Morgandi has been helping her mother cook since she was a preschooler. In cooking, she has learned to use various measuring tools. She has doubled recipes and halved recipes using measuring cups and spoons and has learned to use fractions in this context. Her twin brother Eric is just as smart as Morgandi, but he has never used fractions. Yesterday, the teacher started the unit about fractions in math class.

Question

Compare the learning process for Morgandi and Eric during the unit on fractionsin math class. From a cognitive perspective, explain the differences.

Answer 1

Morgandi will find it much easier than Eric to understand the math lessons about fractions. She already uses the vocabulary and has developed a concept of fractions in hands-on, real-world applications.
From a cognitive perspective, she enters the math lesson with more knowledge of fractions than Eric's knowledge. One of the most important elements in the learning process is what the individual brings to new learning situations. Morgandi already has a foundation of knowledge on which to construct additional knowledge. Additionally, Morgandi likely brings more interest to the learning situation than Eric. An effective teacher is likely to provide examples that draw upon diverse interests, but Morgandi's interest is already based on the utility and relevance of the knowledge.