Beyond adoption status: Post-adoptive parental involvement and children's reading and math performance from kindergarten to first grade.

PubMed

Tan, Tony Xing; Kim, Eun Sook; Baggerly, Jennifer; Mahoney, E Emily; Rice, Jessica

2017-01-01

In this study, we went beyond adoption status to examine the associations between postadoption parental involvement and children's reading and math performance from kindergarten to first grade. Secondary data on a sample of adopted children and nonadopted children were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class of 1998 to 1999 (ECLS-K). Weighted data on the children's reading performance were available for 13,900 children (181 were adopted); weighted data on the children's math performance were available for 14,128 children (184 were adopted). Descriptive data showed no group difference in reading scores at all 3 Waves but adopted children scored lower than nonadopted children in math at Wave 2 (Spring of kindergarten) and Wave 3 (Spring of first grade). However, controlling for 6 covariates, latent growth modeling showed that adoption status was unrelated to Wave 1 reading and math scores or subsequent growth rate. Rather, parents' beliefs on skills needed to succeed in kindergarten were a significant predictor of reading and math performance at Wave 1 and subsequent growth rates, and parents' educational expectation was a significant predictor of growth rate in reading and math. Our findings highlight the importance of parental involvement in adopted children's learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Apollo oxygen tank stratification analysis, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barton, J. E.; Patterson, H. W.

1972-01-01

An analysis of flight performance of the Apollo 15 cryogenic oxygen tanks was conducted with the variable grid stratification math model developed earlier in the program. Flight conditions investigated were the CMP-EVA and one passive thermal control period which exhibited heater temperature characteristics not previously observed. Heater temperatures for these periods were simulated with the math model using flight acceleration data. Simulation results (heater temperature and tank pressure) compared favorably with the Apollo 15 flight data, and it was concluded that tank performance was nominal. Math model modifications were also made to improve the simulation accuracy. The modifications included the addition of the effects of the tank wall thermal mass and an improved system flow distribution model. The modifications improved the accuracy of simulated pressure response based on comparisons with flight data.

Understanding the Home Math Environment and Its Role in Predicting Parent Report of Children's Math Skills.

PubMed

Hart, Sara A; Ganley, Colleen M; Purpura, David J

2016-01-01

There is a growing literature concerning the role of the home math environment in children's math development. In this study, we examined the relation between these constructs by specifically addressing three goals. The first goal was to identify the measurement structure of the home math environment through a series of confirmatory factor analyses. The second goal was to examine the role of the home math environment in predicting parent report of children's math skills. The third goal was to test a series of potential alternative explanations for the relation between the home math environment and parent report of children's skills, specifically the direct and indirect role of household income, parent math anxiety, and parent math ability as measured by their approximate number system performance. A final sample of 339 parents of children aged 3 through 8 drawn from Mechanical Turk answered a questionnaire online. The best fitting model of the home math environment was a bifactor model with a general factor representing the general home math environment, and three specific factors representing the direct numeracy environment, the indirect numeracy environment, and the spatial environment. When examining the association of the home math environment factors to parent report of child skills, the general home math environment factor and the spatial environment were the only significant predictors. Parents who reported doing more general math activities in the home reported having children with higher math skills, whereas parents who reported doing more spatial activities reported having children with lower math skills.

Understanding the Home Math Environment and Its Role in Predicting Parent Report of Children’s Math Skills

PubMed Central

Ganley, Colleen M.; Purpura, David J.

2016-01-01

There is a growing literature concerning the role of the home math environment in children’s math development. In this study, we examined the relation between these constructs by specifically addressing three goals. The first goal was to identify the measurement structure of the home math environment through a series of confirmatory factor analyses. The second goal was to examine the role of the home math environment in predicting parent report of children’s math skills. The third goal was to test a series of potential alternative explanations for the relation between the home math environment and parent report of children’s skills, specifically the direct and indirect role of household income, parent math anxiety, and parent math ability as measured by their approximate number system performance. A final sample of 339 parents of children aged 3 through 8 drawn from Mechanical Turk answered a questionnaire online. The best fitting model of the home math environment was a bifactor model with a general factor representing the general home math environment, and three specific factors representing the direct numeracy environment, the indirect numeracy environment, and the spatial environment. When examining the association of the home math environment factors to parent report of child skills, the general home math environment factor and the spatial environment were the only significant predictors. Parents who reported doing more general math activities in the home reported having children with higher math skills, whereas parents who reported doing more spatial activities reported having children with lower math skills. PMID:28005925

Mathematical outcomes and working memory in children with TBI and orthopedic injury.

PubMed

Raghubar, Kimberly P; Barnes, Marcia A; Prasad, Mary; Johnson, Chad P; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda

2013-03-01

This study compared mathematical outcomes in children with predominantly moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI; n550) or orthopedic injury (OI; n547) at 2 and 24 months post-injury. Working memory and its contribution to math outcomes at 24 months post-injury was also examined. Participants were administered an experimental cognitive addition task and standardized measures of calculation, math fluency, and applied problems; as well as experimental measures of verbal and visual-spatial working memory. Although children with TBI did not have deficits in foundational math fact retrieval, they performed more poorly than OIs on standardized measures of math. In the TBI group, performance on standardized measures was predicted by age at injury, socioeconomic status, and the duration of impaired consciousness. Children with TBI showed impairments on verbal, but not visual working memory relative to children with OI. Verbal working memory mediated group differences on math calculations and applied problems at 24 months post-injury. Children with TBI have difficulties in mathematics, but do not have deficits in math fact retrieval, a signature deficit of math disabilities. Results are discussed with reference to models of mathematical cognition and disability and the role of working memory in math learning and performance for children with TBI.

Mathematical Outcomes and Working Memory in Children With TBI and Orthopedic Injury

PubMed Central

Raghubar, Kimberly P.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Prasad, Mary; Johnson, Chad P.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda

2013-01-01

This study compared mathematical outcomes in children with predominantly moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI; n =50) or orthopedic injury (OI; n=47) at 2 and 24 months post-injury. Working memory and its contribution to math outcomes at 24 months post-injury was also examined. Participants were administered an experimental cognitive addition task and standardized measures of calculation, math fluency, and applied problems; as well as experimental measures of verbal and visual-spatial working memory. Although children with TBI did not have deficits in foundational math fact retrieval, they performed more poorly than OIs on standardized measures of math. In the TBI group, performance on standardized measures was predicted by age at injury, socioeconomic status, and the duration of impaired consciousness. Children with TBI showed impairments on verbal, but not visual working memory relative to children with OI. Verbal working memory mediated group differences on math calculations and applied problems at 24 months post-injury. Children with TBI have difficulties in mathematics, but do not have deficits in math fact retrieval, a signature deficit of math disabilities. Results are discussed with reference to models of mathematical cognition and disability and the role of working memory in math learning and performance for children with TBI. PMID:23164058

Unfulfilled Potential: High-Achieving Minority Students and the High School Achievement Gap in Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kotok, Stephen

2017-01-01

This study uses multilevel modeling to examine a subset of the highest performing 9th graders and explores the extent that achievement gaps in math widen for high performing African American and Latino students and their high performing White and Asian peers during high school. Using nationally representative data from the High School Longitudinal…

Is math anxiety in the secondary classroom limiting physics mastery? A study of math anxiety and physics performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mercer, Gary J.

This quantitative study examined the relationship between secondary students with math anxiety and physics performance in an inquiry-based constructivist classroom. The Revised Math Anxiety Rating Scale was used to evaluate math anxiety levels. The results were then compared to the performance on a physics standardized final examination. A simple correlation was performed, followed by a multivariate regression analysis to examine effects based on gender and prior math background. The correlation showed statistical significance between math anxiety and physics performance. The regression analysis showed statistical significance for math anxiety, physics performance, and prior math background, but did not show statistical significance for math anxiety, physics performance, and gender.

Physics career intentions: The effect of physics identity, math identity, and gender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lock, Robynne M.; Hazari, Zahra; Potvin, Geoff

2013-01-01

Although nearly half of high school physics students are female, only 21% of physics bachelor's degrees are earned by women. Using data from a national survey of college students in introductory English courses (on science-related experiences, particularly in high school), we examine the influence of students' physics and math identities on their choice to pursue a physics career. Males have higher math and physics identities than females in all three dimensions of our identity framework. These dimensions include: performance/competence (perceptions of ability to perform/understand), recognition (perception of recognition by others), and interest (desire to learn more). A regression model predicting students' intentions to pursue physics careers shows, as expected, that males are significantly more likely to choose physics than females. Surprisingly, however, when physics and math identity are included in the model, females are shown to be equally likely to choose physics careers as compared to males.

Collaborative Workshops and Student Academic Performance in Introductory College Mathematics Courses: A Study of a Treisman Model Math Excel Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Hollis; Dick, Thomas

2000-01-01

Describes the Treisman model which involves supplemental workshops in which college students solve problems in collaborative learning groups. Reports on the effectiveness of Math Excel, an implementation of the Treisman model for introductory mathematics courses at Oregon State University over five academic terms. Reveals a significant effect on…

Prediction of lymph node involvement in patients with breast tumors measuring 3-5 cm in a middle-income setting: the role of CancerMath.

PubMed

Pijnappel, E N; Bhoo-Pathy, N; Suniza, J; See, M H; Tan, G H; Yip, C H; Hartman, M; Taib, N A; Verkooijen, H M

2014-12-01

In settings with limited resources, sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is only offered to breast cancer patients with small tumors and a low a priori risk of axillary metastases. We investigated whether CancerMath, a free online prediction tool for axillary lymph node involvement, is able to identify women at low risk of axillary lymph node metastases in Malaysian women with 3-5 cm tumors, with the aim to offer SNB in a targeted, cost-effective way. Women with non-metastatic breast cancers, measuring 3-5 cm were identified within the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) breast cancer registry. We compared CancerMath-predicted probabilities of lymph node involvement between women with versus without lymph node metastases. The discriminative performance of CancerMath was tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Out of 1,017 patients, 520 (51 %) had axillary involvement. Tumors of women with axillary involvement were more often estrogen-receptor positive, progesterone-receptor positive, and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-2 positive. The mean CancerMath score was higher in women with axillary involvement than in those without (53.5 vs. 51.3, p = 0.001). In terms of discrimination, CancerMath performed poorly, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.553 (95 % confidence interval CI 0.518-0.588). Attempts to optimize the CancerMath model by adding ethnicity and HER2 to the model did not improve discriminatory performance. For Malaysian women with tumors measuring 3-5 cm, CancerMath is unable to accurately predict lymph node involvement and is therefore not helpful in the identification of women at low risk of node-positive disease who could benefit from SNB.

Helicopter simulation validation using flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, D. L.; Hansen, R. S.; Cleveland, W. B.; Abbott, W. Y.

