning and Teaching, 3(1), 46–50. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijlt.3.1.46-50
Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum. (2014). Elemen KBAT Dalam Pedagogi. Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.
Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum. (2018). Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran Matematik Tahun 4 (semakan 2017). Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.
Booth, J. L., Newton, K. J., & Twiss-Garrity, L. K. (2014). The impact of fraction magnitude knowledge on algebra performance and learning. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2013.09.001
Boonen, A. J. H., de Koning, B. B., Jolles, J., & Van Der Schoot, M. (2016). Word problem-solving in contemporary math education: A plea for reading comprehension skills training. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00191
Cahyono, A., Slamet, I., & Usodo, B. (2019). Mnemonic on the logarithm of the form of creativity from 21st-century skills. Journal of Physics: Conference Series - The 6th Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, 1188(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1188/1/012097
Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (2015). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Houghton Mifflin Company.
Clarke, D., Roche, A., & Mitchell, A. (2011). One-To-One student interviews provide powerful insights and CLEAR focus for the teaching of fractions in the middle years in C.Doug, R., Anne & M., Annie (Eds). Fractions: Teaching for Understanding, 23–41. Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers
Chen, Y. H. (2012). Cognitive diagnosis of mathematics performance between rural and urban students in Taiwan. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy, and Practice, 19(2), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2011.560562
Chindang, D. A., & Maat, S. M. B. (2017). Aplikasi analisis kesilapan Newman dalam penyelesaian masalah matematik berayat murid tahun 4. (Paper Presentation). Simposium Pendidikan DiPeribadikan: Perspektif Risalah An-Nur (SPRiN2017)., Akademi Kepimpinan Pendidikan Tinggi, Negeri Sembi.
http://conference.ukm.my/sprin/index.php/sprin/sprin/schedConf/presentations
Conderman, G. (2019). Mnemonics for the middle grades. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues, and Ideas, 92(3), 71–77.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2019.1579695
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fan, S. P., & Idris, N. (2008). Perwakilan pecahan sekolah rendah: Isu dan prospek. Jurnal Masalah Pendidikan, 31(1), 41–57.
Fasih, P., Izadpanah, S., & Shahnavaz, A. (2018). The effects of mnemonic vocabulary instruction on content vocabulary learning of students. Journal of Language and Education, 4(1), 42–62. https://doi.org/10.17323/2411-7390-2018-4-1-42-62
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. (2019). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. In McGraw-Hill Higher Education. McGraw-Hill.
Freeman-Green, S. M., O’Brien, C., Wood, C. L., & Hitt, S. B. (2015). Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 30(2), 76–90. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12054
Guido, R. M. D. (2014). Evaluation of a modular teaching approach in materials science and engineering. American Journal of Educational Research, 2(11), 1126–1130. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-2-11-20
Ha, C. S., & Rosli, R. (2017). Penggunaan kaedah cubes dalam penyelesaian masalah matematik berayat tahun 6. (Paper Presentation). Simposium Pendidikan Diperibadikan: Perspektif Risale-I-Nur 2017, Akademi Kepimpinan Pendidikan Tinggi, Negeri Sembi. http://conference.ukm.my/sprin/index.php/sprin/schedConf/presentations
Iskenderoglu, T. A. (2017). The problems posed and models employed by primary school teachers in subtraction with fractions. Educational Research and Reviews, 12(5), 239–250. https://doi.org/110.5897/ERR2016.3089
Javed, M., Eng, L. S., & Mohamed, A. R. (2015). Developing reading comprehension modules to facilitate reading comprehension among Malaysian secondary school ESL students. International Journal of Instruction, 8(2), 139–154.
https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2015.8211a
Kassim, N. (2019). Pembangunan dan pengujian keberkesanan modul pengajaran pecahan dengan penyebatian kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi ke atas pengetahuan konseptual dan pengetahuan prosedural pecahan. (Tesis PhD yang tidak diterbitkan), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2013). Pelan pembangunan pendidikan 2013-2025 (Pendidikan prasekolah hingga lepas menengah).
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia. (2020). Laporan Kebangsaan TIMSS 2019. Bahagian Perancangan Dan Penyelidikan Dasar Pendidikan Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.
Krulik, S., & Rudnik, J. A. (1989). Problem-solving: A handbook for senior high school teachers. Allyn & Bacon.
Lee, B. N., & Hassan, N. A. (2019). The use of the mnemonic and mathematical mnemonic methods in improving historical understanding. International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences, 13(2), 93–97.
Locke, S. K. (2016). The effects of the RIDE strategy on teaching word problem-solving skills to students with learning disabilities. (Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis). Rowan University.
McCormick, R. (1997). Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 7(1–2), 141–159.
https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008819912213
Md, M. R. (2019). 21st Century Skill “Problem Solving”: Defining the Concept. Asian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 2(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.34256/ajir1917
Ndalichako, J. L., & Ndalichako, J. L. (2013). Analysis of pupils’ difficulties in solving fractions-related questions: The case of primary school-leaving examination in Tanzania. Creative Education, 4(9), 69–73. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2013.49b014
