| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 365536 | Learning and Instruction | 2015 | 6 Pages |
•There are many reasons why the development of rational number knowledge is challenging for students.•A major source of difficulty is the whole/natural number bias.•Five different aspects of this bias are discussed.•The positive role of prior natural number knowledge is also considered.
The development of rational number knowledge has been studied extensively by mathematics education researchers, cognitive-developmental psychologists and, more recently, by neuroscientists as well. Building on a rich body of prior research, and some exciting new ideas, the target articles re-visit several topics, with a view to refine and deepen our understanding of how rational number understanding develops. The effect of prior natural number knowledge-either positive or adverse-on rational number learning is highlighted by all contributors. I draw on the articles to discuss five different aspects of the whole, or natural, number bias.