1982-01-01

A joint NASA/Army effort to perform a systematic ground-based piloted simulation validation assessment is described. The best available mathematical model for the subject helicopter (UH-60A Black Hawk) was programmed for real-time operation. Flight data were obtained to validate the math model, and to develop models for the pilot control strategy while performing mission-type tasks. The validated math model is to be combined with motion and visual systems to perform ground based simulation. Comparisons of the control strategy obtained in flight with that obtained on the simulator are to be used as the basis for assessing the fidelity of the results obtained in the simulator.

Mathematics anxiety: separating the math from the anxiety.

PubMed

Lyons, Ian M; Beilock, Sian L

2012-09-01

Anxiety about math is tied to low math grades and standardized test scores, yet not all math-anxious individuals perform equally poorly in math. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to separate neural activity during the anticipation of doing math from activity during math performance itself. For higher (but not lower) math-anxious individuals, increased activity in frontoparietal regions when simply anticipating doing math mitigated math-specific performance deficits. This network included bilateral inferior frontal junction, a region involved in cognitive control and reappraisal of negative emotional responses. Furthermore, the relation between frontoparietal anticipatory activity and highly math-anxious individuals' math deficits was fully mediated (or accounted for) by activity in caudate, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus during math performance. These subcortical regions are important for coordinating task demands and motivational factors during skill execution. Individual differences in how math-anxious individuals recruit cognitive control resources prior to doing math and motivational resources during math performance predict the extent of their math deficits. This work suggests that educational interventions emphasizing control of negative emotional responses to math stimuli (rather than merely additional math training) will be most effective in revealing a population of mathematically competent individuals, who might otherwise go undiscovered.

Gender, Math Confidence, and Grit: Relationships with Quantitative Skills and Performance in an Undergraduate Biology Course

PubMed Central

Flanagan, K. M.; Einarson, J.

2017-01-01

In a world filled with big data, mathematical models, and statistics, the development of strong quantitative skills is becoming increasingly critical for modern biologists. Teachers in this field must understand how students acquire quantitative skills and explore barriers experienced by students when developing these skills. In this study, we examine the interrelationships among gender, grit, and math confidence for student performance on a pre–post quantitative skills assessment and overall performance in an undergraduate biology course. Here, we show that females significantly underperformed relative to males on a quantitative skills assessment at the start of term. However, females showed significantly higher gains over the semester, such that the gender gap in performance was nearly eliminated by the end of the semester. Math confidence plays an important role in the performance on both the pre and post quantitative skills assessments and overall performance in the course. The effect of grit on student performance, however, is mediated by a student’s math confidence; as math confidence increases, the positive effect of grit decreases. Consequently, the positive impact of a student’s grittiness is observed most strongly for those students with low math confidence. We also found grit to be positively associated with the midterm score and the final grade in the course. Given the relationships established in this study among gender, grit, and math confidence, we provide “instructor actions” from the literature that can be applied in the classroom to promote the development of quantitative skills in light of our findings. PMID:28798209

Effects of methylphenidate on acute math performance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Grizenko, Natalie; Cai, Emmy; Jolicoeur, Claude; Ter-Stepanian, Mariam; Joober, Ridha

2013-11-01

Examine the short-term (acute) effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on math performance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and what factors predict improvement in math performance. One hundred ninety-eight children with ADHD participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover MPH trial. Math response to MPH was determined through administration of math problems adjusted to their academic level during the Restricted Academic Situation Scale (RASS). Student t tests were conducted to assess change in math performance with psychostimulants. Correlation between change on the RASS and change on the math performance was also examined. Linear regression was performed to determine predictor variables. Children with ADHD improved significantly in their math with MPH (P < 0.001). The degree of improvement on the RASS (which evaluates motor activity and orientation to task) and on math performance on MPH was highly correlated. A child's age at baseline and Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)-Numerical Operations standard scores at baseline accounted for 15% of variances for acute math improvement. MPH improves acute math performance in children with ADHD. Younger children with lower math scores (as assessed by the WIAT) improved most on math scores when given psychostimulants. NCT00483106.

Math anxiety differentially affects WAIS-IV arithmetic performance in undergraduates.

PubMed

Buelow, Melissa T; Frakey, Laura L

2013-06-01

Previous research has shown that math anxiety can influence the math performance level; however, to date, it is unknown whether math anxiety influences performance on working memory tasks during neuropsychological evaluation. In the present study, 172 undergraduate students completed measures of math achievement (the Math Computation subtest from the Wide Range Achievement Test-IV), math anxiety (the Math Anxiety Rating Scale-Revised), general test anxiety (from the Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College version), and the three Working Memory Index tasks from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV Edition (WAIS-IV; Digit Span [DS], Arithmetic, Letter-Number Sequencing [LNS]). Results indicated that math anxiety predicted performance on Arithmetic, but not DS or LNS, above and beyond the effects of gender, general test anxiety, and math performance level. Our findings suggest that math anxiety can negatively influence WAIS-IV working memory subtest scores. Implications for clinical practice include the utilization of LNS in individuals expressing high math anxiety.

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory and mathematical ability in different domains throughout primary school.

PubMed

Van de Weijer-Bergsma, Eva; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Van Luit, Johannes E H

2015-04-01

The relative importance of visual-spatial and verbal working memory for mathematics performance and learning seems to vary with age, the novelty of the material, and the specific math domain that is investigated. In this study, the relations between verbal and visual-spatial working memory and performance in four math domains (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) at different ages during primary school are investigated. Children (N = 4337) from grades 2 through 6 participated. Visual-spatial and verbal working memory were assessed using online computerized tasks. Math performance was assessed at the start, middle, and end of the school year using a speeded arithmetic test. Multilevel Multigroup Latent Growth Modeling was used to model individual differences in level and growth in math performance, and examine the predictive value of working memory per grade, while controlling for effects of classroom membership. The results showed that as grade level progressed, the predictive value of visual-spatial working memory for individual differences in level of mathematics performance waned, while the predictive value of verbal working memory increased. Working memory did not predict individual differences between children in their rate of performance growth throughout the school year. These findings are discussed in relation to three, not mutually exclusive, explanations for such age-related findings.

Boys' and Girls' Weight Status and Math Performance from Kindergarten Entry through Fifth Grade: A Mediated Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gable, Sara; Krull, Jennifer L.; Chang, Yiting

2012-01-01

This study tests a mediated model of boys' and girls' weight status and math performance with 6,250 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Five data points spanning kindergarten entry (mean age = 68.46 months) through fifth grade (mean age = 134.60 months) were analyzed. Three weight status groups were identified: persistent…

The role of expressive writing in math anxiety.

PubMed

Park, Daeun; Ramirez, Gerardo; Beilock, Sian L

2014-06-01

Math anxiety is a negative affective reaction to situations involving math. Previous work demonstrates that math anxiety can negatively impact math problem solving by creating performance-related worries that disrupt the working memory needed for the task at hand. By leveraging knowledge about the mechanism underlying the math anxiety-performance relationship, we tested the effectiveness of a short expressive writing intervention that has been shown to reduce intrusive thoughts and improve working memory availability. Students (N = 80) varying in math anxiety were asked to sit quietly (control group) prior to completing difficulty-matched math and word problems or to write about their thoughts and feelings regarding the exam they were about to take (expressive writing group). For the control group, high math-anxious individuals (HMAs) performed significantly worse on the math problems than low math-anxious students (LMAs). In the expressive writing group, however, this difference in math performance across HMAs and LMAs was significantly reduced. Among HMAs, the use of words related to anxiety, cause, and insight in their writing was positively related to math performance. Expressive writing boosts the performance of anxious students in math-testing situations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

The effects of gender composition on women's experience in math work groups.

PubMed

Grover, Sarah S; Ito, Tiffany A; Park, Bernadette

2017-06-01

The present studies tested a model outlining the effects of group gender composition on self- and others' perceptions of women's math ability in a truly interactive setting with groups composed entirely of naïve participants (N = 158 4-person groups across 3 studies). One woman in each group was designated to be the "expert" by having her complete a tutorial that gave her task-relevant knowledge for a subsequent group task. Group gender composition was hypothesized to influence perceptions of women's math ability through intrapersonal processes (stereotype threat effects on performance) and interpersonal processes (social cohesion between the expert and other group members). Group composition affected the experts' performance in the group math task, but importantly, it also affected their social cohesion with group members. Moreover, both of these effects-lowered performance and poorer social cohesion in male-dominated groups-made independent contributions in accounting for group gender composition effects on perceptions of women's math ability (Studies 1 and 2). Boundary conditions were examined in a 3rd study. Women who had a history of excelling in math and had chosen a math-intensive STEM major were selected to be the designated experts. We predicted and found this would be sufficient to eliminate the effect of group gender composition on interpersonal processes, and correspondingly the effect on women's perceived math ability. Interestingly (and consistent with past work on stereotype threat effects among highly domain-identified individuals), there were continued performance differences indicative of effects on intrapersonal processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Choke or thrive? The relation between salivary cortisol and math performance depends on individual differences in working memory and math-anxiety.

PubMed

Mattarella-Micke, Andrew; Mateo, Jill; Kozak, Megan N; Foster, Katherine; Beilock, Sian L

2011-08-01

In the current study, we explored how a person's physiological arousal relates to their performance in a challenging math situation as a function of individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity and math-anxiety. Participants completed demanding math problems before and after which salivary cortisol, an index of arousal, was measured. The performance of lower WM individuals did not depend on cortisol concentration or math-anxiety. For higher WM individuals high in math-anxiety, the higher their concentration of salivary cortisol following the math task, the worse their performance. In contrast, for higher WM individuals lower in math-anxiety, the higher their salivary cortisol concentrations, the better their performance. For individuals who have the capacity to perform at a high-level (higher WMs), whether physiological arousal will lead an individual to choke or thrive depends on math-anxiety. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Performing Big Math Ideas across the Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gadanidis, George; Hughes, Janette M.

2011-01-01

A storied math context helps students engage both emotionally and cognitively with mathematics and helps show that mathematics develops out of human experience. Children's literature also models mathematical storytelling for students, and creates opportunities for them to retell and extend stories. This article describes mathematics investigations…

How is anxiety related to math performance in young students? A longitudinal study of Grade 2 to Grade 3 children.

PubMed

Cargnelutti, Elisa; Tomasetto, Carlo; Passolunghi, Maria Chiara

2017-06-01

Both general and math-specific anxiety are related to proficiency in mathematics. However, it is not clear when math anxiety arises in young children, nor how it relates to early math performance. This study therefore investigated the early association between math anxiety and math performance in Grades 2 and 3, by accounting for general anxiety and by further inspecting the prevalent directionality of the anxiety-performance link. Results revealed that this link was significant in Grade 3, with a prevalent direction from math anxiety to performance, rather than the reverse. Longitudinal analyses also showed an indirect effect of math anxiety in Grade 2 on subsequent math performance in Grade 3. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of monitoring anxiety from the early stages of schooling in order to promote proficient academic performance.

