Algebra knowledge is an important gatekeeper to educational and economic opportunity. Both math education researchers and psychologists have shown that fractions may be a key to this gate (e.g., Hackenberg, 2013; Siegler et al., 2012). However, psychological and educational research on the fractions-algebra association has been disconnected, with separate frameworks, definitions, and designs. This integrative review synthesizes evidence from both disciplines about how and why fractions knowledge leads to stronger algebra knowledge. I suggest that the strength of causal evidence is limited by idiosyncratic measurement, limited longitudinal research, and imprecise definitions. I also review six plausible fractions-to-algebra mechanisms, which future research should empirically test. Throughout, I argue that more nuanced understanding of the fractions-algebra association will require interdisciplinary teams. Finally, I propose an integrative conceptual model of how fractions knowledge may lead to success in algebra and suggest new directions for collaborative investigation to inform developmental theory and educational practice.
About meaning making in the context of educational practice
