Collaborative Modelling of Rational Numbers

In teaching mathematics, it is often assumed that new ideas about numbers will smoothly follow from prior ones. Therefore, teaching strategies aim at the enrichment of students’ prior knowledge about numbers. However, learning difficulties in the area suggest that, in certain cases, reorganisation of prior knowledge is required. Following the conceptual change paradigm we describe a CSCL environment designed to develop a deeper understanding of the structure of the set of rational numbers.