The role of self-math overlap in understanding math anxiety and the relation between math anxiety and performance

PubMed Central

Necka, Elizabeth A.; Sokolowski, H. Moriah; Lyons, Ian M.

2015-01-01

Recent work has demonstrated that math anxiety is more than just the product of poor math skills. Psychosocial factors may play a key role in understanding what it means to be math anxious, and hence may aid in attempts to sever the link between math anxiety and poor math performance. One such factor may be the extent to which individuals integrate math into their sense of self. We adapted a well-established measure of this degree of integration (i.e., self-other overlap) to assess individuals’ self-math overlap. This non-verbal single-item measure showed that identifying oneself with math (having higher self-math overlap) was strongly associated with lower math anxiety (r = -0.610). We also expected that having higher self-math overlap would leave one especially susceptible to the threat of poor math performance to the self. We identified two competing hypotheses regarding how this plays out in terms of math anxiety. Those higher in self-math overlap might be more likely to worry about poor math performance, exacerbating the negative relation between math anxiety and math ability. Alternatively, those higher in self-math overlap might exhibit self-serving biases regarding their math ability, which would instead predict a decoupling of the relation between their perceived and actual math ability, and in turn the relation between their math ability and math anxiety. Results clearly favored the latter hypothesis: those higher in self-math overlap exhibited almost no relation between math anxiety and math ability, whereas those lower in self-math overlap showed a strong negative relation between math anxiety and math ability. This was partially explained by greater self-serving biases among those higher in self-math overlap. In sum, these results reveal that the degree to which one integrates math into one’s self – self-math overlap – may provide insight into how the pernicious negative relation between math anxiety and math ability may be ameliorated. PMID:26528210

The role of self-math overlap in understanding math anxiety and the relation between math anxiety and performance.

PubMed

Necka, Elizabeth A; Sokolowski, H Moriah; Lyons, Ian M

2015-01-01

Recent work has demonstrated that math anxiety is more than just the product of poor math skills. Psychosocial factors may play a key role in understanding what it means to be math anxious, and hence may aid in attempts to sever the link between math anxiety and poor math performance. One such factor may be the extent to which individuals integrate math into their sense of self. We adapted a well-established measure of this degree of integration (i.e., self-other overlap) to assess individuals' self-math overlap. This non-verbal single-item measure showed that identifying oneself with math (having higher self-math overlap) was strongly associated with lower math anxiety (r = -0.610). We also expected that having higher self-math overlap would leave one especially susceptible to the threat of poor math performance to the self. We identified two competing hypotheses regarding how this plays out in terms of math anxiety. Those higher in self-math overlap might be more likely to worry about poor math performance, exacerbating the negative relation between math anxiety and math ability. Alternatively, those higher in self-math overlap might exhibit self-serving biases regarding their math ability, which would instead predict a decoupling of the relation between their perceived and actual math ability, and in turn the relation between their math ability and math anxiety. Results clearly favored the latter hypothesis: those higher in self-math overlap exhibited almost no relation between math anxiety and math ability, whereas those lower in self-math overlap showed a strong negative relation between math anxiety and math ability. This was partially explained by greater self-serving biases among those higher in self-math overlap. In sum, these results reveal that the degree to which one integrates math into one's self - self-math overlap - may provide insight into how the pernicious negative relation between math anxiety and math ability may be ameliorated.

Working memory, math performance, and math anxiety.

PubMed

Ashcraft, Mark H; Krause, Jeremy A

2007-04-01

The cognitive literature now shows how critically math performance depends on working memory, for any form of arithmetic and math that involves processes beyond simple memory retrieval. The psychometric literature is also very clear on the global consequences of mathematics anxiety. People who are highly math anxious avoid math: They avoid elective coursework in math, both in high school and college, they avoid college majors that emphasize math, and they avoid career paths that involve math. We go beyond these psychometric relationships to examine the cognitive consequences of math anxiety. We show how performance on a standardized math achievement test varies as a function of math anxiety, and that math anxiety compromises the functioning of working memory. High math anxiety works much like a dual task setting: Preoccupation with one's math fears and anxieties functions like a resource-demanding secondary task. We comment on developmental and educational factors related to math and working memory, and on factors that may contribute to the development of math anxiety.

Neurocognitive Predictors of Mathematical Processing in School-Aged Children with Spina Bifida and Their Typically Developing Peers: Attention, Working Memory, and Fine Motor Skills

PubMed Central

Raghubar, Kimberly P.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Dennis, Maureen; Cirino, Paul T.; Taylor, Heather; Landry, Susan

2015-01-01

Objective Math and attention are related in neurobiological and behavioral models of mathematical cognition. This study employed model-driven assessments of attention and math in children with spina bifida myelomeningocele (SBM), who have known math difficulties and specific attentional deficits, to more directly examine putative relations between attention and mathematical processing. The relation of other domain general abilities and math was also investigated. Method Participants were 9.5-year-old children with SBM (N = 44) and typically developing children (N = 50). Participants were administered experimental exact and approximate arithmetic tasks, and standardized measures of math fluency and calculation. Cognitive measures included the Attention Network Test (ANT), and standardized measures of fine motor skills, verbal working memory (WM), and visual-spatial WM. Results Children with SBM performed similarly to peers on exact arithmetic but more poorly on approximate and standardized arithmetic measures. On the ANT, children with SBM differed from controls on orienting attention but not alerting and executive attention. Multiple mediation models showed that: fine motor skills and verbal WM mediated the relation of group to approximate arithmetic; fine motor skills and visual-spatial WM mediated the relation of group to math fluency; and verbal and visual-spatial WM mediated the relation of group to math calculation. Attention was not a significant mediator of the effects of group for any aspect of math in this study. Conclusions Results are discussed with reference to models of attention, WM, and mathematical cognition. PMID:26011113

Neurocognitive predictors of mathematical processing in school-aged children with spina bifida and their typically developing peers: Attention, working memory, and fine motor skills.

PubMed

Raghubar, Kimberly P; Barnes, Marcia A; Dennis, Maureen; Cirino, Paul T; Taylor, Heather; Landry, Susan

2015-11-01

Math and attention are related in neurobiological and behavioral models of mathematical cognition. This study employed model-driven assessments of attention and math in children with spina bifida myelomeningocele (SBM), who have known math difficulties and specific attentional deficits, to more directly examine putative relations between attention and mathematical processing. The relation of other domain general abilities and math was also investigated. Participants were 9.5-year-old children with SBM (n = 44) and typically developing children (n = 50). Participants were administered experimental exact and approximate arithmetic tasks, and standardized measures of math fluency and calculation. Cognitive measures included the Attention Network Test (ANT), and standardized measures of fine motor skills, verbal working memory (WM), and visual-spatial WM. Children with SBM performed similarly to peers on exact arithmetic, but more poorly on approximate and standardized arithmetic measures. On the ANT, children with SBM differed from controls on orienting attention, but not on alerting and executive attention. Multiple mediation models showed that fine motor skills and verbal WM mediated the relation of group to approximate arithmetic; fine motor skills and visual-spatial WM mediated the relation of group to math fluency; and verbal and visual-spatial WM mediated the relation of group to math calculation. Attention was not a significant mediator of the effects of group for any aspect of math in this study. Results are discussed with reference to models of attention, WM, and mathematical cognition. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Mathematical modeling of high and low temperature heat pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi, S. W.

1971-01-01

Following a review of heat and mass transfer theory relevant to heat pipe performance, math models are developed for calculating heat-transfer limitations of high-temperature heat pipes and heat-transfer limitations and temperature gradient of low temperature heat pipes. Calculated results are compared with the available experimental data from various sources to increase confidence in the present math models. Complete listings of two computer programs for high- and low-temperature heat pipes respectively are included. These programs enable the performance to be predicted of heat pipes with wrapped-screen, rectangular-groove, or screen-covered rectangular-groove wick.

Space shuttle plume/simulation application: Results and math model supersonic data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyle, W.; Conine, B.; Bell, G.

1979-01-01

The analysis of pressure and gage wind tunnel data from space shuttle wind tunnel test IA138 was performed to define the aerodynamic influence of the main propulsion system and solid rocket booster plumes on the total vehicles, elements, and components of the space shuttle vehicle during the supersonic portion of ascent flight. A math model of the plume induced aerodynamic characteristics was developed for a range of Mach numbers to match the forebody aerodynamic math model. The base aerodynamic characteristics are presented in terms of forces and moments versus attitude. Total vehicle base and forebody aerodynamic characteristics are presented in terms of aerodynamic coefficients for Mach numbers from 1.55 to 2.5.

Math anxiety and math performance in children: The mediating roles of working memory and math self-concept.

PubMed

Justicia-Galiano, M José; Martín-Puga, M Eva; Linares, Rocío; Pelegrina, Santiago

2017-12-01

Numerous studies, most of them involving adolescents and adults, have evidenced a moderate negative relationship between math anxiety and math performance. There are, however, a limited number of studies that have addressed the mechanisms underlying this relation. This study aimed to investigate the role of two possible mediational mechanisms between math anxiety and math performance. Specifically, we sought to test the simultaneous mediating role of working memory and math self-concept. A total of 167 children aged 8-12 years participated in this study. Children completed a set of questionnaires used to assess math and trait anxiety, math self-concept as well as measures of math fluency and math problem-solving. Teachers were asked to rate each student's math achievement. As measures of working memory, two backward span tasks were administered to the children. A series of multiple mediation analyses were conducted. Results indicated that both mediators (working memory and math self-concept) contributed to explaining the relationship between math anxiety and math achievement. Results suggest that working memory and self-concept could be worth considering when designing interventions aimed at helping students with math anxiety. Longitudinal designs could also be used to better understand the mediational mechanisms that may explain the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Effects of Math Anxiety and Perfectionism on Timed versus Untimed Math Testing in Mathematically Gifted Sixth Graders

PubMed Central

Tsui, Joanne M.; Mazzocco, Michèle M. M.

2009-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effects of math anxiety and perfectionism on math performance, under timed testing conditions, among mathematically gifted sixth graders. We found that participants had worse math performance during timed versus untimed testing, but this difference was statistically significant only when the timed condition preceded the untimed condition. We also found that children with higher levels of either math anxiety or perfectionism had a smaller performance discrepancy during timed versus untimed testing, relative to children with lower levels of math anxiety or perfectionism. There were no statistically significant gender differences in overall test performance, nor in levels of math anxiety or perfectionism; however, the difference between performance on timed and untimed math testing was statistically significant for girls, but not for boys. Implications for educators are discussed. PMID:20084180

The Chicken or the Egg? The Direction of the Relationship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Performance.

PubMed

Carey, Emma; Hill, Francesca; Devine, Amy; Szücs, Dénes

2015-01-01

This review considers the two possible causal directions between mathematics anxiety (MA) and poor mathematics performance. Either poor maths performance may elicit MA (referred to as the Deficit Theory), or MA may reduce future maths performance (referred to as the Debilitating Anxiety Model). The evidence is in conflict: the Deficit Theory is supported by longitudinal studies and studies of children with mathematical learning disabilities, but the Debilitating Anxiety Model is supported by research which manipulates anxiety levels and observes a change in mathematics performance. It is suggested that this mixture of evidence might indicate a bidirectional relationship between MA and mathematics performance (the Reciprocal Theory), in which MA and mathematics performance can influence one another in a vicious cycle.

