Development of a Mathematics courseware: Fractions

Misconceptions associated with numbers can be found along the way since mathematics exists. Students find it difficult to understand fractions when the mathematics curriculum is taught in English especially in Malaysia. Students have difficulties to tally with what they had learned in English when their native language is Bahasa Malaysia. Meanwhile teachers find it difficult to treat students’ misconceptions in the classrooms. A multimedia courseware has been developed on the topic of fractions in order to assist students in understanding fractions. The objective of this paper is to report on the development of a multimedia courseware for primary school students on the topic of fractions. The development has also adopted a game-based learning method. The ADDIE Instructional Design Model is used in the development and tools used are VB.Net, Game Maker, Adobe Photoshop and Windows XP. An evaluation has been conducted. The evaluation was based on the usability criterion that is screen design, satisfaction and learnability. The result shows that students are satisfied with the design and find that the courseware is easy to learn. It is hoped that the courseware can improve learning by providing fun and out-of-classroom environment to the students at their own time and pace.