Impact of Perceived Supportive Learning Environment on Mathematical Achievement: The Mediating Roles of Autonomous Self-Regulation and Creative Thinking

A total of 1,281 Chinese students in grades 3–6 participated in a study that examined the relationships among student-perceived supportive learning environment (PSLE), mathematical achievement, autonomous self-regulation, and creative thinking. The results demonstrated that student PSLE is positively associated with autonomous self-regulation, creative thinking, and mathematical achievement. In addition, the study also demonstrated that the influence of PSLE on students’ mathematical achievements could be mediated through autonomous self-regulation and creative thinking, respectively. The results shed light on the effectiveness of a supportive learning environment on educational and psychological outcomes in Chinese mathematical classrooms.

Teachers’ Characteristics and their Effect on Students’ Mathematical Achievement in the 4th grade: A Comparative Study between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America according to (TIMSS 2019)

The study aims to investigate some characteristics of fourth-grade mathematics teachers in Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, which may affect students’ mathematical achievement. Thus, the research utilized fourth-grade students’ data, as the average score of students was (398) compared to (535) in the Unites States. Post fact design was used with a sample of (4174) students and (170) teachers in Saudi Arabia, and (8353) students and (451) teachers in the United States. Result indicated that teacher’s gender, age, educational level, and qualification are significant variables that impact mathematical achievement in Saudi Arabia. Results also showed that teachers’ years of experience, hours of professional development spent by the teacher during the past two years, and teacher gender are significant variable which impact students’ mathematical achievement in America. As for the teachers’ gender, findings showed significant differences were in favor of students taught by female teachers in both countries.

The Influence of Student Engagement on Mathematical Achievement among Secondary School Students

Student engagement is a multidimensional construct that predicts learning performance. However, student engagement receives limited attention, especially in mathematics. Thus, this study conducts a survey to determine the influence of student engagement on mathematical achievement. Stratified random sampling was employed to select secondary school students (n = 1000). Questionnaires and end-of-year examination grades were collected as data on student engagement and respective mathematics achievement. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between cognitive engagement, affective engagement, behavioural engagement, and mathematical achievement. The results of multiple linear regression analysis show that affective engagement is the largest predictor of mathematical achievement (β = 0.743, p < 0.001), followed by behavioural engagement (β = 0.585, p < 0.001), and cognitive engagement (β = −0.375, p < 0.01). This suggests that policymakers should formulate a curriculum that enables the improvement of affective and behavioural engagement. Furthermore, this study recommends that school administrators and teachers plan and implement activities that stimulate such engagement.

Examining the Differential Role of General and Specific Processing Speed in Predicting Mathematical Achievement in Junior High School

Processing speed is divided into general (including perceptual speed and decision speed) and specific processing speed (including reading fluency and arithmetic fluency). Despite several study findings reporting the association between processing speed and children’s mathematical achievement, it is still unclear whether general or specific processing speed differentially predicts mathematical achievement. The current study aimed to examine the role of general and specific processing speed in predicting mathematical achievements of junior high school students. Cognitive testing was performed in 212 junior school students at the beginning of the 7th grade year, along with assessment of general and specific processing speed. Relevant academic achievement scores were also recorded at the end of the 7th and 9th grade years. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that specific processing speed made a significant unique contribution in mathematical achievement by the end of the 7th grade and could significantly predict mathematical achievements in the high school entrance examinations by end of the 9th grade after controlling for age, gender, and general cognitive abilities. However, general processing speed could not predict mathematical achievements. Moreover, specific processing speed could significantly predict all academic achievements for both the 7th and 9th grade. These results demonstrated that specific processing speed, rather than general processing speed, was able to predict mathematical achievement and made a generalised contribution to all academic achievements in junior school. These findings suggest that specific processing speed could be a reflection of academic fluency and is therefore critical for long-term academic development.

Do structured manipulatives aid understanding of additive reasoning, and addition and subtraction fluency in a sample of Year 7 and 8 students?