Is Math Anxiety Always Bad for Math Learning? The Role of Math Motivation.

PubMed

Wang, Zhe; Lukowski, Sarah L; Hart, Sara A; Lyons, Ian M; Thompson, Lee A; Kovas, Yulia; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Plomin, Robert; Petrill, Stephen A

2015-12-01

The linear relations between math anxiety and math cognition have been frequently studied. However, the relations between anxiety and performance on complex cognitive tasks have been repeatedly demonstrated to follow a curvilinear fashion. In the current studies, we aimed to address the lack of attention given to the possibility of such complex interplay between emotion and cognition in the math-learning literature by exploring the relations among math anxiety, math motivation, and math cognition. In two samples-young adolescent twins and adult college students-results showed inverted-U relations between math anxiety and math performance in participants with high intrinsic math motivation and modest negative associations between math anxiety and math performance in participants with low intrinsic math motivation. However, this pattern was not observed in tasks assessing participants' nonsymbolic and symbolic number-estimation ability. These findings may help advance the understanding of mathematics-learning processes and provide important insights for treatment programs that target improving mathematics-learning experiences and mathematical skills. © The Author(s) 2015.

An Investigation of Boys' and Girls' Emotional Experience of Math, Their Math Performance, and the Relation between These Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erturan, Selin; Jansen, Brenda

2015-01-01

Gender differences in children's emotional experience of math, their math performance, and the relation between these variables were investigated in two studies. In Study 1, test anxiety, math anxiety, and math performance (whole-number computation) were measured in 134 children in grades 3-8 (ages 7-15 years). In Study 2, perceived math…

Use of a Survival Analysis Technique in Understanding Game Performance in Instructional Games. CRESST Report 812

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jinok; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.

2012-01-01

In this study we compared the effects of two math game designs on math and game performance, using discrete-time survival analysis (DTSA) to model players' risk of not advancing to the next level in the game. 137 students were randomly assigned to two game conditions. The game covered the concept of a unit and the addition of like-sized fractional…

Simple arithmetic: not so simple for highly math anxious individuals.

PubMed

Chang, Hyesang; Sprute, Lisa; Maloney, Erin A; Beilock, Sian L; Berman, Marc G

2017-12-01

Fluency with simple arithmetic, typically achieved in early elementary school, is thought to be one of the building blocks of mathematical competence. Behavioral studies with adults indicate that math anxiety (feelings of tension or apprehension about math) is associated with poor performance on cognitively demanding math problems. However, it remains unclear whether there are fundamental differences in how high and low math anxious individuals approach overlearned simple arithmetic problems that are less reliant on cognitive control. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural correlates of simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals. We implemented a partial least squares analysis, a data-driven, multivariate analysis method to measure distributed patterns of whole-brain activity associated with performance. Despite overall high simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals, performance was differentially dependent on the fronto-parietal attentional network as a function of math anxiety. Specifically, low-compared to high-math anxious individuals perform better when they activate this network less-a potential indication of more automatic problem-solving. These findings suggest that low and high math anxious individuals approach even the most fundamental math problems differently. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Simple arithmetic: not so simple for highly math anxious individuals

PubMed Central

Sprute, Lisa; Maloney, Erin A; Beilock, Sian L; Berman, Marc G

2017-01-01

Abstract Fluency with simple arithmetic, typically achieved in early elementary school, is thought to be one of the building blocks of mathematical competence. Behavioral studies with adults indicate that math anxiety (feelings of tension or apprehension about math) is associated with poor performance on cognitively demanding math problems. However, it remains unclear whether there are fundamental differences in how high and low math anxious individuals approach overlearned simple arithmetic problems that are less reliant on cognitive control. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural correlates of simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals. We implemented a partial least squares analysis, a data-driven, multivariate analysis method to measure distributed patterns of whole-brain activity associated with performance. Despite overall high simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals, performance was differentially dependent on the fronto-parietal attentional network as a function of math anxiety. Specifically, low—compared to high—math anxious individuals perform better when they activate this network less—a potential indication of more automatic problem-solving. These findings suggest that low and high math anxious individuals approach even the most fundamental math problems differently. PMID:29140499

Does Math Self-Efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fast, Lisa A.; Lewis, James L.; Bryant, Michael J.; Bocian, Kathleen A.; Cardullo, Richard A.; Rettig, Michael; Hammond, Kimberly A.

2010-01-01

We examined the effect of the perceived classroom environment on math self-efficacy and the effect of math self-efficacy on standardized math test performance. Upper elementary school students (N = 1,163) provided self-reports of their perceived math self-efficacy and the degree to which their math classroom environment was mastery oriented,…

Math practice and its influence on math skills and executive functions in adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disability.

PubMed

Jansen, Brenda R J; De Lange, Eva; Van der Molen, Mariët J

2013-05-01

Adolescents with mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID) often complete schooling without mastering basic math skills, even though basic math is essential for math-related challenges in everyday life. Limited attention to cognitive skills and low executive functioning (EF) may cause this delay. We aimed to improve math skills in an MBID-sample using computerized math training. Also, it was investigated whether EF and math performance were related and whether computerized math training had beneficial effects on EF. The sample consisted of a total of 58 adolescents (12-15 years) from special education. Participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or a treatment as usual (TAU) group. In the experimental condition, participants received 5 weeks of training. Math performance and EF were assessed before and after the training period. Math performance improved equally in both groups. However, frequently practicing participants improved more than participants in the control group. Visuo-spatial memory skills were positively related to addition and subtraction skills. Transfer effects from math training to EF were absent. It is concluded that math skills may increase if a reasonable effort in practicing math skills is made. The relation between visuo-spatial memory skills provides opportunities for improving math performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivation and Math Anxiety for Ability Grouped College Math Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helming, Luralyn

2013-01-01

The author studied how math anxiety, motivation, and ability group interact to affect performance in college math courses. This clarified the effects of math anxiety and ability grouping on performance. It clarified the interrelationships between math anxiety, motivation, and ability grouping by considering them in a single analysis. It introduces…

Is Mathematical Anxiety Always Bad for Math Learning: The Role of Math Motivation

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhe; Lukowski, Sarah L.; Hart, Sara Ann; Lyons, Ian M.; Thompson, Lee A.; Kovas, Yulia; Mazzocco, Michèle M.; Plomin, Robert; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

The linear relations between math anxiety and math cognition have been frequently studied. However, the relations between anxiety and performance on complex cognitive tasks have been repeatedly demonstrated to follow a curvilinear fashion. Given the lack of attention to the possibility of such complex interplay between emotion and cognition in the math learning literature, the current study aimed to address this gap via exploring the relations between math anxiety, math motivation, and math cognition. The current study consisted of two samples. One sample included 262 pairs of young adolescent twins and the other included 237 adult college students. Participants self-reported their math anxiety and math motivation. Math cognition was assessed using a comprehensive battery of mathematics tasks. In both samples, results showed inverted-U relations between math anxiety and math performance in students with high intrinsic math motivation, and modest negative associations between math anxiety and math performance in students with low intrinsic math motivation. However, this pattern was not observed in tasks assessing student’s nonsymbolic and symbolic number estimation. These findings may help advance our understanding of mathematics learning processes and may provide important insights for treatment programs that target improving mathematics learning experiences and mathematical skills. PMID:26518438

ICT for Children of Immigrants: Indirect and Total Effects via Self-Efficacy on Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sunha

2018-01-01

This study compared the direct, indirect, and total effects of information, communication, and technology (ICT) variables on math achievement for second-generation immigrant, first-generation immigrant, and nonimmigrant students. A path model was used to analyze U.S. nationally representative data from the Program for International Student…

Math anxiety and its relationship with basic arithmetic skills among primary school children.

PubMed

Sorvo, Riikka; Koponen, Tuire; Viholainen, Helena; Aro, Tuija; Räikkönen, Eija; Peura, Pilvi; Dowker, Ann; Aro, Mikko

2017-09-01

Children have been found to report and demonstrate math anxiety as early as the first grade. However, previous results concerning the relationship between math anxiety and performance are contradictory, with some studies establishing a correlation between them while others do not. These contradictory results might be related to varying operationalizations of math anxiety. In this study, we aimed to examine the prevalence of math anxiety and its relationship with basic arithmetic skills in primary school children, with explicit focus on two aspects of math anxiety: anxiety about failure in mathematics and anxiety in math-related situations. The participants comprised 1,327 children at grades 2-5. Math anxiety was assessed using six items, and basic arithmetic skills were assessed using three assessment tasks. Around one-third of the participants reported anxiety about being unable to do math, one-fifth about having to answer teachers' questions, and one tenth about having to do math. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that anxiety about math-related situations and anxiety about failure in mathematics are separable aspects of math anxiety. Structural equation modelling suggested that anxiety about math-related situations was more strongly associated with arithmetic fluency than anxiety about failure. Anxiety about math-related situations was most common among second graders and least common among fifth graders. As math anxiety, particularly about math-related situations, was related to arithmetic fluency even as early as the second grade, children's negative feelings and math anxiety should be identified and addressed from the early primary school years. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Mathematical Ability of 10-Year-Old Boys and Girls: Genetic and Environmental Etiology of Typical and Low Performance

PubMed Central

Kovas, Yulia; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Petrill, Stephen A.; Plomin, Robert

2009-01-01

The genetic and environmental etiologies of 3 aspects of low mathematical performance (math disability) and the full range of variability (math ability) were compared for boys and girls in a sample of 5,348 children age 10 years (members of 2,674 pairs of same-sex and opposite-sex twins) from the United Kingdom (UK). The measures, which we developed for Web-based testing, included problems from 3 domains of mathematics taught as part of the UK National Curriculum. Using quantitative genetic model-fitting analyses, similar results were found for math disabilities and abilities for all 3 measures: Moderate genetic influence and environmental influence were mainly due to nonshared environmental factors that were unique to the individual, with little influence from shared environment. No sex differences were found in the etiologies of math abilities and disabilities. We conclude that low mathematical performance is the quantitative extreme of the same genetic and environmental factors responsible for variation throughout the distribution. PMID:18064980

Gender, Math Confidence, and Grit: Relationships with Quantitative Skills and Performance in an Undergraduate Biology Course.

