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What is this research project about?
This research sets out to explore the extent to which getting 8-9 years olds students (Year 4 / Grade 3) to create mini story picture books about multiplication could help them to develop their conceptual understanding of the topic (and their attitudes towards learning mathematics in general).
Over 1,300 Year 4 students across 24 primary schools in the south east of England (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire) are part of the research project. (For more detailed summary of the research design, please see the summary table below.)
The study is funded by the University of Reading's Research Fellowship fund, and it has been formally approved by the Ethics Committee of the University's Institute of Education in November 2019. The study is also generously supported by TumbleMath.com who provides free access to a wide range of on-line interactive licensed maths story picture books to teachers in our project to read and use as part of the research. To learn more about TumbleMath.com, click on their logo below.
Over 1,300 Year 4 students across 24 primary schools in the south east of England (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire) are part of the research project. (For more detailed summary of the research design, please see the summary table below.)
The study is funded by the University of Reading's Research Fellowship fund, and it has been formally approved by the Ethics Committee of the University's Institute of Education in November 2019. The study is also generously supported by TumbleMath.com who provides free access to a wide range of on-line interactive licensed maths story picture books to teachers in our project to read and use as part of the research. To learn more about TumbleMath.com, click on their logo below.
Potential benefits of our research
The findings of the study will be useful for school leaders and mathematics teachers as insights into the potential impact of developing students’ conceptual understanding of multiplication through creating story picture books will be explored and shared widely.
Moreover, participating schools will receive (anonymised) findings of what their Year 4 students think about mathematics, and the level of their conceptual understanding of multiplication. The latter can be particularly useful ahead of the UK's new compulsory national Year 4 multiplication tables check (MTC) in June 2020.
Moreover, participating schools will receive (anonymised) findings of what their Year 4 students think about mathematics, and the level of their conceptual understanding of multiplication. The latter can be particularly useful ahead of the UK's new compulsory national Year 4 multiplication tables check (MTC) in June 2020.
About the Researcher
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Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai is a Lecturer in Primary Mathematics Education at the University of Reading's Institute of Education.
As a leading expert in the research field of using story picture books to enhance mathematics teaching and learning, he created and leads the non-profit MathsThroughStories.org project, which sets out to investigate various aspects of the use of mathematical story picture books. The project's website also offers valuable and free on-line resources for parents and teachers. Since its launch in March 2017, the website has now been viewed over 300,000 times by more than 60,000 teachers and parents from over 180 countries around the world. To date, Dr. Trakulphadetkrai has delivered his popular Maths Through Stories training workshop to almost 500 in-service teachers at schools and around 2,000 teacher trainees at 30 universities cross the UK. |
Steering Committee
This research project is designed by Dr. Trakulphadetkrai in collaboration with the project's Steering Committee which is made up of Headteachers, Deputy Heads and Mathematics Co-ordinators of primary schools in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
Hover your mouse over the photos below for more details of the Steering Committee's members. Members are listed alphabetically by their first name.
Hover your mouse over the photos below for more details of the Steering Committee's members. Members are listed alphabetically by their first name.
Research Assistant
Cecilia Muldoon
Doctoral candidate
Institute of Education, University of Reading
Doctoral candidate
Institute of Education, University of Reading
Nature of data collection
Year 4 classes in the study are randomly assigned to either one of the three cohorts: Baseline A, Baseline B and Intervention. Details of each cohort can be found below.
Timeline
November - December 2019 Recruiting schools for the research project + Headteachers and Year 4 teachers of participating schools to sign and return the Consent Forms
First two weeks of January 2020 Sending ethics paperworks to parents and students
Mid-January 2020 Conducting pre-test (one hour per class)
Last week of January to mid-February 2020 Implementing the study
End of February to mid-March 2020 Conducting post-test (one hour per class)
March 2020 Interview with some of the students and teachers in the Baseline A and Intervention cohorts
End of April to mid-May 2020 Conducting delayed post-test (one hour per class)
May - June 2020 Analysing the data
July - August 2020 Writing up the report
First two weeks of January 2020 Sending ethics paperworks to parents and students
Mid-January 2020 Conducting pre-test (one hour per class)
Last week of January to mid-February 2020 Implementing the study
End of February to mid-March 2020 Conducting post-test (one hour per class)
March 2020 Interview with some of the students and teachers in the Baseline A and Intervention cohorts
End of April to mid-May 2020 Conducting delayed post-test (one hour per class)
May - June 2020 Analysing the data
July - August 2020 Writing up the report
