Prospective elementary teachers’ conceptions of multidigit number: Exemplifying a replication framework for mathematics education

Abstract

Replication studies play a critical role in scientific accumulation of knowledge, yet replication studies in mathematics education are rare. In this study, the authors replicated Thanheiser’s (Educational Studies in Mathematics 75:241–251, 2010) study of prospective elementary teachers’ conceptions of multidigit number and examined the main claim that most elementary pre-service teachers think about digits incorrectly at least some of the time. Results indicated no statistically significant difference in the distribution of conceptions between the original and replication samples and, moreover, no statistically significant differences in the distribution of sub-conceptions among prospective teachers with the most common conception. These results suggest confidence is warranted both in the generality of the main claim and in the utility of the conceptions framework for describing prospective elementary teachers’ conceptions of multidigit number. The report further contributes a framework for replication of mathematics education research adapted from the field of psychology.