PubMed

Flanagan, K M; Einarson, J

2017-01-01

In a world filled with big data, mathematical models, and statistics, the development of strong quantitative skills is becoming increasingly critical for modern biologists. Teachers in this field must understand how students acquire quantitative skills and explore barriers experienced by students when developing these skills. In this study, we examine the interrelationships among gender, grit, and math confidence for student performance on a pre-post quantitative skills assessment and overall performance in an undergraduate biology course. Here, we show that females significantly underperformed relative to males on a quantitative skills assessment at the start of term. However, females showed significantly higher gains over the semester, such that the gender gap in performance was nearly eliminated by the end of the semester. Math confidence plays an important role in the performance on both the pre and post quantitative skills assessments and overall performance in the course. The effect of grit on student performance, however, is mediated by a student's math confidence; as math confidence increases, the positive effect of grit decreases. Consequently, the positive impact of a student's grittiness is observed most strongly for those students with low math confidence. We also found grit to be positively associated with the midterm score and the final grade in the course. Given the relationships established in this study among gender, grit, and math confidence, we provide "instructor actions" from the literature that can be applied in the classroom to promote the development of quantitative skills in light of our findings. © 2017 K. M. Flanagan and J. Einarson. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

The Chicken or the Egg? The Direction of the Relationship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Performance

PubMed Central

Carey, Emma; Hill, Francesca; Devine, Amy; Szücs, Dénes

2016-01-01

This review considers the two possible causal directions between mathematics anxiety (MA) and poor mathematics performance. Either poor maths performance may elicit MA (referred to as the Deficit Theory), or MA may reduce future maths performance (referred to as the Debilitating Anxiety Model). The evidence is in conflict: the Deficit Theory is supported by longitudinal studies and studies of children with mathematical learning disabilities, but the Debilitating Anxiety Model is supported by research which manipulates anxiety levels and observes a change in mathematics performance. It is suggested that this mixture of evidence might indicate a bidirectional relationship between MA and mathematics performance (the Reciprocal Theory), in which MA and mathematics performance can influence one another in a vicious cycle. PMID:26779093

A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies of Mathematics Difficulty.

PubMed

Nelson, Gena; Powell, Sarah R

2017-06-01

Some students may be diagnosed with a learning disability in mathematics or dyscalculia, whereas other students may demonstrate below-grade-level mathematics performance without a disability diagnosis. In the literature, researchers often identify students in both groups as experiencing math difficulty. To understand the performance of students with math difficulty, we examined 35 studies that reported longitudinal results of mathematics achievement (i.e., mathematics performance measured across at least a 12-month span). Our primary goal was to conduct a systematic review of these studies and to understand whether the growth of students with math difficulty was comparable or stagnant when compared with that of students without math difficulty. We also analyzed whether identification of math difficulty was predictive of mathematics achievement in later grades and whether a diagnosis of math difficulty was stable across grade levels. Results indicate that students with math difficulty demonstrate growth on mathematics measures, but this growth still leads to lower performance than that of students without math difficulty. Identification of math difficulty is strongly related to math performance in subsequent grades, and this diagnosis is often stable. Collectively, this literature indicates that students with math difficulty continue to struggle with mathematics in later grades.

Approximate Arithmetic Training Improves Informal Math Performance in Low Achieving Preschoolers

PubMed Central

Szkudlarek, Emily; Brannon, Elizabeth M.

2018-01-01

Recent studies suggest that practice with approximate and non-symbolic arithmetic problems improves the math performance of adults, school aged children, and preschoolers. However, the relative effectiveness of approximate arithmetic training compared to available educational games, and the type of math skills that approximate arithmetic targets are unknown. The present study was designed to (1) compare the effectiveness of approximate arithmetic training to two commercially available numeral and letter identification tablet applications and (2) to examine the specific type of math skills that benefit from approximate arithmetic training. Preschool children (n = 158) were pseudo-randomly assigned to one of three conditions: approximate arithmetic, letter identification, or numeral identification. All children were trained for 10 short sessions and given pre and post tests of informal and formal math, executive function, short term memory, vocabulary, alphabet knowledge, and number word knowledge. We found a significant interaction between initial math performance and training condition, such that children with low pretest math performance benefited from approximate arithmetic training, and children with high pretest math performance benefited from symbol identification training. This effect was restricted to informal, and not formal, math problems. There were also effects of gender, socio-economic status, and age on post-test informal math score after intervention. A median split on pretest math ability indicated that children in the low half of math scores in the approximate arithmetic training condition performed significantly better than children in the letter identification training condition on post-test informal math problems when controlling for pretest, age, gender, and socio-economic status. Our results support the conclusion that approximate arithmetic training may be especially effective for children with low math skills, and that approximate arithmetic training improves early informal, but not formal, math skills. PMID:29867624

Approximate Arithmetic Training Improves Informal Math Performance in Low Achieving Preschoolers.

PubMed

Szkudlarek, Emily; Brannon, Elizabeth M

2018-01-01

Recent studies suggest that practice with approximate and non-symbolic arithmetic problems improves the math performance of adults, school aged children, and preschoolers. However, the relative effectiveness of approximate arithmetic training compared to available educational games, and the type of math skills that approximate arithmetic targets are unknown. The present study was designed to (1) compare the effectiveness of approximate arithmetic training to two commercially available numeral and letter identification tablet applications and (2) to examine the specific type of math skills that benefit from approximate arithmetic training. Preschool children ( n = 158) were pseudo-randomly assigned to one of three conditions: approximate arithmetic, letter identification, or numeral identification. All children were trained for 10 short sessions and given pre and post tests of informal and formal math, executive function, short term memory, vocabulary, alphabet knowledge, and number word knowledge. We found a significant interaction between initial math performance and training condition, such that children with low pretest math performance benefited from approximate arithmetic training, and children with high pretest math performance benefited from symbol identification training. This effect was restricted to informal, and not formal, math problems. There were also effects of gender, socio-economic status, and age on post-test informal math score after intervention. A median split on pretest math ability indicated that children in the low half of math scores in the approximate arithmetic training condition performed significantly better than children in the letter identification training condition on post-test informal math problems when controlling for pretest, age, gender, and socio-economic status. Our results support the conclusion that approximate arithmetic training may be especially effective for children with low math skills, and that approximate arithmetic training improves early informal, but not formal, math skills.

Does Geographic Setting Alter the Roles of Academically Supportive Factors? African American Adolescents' Friendships, Math Self-Concept, and Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Martin H.; Irvin, Matthew J.; Kibe, Grace W.

2012-01-01

The study is one of few to examine how living in rural, suburban, or urban settings may alter factors supporting African Americans adolescents' math performance. The study examines the relationship of math self-concept and perceptions of friends' academic behaviors to African American students' math performance. Participants (N = 1,049) are…

Critical thinking in higher education: The influence of teaching styles and peer collaboration on science and math learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quitadamo, Ian Joseph

Many higher education faculty perceive a deficiency in students' ability to reason, evaluate, and make informed judgments, skills that are deemed necessary for academic and job success in science and math. These skills, often collected within a domain called critical thinking (CT), have been studied and are thought to be influenced by teaching styles (the combination of beliefs, behavior, and attitudes used when teaching) and small group collaborative learning (SGCL). However, no existing studies show teaching styles and SGCL cause changes in student CT performance. This study determined how combinations of teaching styles called clusters and peer-facilitated SGCL (a specific form of SGCL) affect changes in undergraduate student CT performance using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test research design and valid and reliable CT performance indicators. Quantitative analyses of three teaching style cluster models (Grasha's cluster model, a weighted cluster model, and a student-centered/teacher-centered cluster model) and peer-facilitated SGCL were performed to evaluate their ability to cause measurable changes in student CT skills. Based on results that indicated weighted teaching style clusters and peer-facilitated SGCL are associated with significant changes in student CT, we conclude that teaching styles and peer-facilitated SGCL influence the development of undergraduate CT in higher education science and math.

Feasibility and validity of the structured attention module among economically disadvantaged preschool-age children.

PubMed

Bush, Hillary H; Eisenhower, Abbey; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret; Carter, Alice S

2015-01-01

Rooted in the theory of attention put forth by Mirsky, Anthony, Duncan, Ahearn, and Kellam (1991), the Structured Attention Module (SAM) is a developmentally sensitive, computer-based performance task designed specifically to assess sustained selective attention among 3- to 6-year-old children. The current study addressed the feasibility and validity of the SAM among 64 economically disadvantaged preschool-age children (mean age = 58 months; 55% female); a population known to be at risk for attention problems and adverse math performance outcomes. Feasibility was demonstrated by high completion rates and strong associations between SAM performance and age. Principal Factor Analysis with rotation produced robust support for a three-factor model (Accuracy, Speed, and Endurance) of SAM performance, which largely corresponded with existing theorized models of selective and sustained attention. Construct validity was evidenced by positive correlations between SAM Composite scores and all three SAM factors and IQ, and between SAM Accuracy and sequential memory. Value-added predictive validity was not confirmed through main effects of SAM on math performance above and beyond age and IQ; however, significant interactions by child sex were observed: Accuracy and Endurance both interacted with child sex to predict math performance. In both cases, the SAM factors predicted math performance more strongly for girls than for boys. There were no overall sex differences in SAM performance. In sum, the current findings suggest that interindividual variation in sustained selective attention, and potentially other aspects of attention and executive function, among young, high-risk children can be captured validly with developmentally sensitive measures.

Short-term retention of a single word relies on retrieval from long-term memory when both rehearsal and refreshing are disrupted.

PubMed

Rose, Nathan S; Buchsbaum, Bradley R; Craik, Fergus I M

2014-07-01

Many working memory (WM) models propose that the focus of attention (or primary memory) has a capacity limit of one to four items, and therefore, that performance on WM tasks involves retrieving some items from long-term (or secondary) memory (LTM). In the present study, we present evidence suggesting that recall of even one item on a WM task can involve retrieving it from LTM. The WM task required participants to make a deep (living/nonliving) or shallow ("e"/no "e") level-of-processing (LOP) judgment on one word and to recall the word after a 10-s delay on each trial. During the delay, participants either rehearsed the word or performed an easy or a hard math task. When the to-be-remembered item could be rehearsed, recall was fast and accurate. When it was followed by a math task, recall was slower, error-prone, and benefited from a deeper LOP at encoding, especially for the hard math condition. The authors suggest that a covert-retrieval mechanism may have refreshed the item during easy math, and that the hard math condition shows that even a single item cannot be reliably held in WM during a sufficiently distracting task--therefore, recalling the item involved retrieving it from LTM. Additionally, performance on a final free recall (LTM) test was better for items recalled following math than following rehearsal, suggesting that initial recall following math involved elaborative retrieval from LTM, whereas rehearsal did not. The authors suggest that the extent to which performance on WM tasks involves retrieval from LTM depends on the amounts of disruption to both rehearsal and covert-retrieval/refreshing maintenance mechanisms.

Testing Math or Testing Language? The Construct Validity of the KeyMath-Revised for Children With Intellectual Disability and Language Difficulties.

