Technology Vol.2-879 THE IMPACT OF VIRTUAL MANIPULATIVES ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN INTEGER ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION

The study investigated the impact of virtual manipulatives on student achievement in integer addition and subtraction. Participants were 99 sixth-grade students in six mathematics classes. Results showed that students made significant achievement gains in both integer addition and subtraction using three different virtual manipulatives. The general conclusion is that the virtual manipulative environments supported students ’ learning of these concepts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of virtual manipulatives designed for integer addition and subtraction instruction on student achievement and to examine the effects of features available in virtual manipulative models. If used properly, technology allows the creation of a more student-centered learning environment that can promote greater understanding of mathematical concepts (Norum, Grabinger, & Duffield, 1999). Instructional media can be classified in two major categories: dynamic versus static media and interactive versus static media (Kaput, 1992). Dynamic media make it possible for notational objects to change; interactive media allow for a much stronger constraint and support structure than other types of media (Kaput, 1992). These features allow the learner to manipulate objects, observe changes, and make connections. Linked representations facilitate the transition from the physical to th