Revealing 7th grade middle school students' abstraction processes of variable concept with RBC model

This study was carried out to reveal the concept of variable of 7th grade students in the transition period from arithmetic to algebra by using RBC model.In order to find out how students abstracted the concept of variable, they were asked to solve of the problems which were prepared taking into account the aims of the learning required by the class level according to the RBC model. In this activity, students are asked questions about actions that require them to remember the characteristics of the concept of variable, which require them to use the variable and create a different structure by using the variable. In Dreyfus, Herskowitz and Schwarz (2001), problems were identified according to the definition of abstraction actions they defined.The research method is of the qualitative research type and is included in the case study pattern. The participant group of the study consisted of 10 students in 7th grade level of three state middle schools in Bolu province. It was examined the process of forming variable concept information by applying the activity in the form of binary groups were in interview. When the audio and video recordings of the interview were examined, the students explained the concept of variable as 'unknown'. It has been observed that gaps in arithmetic operations can easily replace the boxes with the concept of variable. In the problem solving, it was learned that they abstracted the concept of variable from arithmetic to algebra at different levels.Students' perceptions about the concept of variable, which context they are familiar with what context they are interpreted by using the variable as a higher action to create a new structure with mental steps is known that the process of information creation processes can be better observed. In such a way that students also stated that they had difficulty in using them in problems. It can be effective to follow the process of creating information with actions step by step to eliminate these difficulties in learning. Implementation of the activity in the form of binary groups to reveal the formation of variable information in the abstraction process emphasizes the social aspect of learning. Thanks to the discussions between them, the details of this process are easily examined. While students have difficulty in creating new structures by using the variable, they have revealed deficiencies in conceptual level abstractions with limited expressions and their use of variable concept. Keywords: Mathematics education, Algebra, Variable, Abstraction, Knowledge construction process