Ibrahim, N. (2019). Development of higher-order thinking using a module based on a cognitive apprenticeship model for Year Five students on the topic of measurement and geometry. (Unpublished PhD. Dissertation), Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Polya, G. (1957). How to solve it: a new aspect of mathematical method second edition. In The Mathematical Gazette (Vol. 30).
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3609122?origin=crossref
Radovic, T., & Manzey, D. (2019). The impact of a mnemonic acronym on learning and performing a procedural task and its resilience toward interruptions. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(November), 2522. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02522
Radzali, R., Meerah, T. S. M., & Zakaria, E. (2010). Hubungan antara kepercayaan matematik, metakognisi dan perwakilan masalah dengan kejayaan penyelesaian masalah matematik (The relationship between mathematical beliefs, metacognition and problem representation with mathematical problem solving performance. Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia, 35(2), 1–7.
Rittle-Johnson, B., & Koedinger, K. R. (2005). Designing knowledge scaffolds to support mathematical problem-solving. Cognition and Instruction, 23(3), 313–349.
https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532690xci2303_1
Rittle-Johnson, B., Siegler, R. S., & Alibali, M. W. (2001). Developing conceptual understanding and procedural skill in mathematics: An iterative process. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), 346–362. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.2.346
Rodrigues, J., Dyson, N. I., Hansen, N., & Jordan, N. C. (2016). Preparing for algebra by building fraction sense. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 49(2), 134–141. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059916674326
Sahendra, A., Budiarto, M. T., & Fuad, Y. (2018). Students’ representation in mathematical word problem-solving: exploring students’ self-efficacy. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 947(012059), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/947/1/012059
Hudin, S. S., Saad, N. S., & Dollah, M. U. (2015). Penggunaan modul pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik nombor dan operasi kssr tahun 3 bagi tajuk darab dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran matematik tahun 3. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains & Matematik Malaysia, 5(1), 44–56.
Nahdi, S. D., & Jatisunda, G. M. (2020). Conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge: A case study on learning mathematics of fractional material in elementary school. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1477(4), 1–5.
https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1477/4/042037
Shiung, C. J. (2017). Kesan pengajaran menggunakan modul konkrit, gambar, abstrak (KGA) terhadap pencapaian dan pengekalan pencapaian murid tahun empat sjkc dalam pecahan. (Tesis PhD yang tidak diterbitkan). Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Siegler, R. S., Thompson, C. A., & Schneider, M. (2011). An integrated theory of whole number and fractions development. Cognitive Psychology, 62(4), 273–296.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogpsych.2011.03.001
Tahir, S. (2006). Pemahaman konsep pecahan dalam kalangan tiga kelompok pelajar secara keratan lintang. (Tesis Phd yang tidak diterbitkan). Univeristi Teknologi Malaysia.
Tajudin, N. A., Puteh, M., Adnan, M., Faizal, M., & Lee, N. (2015). Persepsi dan amalan pengajaran guru matematik dalam penyelesaian masalah algebra. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains & Matematik Malaysia, 5(2), 12–22.
Teng, T. S., & Zakaria, E. (2018). Analisis jenis kesilapan murid dalam operasi penambahan dan penolakan pecahan. (Kertas Kerja yang dibentangkan). Seminar Kebangsaan Majlis Dekan Pendidikan Universiti Awam, Fakulti Pengajian Kontemporari Islam, UniSZA.
Zawawi, T. Z., Mustapha, R., & Habib, A. R. (2009). Pengetahuan pedagogi isi kandungan guru matematik bagi tajuk pecahan: Kajian kes di sekolah rendah. Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia | Malaysian Journal of Education, 34(1), 131–153.
Thambi, N., & Eu, L. K. (2013). Effect of students’ achievement in fractions using GeoGebra. SAINSAB, 16, 97–106.
Watanabe, T. (2002). Learning from Japanese lesson study. Educational Leadership, 59(6), 36–39.
Wilkins, J. L. M., & Norton, A. (2018). Learning progression toward a measurement concept of fractions. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(27), 1–11.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0119-2
Zainudin, I. (2017). Pembangunan modul pembelajaran seni reka grafik berasaskan teknologi dan gaya pembelajaran pelajar bermasalah pendengaran. (Unpublished PhD Thesis), Universiti Malaya.
Zientek, L. R., Younes, R., Nimon, K., Cage Mittag, K., & Taylor, S. (2013). Fractions as a foundation for algebra within a sample of prospective teachers. Research in the Schools, 20(1), 76–95.
Zulnaidi, H., & Zamri, S. N. A. S. (2017). The effectiveness of the GeoGebra software: The intermediary role of procedural knowledge on students’ conceptual knowledge and their achievement in mathematics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(6), 2155–2180. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2017.01219a

In-Text Citation: (Mokhtar et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Mokhtar, A., Ayub, A. F. M., Mustakim, S. S., & Said, R. R. (2022). The Effectiveness of The CLEAR Module in Improving Year Four Pupils’ Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge of Fractions Titles in Urban School. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 12(7), 1071 – 1083.

Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

The Effectiveness of The CLEAR Module in Improving Year Four Pupils’ Procedural and Conceptual Knowledge of Fractions Titles in Urban School

Azarul Mokhtar, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub, Siti Salina Mustakim, Rozita Radhiah Said

Further Information

Our Journals

Get intouch with us