PubMed

Rhodes, Katherine T; Branum-Martin, Lee; Morris, Robin D; Romski, MaryAnn; Sevcik, Rose A

2015-11-01

Although it is often assumed that mathematics ability alone predicts mathematics test performance, linguistic demands may also predict achievement. This study examined the role of language in mathematics assessment performance for children with intellectual disability (ID) at less severe levels, on the KeyMath-Revised Inventory (KM-R) with a sample of 264 children, in grades 2-5. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the hypothesis that the KM-R would demonstrate discriminant validity with measures of language abilities in a two-factor model was compared to two plausible alternative models. Results indicated that KM-R did not have discriminant validity with measures of children's language abilities and was a multidimensional test of both mathematics and language abilities for this population of test users. Implications are considered for test development, interpretation, and intervention.

Rural Math Excel Partnership (RMEP) Project Final Performance Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harmon, Hobart; Tate, Veronica; Stevens, Jennifer; Wilborn, Sandy; Adams, Sue

2018-01-01

The goal of the Rural Math Excel Partnership (RMEP) project, a development project funded by the U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) grant program, was to develop a model of shared responsibility among families, teachers, and communities in rural areas as collective support for student success in and preparation for advanced…

Domain identification moderates the effect of positive stereotypes on Chinese American women's math performance.

PubMed

Saad, Carmel S; Meyer, Oanh L; Dhindsa, Manveen; Zane, Nolan

2015-01-01

We examined whether an individual difference factor, math domain identification, moderated performance following positive stereotype activation. We hypothesized that positive stereotype activation would improve performance for those more math identified (compared to a control condition), but would hinder performance for those less math identified. We examined 116 Chinese American women (mean age = 19 years). Participants were assigned to the positive stereotype activation condition or to the control condition before completing a math test. Positive stereotype activation led more math identified participants to perform significantly better than the control condition, whereas it led less math identified participants to perform significantly worse than the control condition. Domain identification moderates the effect of positive stereotype activation. Educators should consider how testing situations are constructed, especially when test takers do not identify highly with the domain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Parent-child math anxiety and math-gender stereotypes predict adolescents' math education outcomes

PubMed Central

Casad, Bettina J.; Hale, Patricia; Wachs, Faye L.

2015-01-01

Two studies examined social determinants of adolescents' math anxiety including parents' own math anxiety and children's endorsement of math-gender stereotypes. In Study 1, parent-child dyads were surveyed and the interaction between parent and child math anxiety was examined, with an eye to same- and other-gender dyads. Results indicate that parent's math anxiety interacts with daughters' and sons' anxiety to predict math self-efficacy, GPA, behavioral intentions, math attitudes, and math devaluing. Parents with lower math anxiety showed a positive relationship to children's math outcomes when children also had lower anxiety. The strongest relationships were found with same-gender dyads, particularly Mother-Daughter dyads. Study 2 showed that endorsement of math-gender stereotypes predicts math anxiety (and not vice versa) for performance beliefs and outcomes (self-efficacy and GPA). Further, math anxiety fully mediated the relationship between gender stereotypes and math self-efficacy for girls and boys, and for boys with GPA. These findings address gaps in the literature on the role of parents' math anxiety in the effects of children's math anxiety and math anxiety as a mechanism affecting performance. Results have implications for interventions on parents' math anxiety and dispelling gender stereotypes in math classrooms. PMID:26579000

Parent-child math anxiety and math-gender stereotypes predict adolescents' math education outcomes.

PubMed

Casad, Bettina J; Hale, Patricia; Wachs, Faye L

2015-01-01

Two studies examined social determinants of adolescents' math anxiety including parents' own math anxiety and children's endorsement of math-gender stereotypes. In Study 1, parent-child dyads were surveyed and the interaction between parent and child math anxiety was examined, with an eye to same- and other-gender dyads. Results indicate that parent's math anxiety interacts with daughters' and sons' anxiety to predict math self-efficacy, GPA, behavioral intentions, math attitudes, and math devaluing. Parents with lower math anxiety showed a positive relationship to children's math outcomes when children also had lower anxiety. The strongest relationships were found with same-gender dyads, particularly Mother-Daughter dyads. Study 2 showed that endorsement of math-gender stereotypes predicts math anxiety (and not vice versa) for performance beliefs and outcomes (self-efficacy and GPA). Further, math anxiety fully mediated the relationship between gender stereotypes and math self-efficacy for girls and boys, and for boys with GPA. These findings address gaps in the literature on the role of parents' math anxiety in the effects of children's math anxiety and math anxiety as a mechanism affecting performance. Results have implications for interventions on parents' math anxiety and dispelling gender stereotypes in math classrooms.

Math anxiety: Brain cortical network changes in anticipation of doing mathematics.

PubMed

Klados, Manousos A; Pandria, Niki; Micheloyannis, Sifis; Margulies, Daniel; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2017-12-01

Following our previous work regarding the involvement of math anxiety (MA) in math-oriented tasks, this study tries to explore the differences in the cerebral networks' topology between self-reported low math-anxious (LMA) and high math-anxious (HMA) individuals, during the anticipation phase prior to a mathematical related experiment. For this reason, multichannel EEG recordings were adopted, while the solution of the inverse problem was applied in a generic head model, in order to obtain the cortical signals. The cortical networks have been computed for each band separately, using the magnitude square coherence metric. The main graph theoretical parameters, showed differences in segregation and integration in almost all EEG bands of the HMAs in comparison to LMAs, indicative of a great influence of the anticipatory anxiety prior to mathematical performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distinct influences of affective and cognitive factors on children's non-verbal and verbal mathematical abilities.

PubMed

Wu, Sarah S; Chen, Lang; Battista, Christian; Smith Watts, Ashley K; Willcutt, Erik G; Menon, Vinod

2017-09-01

Individual differences in children's math performance have been associated with math anxiety, attention problems, working memory (WM), and reading skills, but the mechanisms by which these factors jointly contribute to children's math achievement are unknown. Here, we use structural equation modeling to characterize the relation between these factors and their influence on non-verbal Numerical Operations (NO) and verbal Math Reasoning (MR) in 330 children (M=8.34years). Our findings indicate that WM plays a central role in both non-verbal NO and verbal MR, whereas math anxiety and reading comprehension have unique and more pronounced influences on MR, compared to NO. Our study elucidates how affective and cognitive factors distinctly influence non-verbal and verbal mathematical problem solving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The MP (Materialization Pattern) Model for Representing Math Educational Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Namyoun; Song, Il-Yeol; An, Yuan

Representing natural languages with UML has been an important research issue for various reasons. Little work has been done for modeling imperative mood sentences which are the sentence structure of math educational standard statements. In this paper, we propose the MP (Materialization Pattern) model that captures the semantics of English sentences used in math educational standards. The MP model is based on the Reed-Kellogg sentence diagrams and creates MP schemas with the UML notation. The MP model explicitly represents the semantics of the sentences by extracting math concepts and the cognitive process of math concepts from math educational standard statements, and simplifies modeling. This MP model is also developed to be used for aligning math educational standard statements via schema matching.

Using an Intelligent Tutor and Math Fluency Training to Improve Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arroyo, Ivon; Royer, James M.; Woolf, Beverly P.

2011-01-01

This article integrates research in intelligent tutors with psychology studies of memory and math fluency (the speed to retrieve or calculate answers to basic math operations). It describes the impact of computer software designed to improve either strategic behavior or math fluency. Both competencies are key to improved performance and both…

Relation Between Mathematical Performance, Math Anxiety, and Affective Priming in Children With and Without Developmental Dyscalculia.

PubMed

Kucian, Karin; Zuber, Isabelle; Kohn, Juliane; Poltz, Nadine; Wyschkon, Anne; Esser, Günter; von Aster, Michael

2018-01-01

Many children show negative emotions related to mathematics and some even develop mathematics anxiety. The present study focused on the relation between negative emotions and arithmetical performance in children with and without developmental dyscalculia (DD) using an affective priming task. Previous findings suggested that arithmetic performance is influenced if an affective prime precedes the presentation of an arithmetic problem. In children with DD specifically, responses to arithmetic operations are supposed to be facilitated by both negative and mathematics-related primes (= negative math priming effect ).We investigated mathematical performance, math anxiety, and the domain-general abilities of 172 primary school children (76 with DD and 96 controls). All participants also underwent an affective priming task which consisted of the decision whether a simple arithmetic operation (addition or subtraction) that was preceded by a prime (positive/negative/neutral or mathematics-related) was true or false. Our findings did not reveal a negative math priming effect in children with DD. Furthermore, when considering accuracy levels, gender, or math anxiety, the negative math priming effect could not be replicated. However, children with DD showed more math anxiety when explicitly assessed by a specific math anxiety interview and showed lower mathematical performance compared to controls. Moreover, math anxiety was equally present in boys and girls, even in the earliest stages of schooling, and interfered negatively with performance. In conclusion, mathematics is often associated with negative emotions that can be manifested in specific math anxiety, particularly in children with DD. Importantly, present findings suggest that in the assessed age group, it is more reliable to judge math anxiety and investigate its effects on mathematical performance explicitly by adequate questionnaires than by an affective math priming task.

Relation Between Mathematical Performance, Math Anxiety, and Affective Priming in Children With and Without Developmental Dyscalculia

PubMed Central

Kucian, Karin; Zuber, Isabelle; Kohn, Juliane; Poltz, Nadine; Wyschkon, Anne; Esser, Günter; von Aster, Michael

2018-01-01

Many children show negative emotions related to mathematics and some even develop mathematics anxiety. The present study focused on the relation between negative emotions and arithmetical performance in children with and without developmental dyscalculia (DD) using an affective priming task. Previous findings suggested that arithmetic performance is influenced if an affective prime precedes the presentation of an arithmetic problem. In children with DD specifically, responses to arithmetic operations are supposed to be facilitated by both negative and mathematics-related primes (=negative math priming effect).We investigated mathematical performance, math anxiety, and the domain-general abilities of 172 primary school children (76 with DD and 96 controls). All participants also underwent an affective priming task which consisted of the decision whether a simple arithmetic operation (addition or subtraction) that was preceded by a prime (positive/negative/neutral or mathematics-related) was true or false. Our findings did not reveal a negative math priming effect in children with DD. Furthermore, when considering accuracy levels, gender, or math anxiety, the negative math priming effect could not be replicated. However, children with DD showed more math anxiety when explicitly assessed by a specific math anxiety interview and showed lower mathematical performance compared to controls. Moreover, math anxiety was equally present in boys and girls, even in the earliest stages of schooling, and interfered negatively with performance. In conclusion, mathematics is often associated with negative emotions that can be manifested in specific math anxiety, particularly in children with DD. Importantly, present findings suggest that in the assessed age group, it is more reliable to judge math anxiety and investigate its effects on mathematical performance explicitly by adequate questionnaires than by an affective math priming task. PMID:29755376

Math anxiety in Thai early adolescents: a cognitive-behavioral perspective.

