Conceptualizations and representations of fraction division in online open access GeoGebra resources

Dividing fractions is often difficult for students to understand. Many GeoGebra applets have been developed to support students’ understanding of fraction division, but it is less clear how fraction division is conceptualized and represented in these tool-based resources. This study aimed to examine the quality of the GeoGebra applets for fraction division by attending to the conceptualizations, representations, and cognitive actions prevalent in these digital resources. The results reveal that a majority of the existing applets conceptualize fraction division as measurement while other conceptualizations of fraction division are underrepresented. Among the various representations used, the length model in the form of fraction bar and area model are the predominant choices, with the number line representation being notably less prominent. The results from this study also show that although most applets attempt to visualize the process of fraction division, there are limited opportunities in most applets for users to enact mental actions associated with fraction division, such as partitioning, unitizing, iterating, and disembedding. These results not only increase our understanding of the affordances and limitations of existing applets for fraction division so that we can become more intentional in our choice of them but also inform the design of new applets that support students’ development of a rich and robust understanding of fraction division.