Bråkigt i matematikläromedel : En komparativ studie mellan svenska och maltesiska matematikläroböcker i årskurs 4 med fokus på hur tal i bråkform presenteras och konkretiseras

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to compare two Swedish and two Maltese textbook series in mathematics in the Swedish grade 4 from a mathematical didactic perspective, focusing on how fractions is presented, such as for instance as a number, part of a whole, part of a number, division as a metaphor or a scale, and visualized. The study is based on a comparative approach in which the teaching materials analysed represents their respective countries and schools. Four questions are addressed in this study. These are: 1. What share of the problems in the analysed books covers fractions? 2. How is the subject of fractions presented in the analysed books from Sweden and Malta respectively, for instance as a number, part of a whole, part of a number, with division as metaphor or as a scale? And which is the most common? 3. How is the subject of fractions visualized and how many times does this occur in the analysed pages? 4. What similarities and differences is there regarding the presentation and visualization of the field of fractions between the textbooks analysed from Sweden and Malta? The chosen textbooks from Sweden are Koll på matematik 4A and B and Matte Eldorado 4A and B. The ones from Malta are the textbook serie Abacus for Malta Number 6, Textbook 1 and 2 and the textbook series Busy Ant Maths 6A, B and C. The theoretical framework consists of Karlsson and Kilborn`s definition of the theory ‘konkretisering’, visualizing, and the different way fractions can be presented in. The results show that the analyzed books from Sweden mainly present fractions with division as a metaphor and the visualizing was mainly through everyday connection and through both the inductive and deductive method. The textbook from Malta mainly presents fractions as a number and the visualizing was in wording through the deductive method.