PubMed

Wangsiriwech, Tawatchai; Pisitsungkagarn, Kullaya; Jarukasemthawee, Somboon

2017-08-29

With its high prevalence and debilitating impact on students, math anxiety is well studied within the educational context. However, the problem has yet to be examined from the psychological perspective, which is necessary in order to produce a more comprehensive perspective and to pave the way for therapeutic intervention. The current study, therefore, was conducted to identify cognitive and behavioral factors relevant to the occurrence and maintenance of math anxiety. Data were collected from 300 grade 9 students (150 females and 150 males) from public and private schools in Bangkok, Thailand. Participants responded to the measures of math anxiety, negative math beliefs, negative math appraisals and math avoidance. Structural equation modeling was conducted. Model fit indices obtained consistently suggested the good fitness of the model to the data [e.g. χ2/df = 0.42, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.00]. Negative math beliefs, negative math appraisals and math avoidance had a significant direct effect on math anxiety. Additionally, the indirect effect of negative math appraisal was observed between negative math beliefs and math anxiety. In summary, the proposed model accounted for 84.5% of the variance in the anxiety. The findings are discussed with particular focus on implications for therapeutic intervention for math anxiety.

Effects of Math Anxiety and Perfectionism on Timed versus Untimed Math Testing in Mathematically Gifted Sixth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsui, Joanne M.; Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2006-01-01

This study was designed to examine the effects of math anxiety and perfectionism on math performance, under timed testing conditions, among mathematically gifted sixth graders. We found that participants had worse math performance during timed versus untimed testing, but this difference was statistically significant only when the timed condition…

Math Anxiety and Math Performance in Children: The Mediating Roles of Working Memory and Math Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Justicia-Galiano, M. José; Martín-Puga, M. Eva; Linares, Rocío; Pelegrina, Santiago

2017-01-01

Background: Numerous studies, most of them involving adolescents and adults, have evidenced a moderate negative relationship between math anxiety and math performance. There are, however, a limited number of studies that have addressed the mechanisms underlying this relation. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the role of two possible…

Contextual Factors Related to Math Anxiety in Second-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Molly M.

2014-01-01

As the United States falls farther behind other countries in standardized math assessments, the author seeks to understand why U.S. students perform so poorly. One of the possible explanations to U.S. students' poor math performance may be math anxiety. However, math anxiety in elementary school children is a neglected area in the research. The…

Math Performance as a Function of Math Anxiety and Arousal Performance Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farnsworth, Donald M., Jr.

2009-01-01

While research continues to link increased math anxiety with reduced working memory, the exact nature of the relationship remains elusive. In addition, research regarding the extent of the impact math anxiety has on working memory is contradictory. This research clarifies the directional nature of math anxiety as it pertains to working memory, and…

Performance Patterns of High, Medium, and Low Performers during and following a Reward versus Non-Reward Contingency Phase

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Renee; Williams, Robert L.

2006-01-01

Three contingency conditions were applied to the math performance of 4th and 5th graders: bonus credit for accurately solving math problems, bonus credit for completing math problems, and no bonus credit for accurately answering or completing math problems. Mixed ANOVAs were used in tracking the performance of high, medium, and low performers…

The Influence of Math Anxiety, Math Performance, Worry, and Test Anxiety on the Iowa Gambling Task and Balloon Analogue Risk Task.

PubMed

Buelow, Melissa T; Barnhart, Wesley R

2017-01-01

Multiple studies have shown that performance on behavioral decision-making tasks, such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), is influenced by external factors, such as mood. However, the research regarding the influence of worry is mixed, and no research has examined the effect of math or test anxiety on these tasks. The present study investigated the effects of anxiety (including math anxiety) and math performance on the IGT and BART in a sample of 137 undergraduate students. Math performance and worry were not correlated with performance on the IGT, and no variables were correlated with BART performance. Linear regressions indicated math anxiety, physiological anxiety, social concerns/stress, and test anxiety significantly predicted disadvantageous selections on the IGT during the transition from decision making under ambiguity to decision making under risk. Implications for clinical evaluation of decision making are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Short-Term Effects of Methylphenidate on Math Productivity in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are Mediated by Symptom Improvements: Evidence From a Placebo-Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kortekaas-Rijlaarsdam, Anne Fleur; Luman, Marjolein; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund; Bet, Pierre M; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-04-01

Although numerous studies report positive effects of methylphenidate on academic performance, the mechanism behind these improvements remains unclear. This study investigates the effects of methylphenidate on academic performance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the mediating and moderating influence of ADHD severity, academic performance, and ADHD symptom improvement. Sixty-three children with ADHD participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study comparing the effects of long-acting methylphenidate and placebo. Dependent variables were math, reading, and spelling performance. The ADHD group performance was compared with a group of 67 typically developing children. Methylphenidate improved math productivity and accuracy in children with ADHD. The effect of methylphenidate on math productivity was partly explained by parent-rated symptom improvement, with greater efficacy for children showing more symptom improvement. Further, children showing below-average math performance while on placebo profited more from methylphenidate than children showing above-average math performance. The results from this study indicate positive effects of methylphenidate on academic performance, although these were limited to math abilities. In light of these results, expectations of parents, teachers, and treating physicians about the immediate effects of methylphenidate on academic improvement should be tempered. Moreover, our results implicate that positive effects of methylphenidate on math performance are in part due directly to effects on math ability and in part due to reductions in ADHD symptoms.

Using Brief Guided Imagery to Reduce Math Anxiety and Improve Math Performance: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henslee, Amber M.; Klein, Brandi A.

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate whether brief guided imagery could provide a short-term reduction in math anxiety and improve math performance. Undergraduates (N = 581) were screened for math anxiety, and the highest and lowest quartiles were recruited to participate in a lab-based study. Participants were assigned to a brief guided…

Math Anxiety Assessment with the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: Applicability and Usefulness: Insights from the Polish Adaptation

PubMed Central

Cipora, Krzysztof; Szczygieł, Monika; Willmes, Klaus; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety has an important impact on mathematical development and performance. However, although math anxiety is supposed to be a transcultural trait, assessment instruments are scarce and are validated mainly for Western cultures so far. Therefore, we aimed at examining the transcultural generality of math anxiety by a thorough investigation of the validity of math anxiety assessment in Eastern Europe. We investigated the validity and reliability of a Polish adaptation of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), known to have very good psychometric characteristics in its original, American-English version as well as in its Italian and Iranian adaptations. We also observed high reliability, both for internal consistency and test-retest stability of the AMAS in the Polish sample. The results also show very good construct, convergent and discriminant validity: The factorial structure in Polish adult participants (n = 857) was very similar to the one previously found in other samples; AMAS scores correlated moderately in expected directions with state and trait anxiety, self-assessed math achievement and skill as well temperamental traits of emotional reactivity, briskness, endurance, and perseverance. Average scores obtained by participants as well as gender differences and correlations with external measures were also similar across cultures. Beyond the cultural comparison, we used path model analyses to show that math anxiety relates to math grades and self-competence when controlling for trait anxiety. The current study shows transcultural validity of math anxiety assessment with the AMAS. PMID:26648893

Math Anxiety Assessment with the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale: Applicability and Usefulness: Insights from the Polish Adaptation.

PubMed

Cipora, Krzysztof; Szczygieł, Monika; Willmes, Klaus; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety has an important impact on mathematical development and performance. However, although math anxiety is supposed to be a transcultural trait, assessment instruments are scarce and are validated mainly for Western cultures so far. Therefore, we aimed at examining the transcultural generality of math anxiety by a thorough investigation of the validity of math anxiety assessment in Eastern Europe. We investigated the validity and reliability of a Polish adaptation of the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS), known to have very good psychometric characteristics in its original, American-English version as well as in its Italian and Iranian adaptations. We also observed high reliability, both for internal consistency and test-retest stability of the AMAS in the Polish sample. The results also show very good construct, convergent and discriminant validity: The factorial structure in Polish adult participants (n = 857) was very similar to the one previously found in other samples; AMAS scores correlated moderately in expected directions with state and trait anxiety, self-assessed math achievement and skill as well temperamental traits of emotional reactivity, briskness, endurance, and perseverance. Average scores obtained by participants as well as gender differences and correlations with external measures were also similar across cultures. Beyond the cultural comparison, we used path model analyses to show that math anxiety relates to math grades and self-competence when controlling for trait anxiety. The current study shows transcultural validity of math anxiety assessment with the AMAS.

Order of Administration of Math and Verbal Tests: An Ecological Intervention to Reduce Stereotype Threat on Girls' Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeding, Annique; Dumas, Florence; Loose, Florence; Régner, Isabelle

2013-01-01

In 2 field experiments, we relied on the very features of real testing situations--where both math and verbal tests are administered--to examine whether order of test administration can, by itself, create vs. alleviate stereotype threat (ST) effects on girls' math performance. We predicted that taking the math test before the verbal test would be…

Enjoying mathematics or feeling competent in mathematics? Reciprocal effects on mathematics achievement and perceived math effort expenditure.

PubMed

Pinxten, Maarten; Marsh, Herbert W; De Fraine, Bieke; Van Den Noortgate, Wim; Van Damme, Jan

2014-03-01

The multidimensionality of the academic self-concept in terms of domain specificity has been well established in previous studies, whereas its multidimensionality in terms of motivational functions (the so-called affect-competence separation) needs further examination. This study aims at exploring differential effects of enjoyment and competence beliefs on two external validity criteria in the field of mathematics. Data analysed in this study were part of a large-scale longitudinal research project. Following a five-wave design, math enjoyment, math competence beliefs, math achievement, and perceived math effort expenditure measures were repeatedly collected from a cohort of 4,724 pupils in Grades 3-7. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the internal factor structure of the math self-concept. Additionally, a series of nested models was tested using structural equation modelling to examine longitudinal reciprocal interrelations between math competence beliefs and math enjoyment on the one hand and math achievement and perceived math effort expenditure on the other. Our results showed that CFA models with separate factors for math enjoyment and math competence beliefs fit the data substantially better than models without it. Furthermore, differential relationships between both constructs and the two educational outcomes were observed. Math competence beliefs had positive effects on math achievement and negative effects on perceived math effort expenditure. Math enjoyment had (mild) positive effects on subsequent perceived effort expenditure and math competence beliefs. This study provides further support for the affect-competence separation. Theoretical issues regarding adequate conceptualization and practical consequences for practitioners are discussed. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Girls' math performance under stereotype threat: the moderating role of mothers' gender stereotypes.

PubMed

Tomasetto, Carlo; Alparone, Francesca Romana; Cadinu, Mara

2011-07-01

Previous research on stereotype threat in children suggests that making gender identity salient disrupts girls' math performance at as early as 5 to 7 years of age. The present study (n = 124) tested the hypothesis that parents' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderates girls' susceptibility to stereotype threat. Results confirmed that stereotype threat impaired girls' performance on math tasks among students from kindergarten through 2nd grade. Moreover, mothers' but not fathers' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderated girls' vulnerability to stereotype threat: performance of girls whose mothers strongly rejected the gender stereotype about math did not decrease under stereotype threat. These findings are important because they point to the role of mothers' beliefs in the development of girls' vulnerability to the negative effects of gender stereotypes about math. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved

On the experience of feeling powerful: perceived power moderates the effect of stereotype threat on women's math performance.