<p>Mathematical achievement may impact on outcomes in later life; thus, identifying and improving key mathematical skills is a focus of a large body of educational research. Both additive reasoning, and knowledge of addition and subtraction facts, appear to predict later mathematical achievement. The current study explores the impact of a short intervention with a small group of year 7 and 8 students working at lower than expected academic levels. The current study is based on Cognitive Load Theory and research suggesting that counting strategies overload working memory. A mixed-methods approach was used to identify whether structured manipulatives improved the additive reasoning and, addition and subtraction fluency in a sample of ten participants. Participants attended after-school intervention sessions of 45 minutes for seven weeks. The intervention focused on teaching additive reasoning and fluency using structured manipulatives. Inferential statistical analysis showed a statistically significant mean improvement in participants’ ability to answer simple addition and subtraction questions. Tests constructed to operationalise additive reasoning also showed statistically significant mean improvement. Participants answered diagnostic questions operationalising various aspects of additive reasoning. Individual differences in understanding of additive reasoning were observed, and the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction proved to be a challenging concept. Semi-structured interviews provided themes of valuing the intervention and the manipulatives used. Due to the size and design of this study, it is not possible to extrapolate findings to other learners. However, the study may provide directions for future research. Structured manipulatives may have a role to play in enabling learners to begin to learn additive relationships and further securing recall of addition and subtraction facts. Students at years 7 and 8 may still need considerable exposure to additive concepts; moreover, returning to manipulatives may develop this knowledge. Finally, the findings from the diagnostic questions help show the complexity of additive reasoning. Classroom practitioners may need to further develop their knowledge of additive reasoning, its importance, and the individual differences and misconceptions that learners hold in order to provide considered learning experiences.</p>

Do structured manipulatives aid understanding of additive reasoning, and addition and subtraction fluency in a sample of Year 7 and 8 students?

<p>Mathematical achievement may impact on outcomes in later life; thus, identifying and improving key mathematical skills is a focus of a large body of educational research. Both additive reasoning, and knowledge of addition and subtraction facts, appear to predict later mathematical achievement. The current study explores the impact of a short intervention with a small group of year 7 and 8 students working at lower than expected academic levels. The current study is based on Cognitive Load Theory and research suggesting that counting strategies overload working memory. A mixed-methods approach was used to identify whether structured manipulatives improved the additive reasoning and, addition and subtraction fluency in a sample of ten participants. Participants attended after-school intervention sessions of 45 minutes for seven weeks. The intervention focused on teaching additive reasoning and fluency using structured manipulatives. Inferential statistical analysis showed a statistically significant mean improvement in participants’ ability to answer simple addition and subtraction questions. Tests constructed to operationalise additive reasoning also showed statistically significant mean improvement. Participants answered diagnostic questions operationalising various aspects of additive reasoning. Individual differences in understanding of additive reasoning were observed, and the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction proved to be a challenging concept. Semi-structured interviews provided themes of valuing the intervention and the manipulatives used. Due to the size and design of this study, it is not possible to extrapolate findings to other learners. However, the study may provide directions for future research. Structured manipulatives may have a role to play in enabling learners to begin to learn additive relationships and further securing recall of addition and subtraction facts. Students at years 7 and 8 may still need considerable exposure to additive concepts; moreover, returning to manipulatives may develop this knowledge. Finally, the findings from the diagnostic questions help show the complexity of additive reasoning. Classroom practitioners may need to further develop their knowledge of additive reasoning, its importance, and the individual differences and misconceptions that learners hold in order to provide considered learning experiences.</p>

Disentangling the Effects of SFON (Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity) and Symbolic Number Skills on the Mathematical Achievement of First Graders. A Longitudinal Study

Research has established that Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) and symbolic number skills (e.g., counting out loud, counting objects, linking small magnitudes and numbers) are predictors of mathematical achievement in primary school. However, little is known about the relationship between SFON and symbolic number skills, or whether one of these factors is more influential on a child’s subsequent mathematical achievement. This study investigated the effect of SFON and symbolic number skills on mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1 by controlling for first language, gender, working memory and nonverbal IQ. Participants were N = 1,279 first graders. SFON, symbolic number skills and control variables (first language, gender, working memory, and nonverbal IQ) were measured at the beginning of Grade 1. SFON was assessed with a verbally-based task. Data on mathematical achievement was collected at the end of Grade 1. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that the children’s SFON was relatively low at the beginning of Grade 1. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between SFON, symbolic number skills and mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1. The results revealed a weakly significant correlation between SFON and symbolic number skills. SFON and symbolic number skills were significant predictors of mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1. However, the effect of symbolic number skills on mathematical achievement was greater than the effect of SFON. It is therefore concluded that numerical skills are more important than SFON for predicting mathematical achievement over the course of first grade.