PubMed

Van Loo, Katie J; Rydell, Robert J

2013-03-01

This research examined whether feeling powerful can eliminate the deleterious effect of stereotype threat (i.e., concerns about confirming a negative self-relevant stereotype) on women's math performance. In Experiments 1 and 2, priming women with high power buffered them from reduced math performance in response to stereotype threat instructions, whereas women in the low and control power conditions showed poorer math performance in response to threat. Experiment 3 found that working memory capacity is one mechanism through which power moderates the effect of threat on women's math performance. In the low and control power conditions, women showed reduced working memory capacity in response to stereotype threat, accounting for threat's effect on performance. In contrast, women in the high power condition did not show reductions in working memory capacity or math performance in response to threat. This work demonstrates that perceived power moderates stereotype threat-based performance effects and explains why this occurs.

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Predictors of Math Performance in Children with and without ADHD

PubMed Central

Antonini, Tanya N.; O’Brien, Kathleen M.; Narad, Megan E.; Langberg, Joshua M.; Tamm, Leanne; Epstein, Jeff N.

2014-01-01

Objective: This study examined neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of math performance in children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Neurocognitive and behavioral variables were examined as predictors of 1) standardized mathematics achievement scores,2) productivity on an analog math task, and 3) accuracy on an analog math task. Results: Children with ADHD had lower achievement scores but did not significantly differ from controls on math productivity or accuracy. N-back accuracy and parent-rated attention predicted math achievement. N-back accuracy and observed attention predicted math productivity. Alerting scores on the Attentional Network Task predicted math accuracy. Mediation analyses indicated that n-back accuracy significantly mediated the relationship between diagnostic group and math achievement. Conclusion: Neurocognition, rather than behavior, may account for the deficits in math achievement exhibited by many children with ADHD. PMID:24071774

Neurocognitive and Behavioral Predictors of Math Performance in Children With and Without ADHD.

PubMed

Antonini, Tanya N; Kingery, Kathleen M; Narad, Megan E; Langberg, Joshua M; Tamm, Leanne; Epstein, Jeffery N

2016-02-01

This study examined neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of math performance in children with and without ADHD. Neurocognitive and behavioral variables were examined as predictors of (a) standardized mathematics achievement scores, (b) productivity on an analog math task, and (c) accuracy on an analog math task. Children with ADHD had lower achievement scores but did not significantly differ from controls on math productivity or accuracy. N-back accuracy and parent-rated attention predicted math achievement. N-back accuracy and observed attention predicted math productivity. Alerting scores on the attentional network task predicted math accuracy. Mediation analyses indicated that n-back accuracy significantly mediated the relationship between diagnostic group and math achievement. Neurocognition, rather than behavior, may account for the deficits in math achievement exhibited by many children with ADHD. © The Author(s) 2013.

Identifying Maths Anxiety in Student Nurses and Focusing Remedial Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bull, Heather

2009-01-01

Maths anxiety interferes with maths cognition and thereby increases the risk of maths errors. To initiate strategies for preventing anxiety-related errors progressing into nursing practice, this study explored the hypothesis that student nurses experience high maths anxiety in association with poor maths performance, and that high maths anxiety is…

Changing the precision of preschoolers' approximate number system representations changes their symbolic math performance.

PubMed

Wang, Jinjing Jenny; Odic, Darko; Halberda, Justin; Feigenson, Lisa

2016-07-01

From early in life, humans have access to an approximate number system (ANS) that supports an intuitive sense of numerical quantity. Previous work in both children and adults suggests that individual differences in the precision of ANS representations correlate with symbolic math performance. However, this work has been almost entirely correlational in nature. Here we tested for a causal link between ANS precision and symbolic math performance by asking whether a temporary modulation of ANS precision changes symbolic math performance. First, we replicated a recent finding that 5-year-old children make more precise ANS discriminations when starting with easier trials and gradually progressing to harder ones, compared with the reverse. Next, we show that this brief modulation of ANS precision influenced children's performance on a subsequent symbolic math task but not a vocabulary task. In a supplemental experiment, we present evidence that children who performed ANS discriminations in a random trial order showed intermediate performance on both the ANS task and the symbolic math task, compared with children who made ordered discriminations. Thus, our results point to a specific causal link from the ANS to symbolic math performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changing the precision of preschoolers’ approximate number system representations changes their symbolic math performance

PubMed Central

Wang, Jinjing (Jenny); Odic, Darko; Halberda, Justin; Feigenson, Lisa

2016-01-01

From early in life, humans have access to an Approximate Number System (ANS) that supports an intuitive sense of numerical quantity. Previous work in both children and adults suggests that individual differences in the precision of ANS representations correlate with symbolic math performance. However, this work has been almost entirely correlational in nature. Here we tested for a causal link between ANS precision and symbolic math performance by asking whether a temporary modulation of ANS precision changes symbolic math performance. First we replicated a recent finding that 5-year-old children make more precise ANS discriminations when starting with easier trials and gradually progressing to harder ones, compared to the reverse. Next, we show that this brief modulation of ANS precision influenced children’s performance on a subsequent symbolic math task, but not a vocabulary task. In a supplemental experiment we present evidence that children who performed ANS discriminations in a random trial order showed intermediate performance both on the ANS task and the symbolic math task, compared to the children who made ordered discriminations. Thus, our results point to a specific causal link from the ANS to symbolic math performance. PMID:27061668

Effects of peer tutoring and consequences on the math performance of elementary classroom students1

PubMed Central

Harris, V. William; Sherman, James A.

1973-01-01

The effects of unstructured peer-tutoring procedures on the math performance of fourth- and fifth-grade students were investigated. Students' performances in two daily math sessions, during which they worked problems of the same type and difficulty, were compared. When students tutored each other over the same math problems as they subsequently worked, higher accuracies and rates of performance were associated with the tutored math sessions. The use of consequences for accurate performance seemed to enhance the effects of tutoring on accuracy. The results from an independent-study control condition, which was the same peer-tutoring except that students did not interact with each other, suggested that interactions between students during the tutoring procedure were, in part, responsible for improved accuracy and rate of performance. When students tutored each other over different but related problems to those that they were subsequently asked to solve, accuracies and rates during tutored math sessions were also higher, suggesting the development of generalized skills in solving particular types of math problems. PMID:16795443

Neural correlates of math anxiety - an overview and implications.

PubMed

Artemenko, Christina; Daroczy, Gabriella; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon which can have a negative impact on numerical and arithmetic performance. However, so far little is known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. This mini review provides an overview of studies investigating the neural correlates of math anxiety which provide several hints regarding its influence on math performance: while behavioral studies mostly observe an influence of math anxiety on difficult math tasks, neurophysiological studies show that processing efficiency is already affected in basic number processing. Overall, the neurocognitive literature suggests that (i) math anxiety elicits emotion- and pain-related activation during and before math activities, (ii) that the negative emotional response to math anxiety impairs processing efficiency, and (iii) that math deficits triggered by math anxiety may be compensated for by modulating the cognitive control or emotional regulation network. However, activation differs strongly between studies, depending on tasks, paradigms, and samples. We conclude that neural correlates can help to understand and explore the processes underlying math anxiety, but the data are not very consistent yet.

Neural correlates of math anxiety – an overview and implications

PubMed Central

Artemenko, Christina; Daroczy, Gabriella; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon which can have a negative impact on numerical and arithmetic performance. However, so far little is known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. This mini review provides an overview of studies investigating the neural correlates of math anxiety which provide several hints regarding its influence on math performance: while behavioral studies mostly observe an influence of math anxiety on difficult math tasks, neurophysiological studies show that processing efficiency is already affected in basic number processing. Overall, the neurocognitive literature suggests that (i) math anxiety elicits emotion- and pain-related activation during and before math activities, (ii) that the negative emotional response to math anxiety impairs processing efficiency, and (iii) that math deficits triggered by math anxiety may be compensated for by modulating the cognitive control or emotional regulation network. However, activation differs strongly between studies, depending on tasks, paradigms, and samples. We conclude that neural correlates can help to understand and explore the processes underlying math anxiety, but the data are not very consistent yet. PMID:26388824

Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training.

PubMed

Graziano, A B; Peterson, M; Shaw, G L

1999-03-01

It was predicted, based on a mathematical model of the cortex, that early music training would enhance spatial-temporal reasoning. We have demonstrated that preschool children given six months of piano keyboard lessons improved dramatically on spatial-temporal reasoning while children in appropriate control groups did not improve. It was then predicted that the enhanced spatial-temporal reasoning from piano keyboard training could lead to enhanced learning of specific math concepts, in particular proportional math, which is notoriously difficult to teach using the usual language-analytic methods. We report here the development of Spatial-Temporal Math Video Game software designed to teach fractions and proportional math, and its strikingly successful use in a study involving 237 second-grade children (age range six years eight months-eight years five months). Furthermore, as predicted, children given piano keyboard training along with the Math Video Game training scored significantly higher on proportional math and fractions than children given a control training along with the Math Video Game. These results were readily measured using the companion Math Video Game Evaluation Program. The training time necessary for children on the Math Video Game is very short, and they rapidly reach a high level of performance. This suggests that, as predicted, we are tapping into fundamental cortical processes of spatial-temporal reasoning. This spatial-temporal approach is easily generalized to teach other math and science concepts in a complementary manner to traditional language-analytic methods, and at a younger age. The neural mechanisms involved in thinking through fractions and proportional math during training with the Math Video Game might be investigated in EEG coherence studies along with priming by specific music.

An IBM PC-based math model for space station solar array simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emanuel, E. M.

1986-01-01

This report discusses and documents the design, development, and verification of a microcomputer-based solar cell math model for simulating the Space Station's solar array Initial Operational Capability (IOC) reference configuration. The array model is developed utilizing a linear solar cell dc math model requiring only five input parameters: short circuit current, open circuit voltage, maximum power voltage, maximum power current, and orbit inclination. The accuracy of this model is investigated using actual solar array on orbit electrical data derived from the Solar Array Flight Experiment/Dynamic Augmentation Experiment (SAFE/DAE), conducted during the STS-41D mission. This simulator provides real-time simulated performance data during the steady state portion of the Space Station orbit (i.e., array fully exposed to sunlight). Eclipse to sunlight transients and shadowing effects are not included in the analysis, but are discussed briefly. Integrating the Solar Array Simulator (SAS) into the Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) subsystem is also discussed.

Predictive model for early math skills based on structural equations.

PubMed

Aragón, Estíbaliz; Navarro, José I; Aguilar, Manuel; Cerda, Gamal; García-Sedeño, Manuel

2016-12-01

Early math skills are determined by higher cognitive processes that are particularly important for acquiring and developing skills during a child's early education. Such processes could be a critical target for identifying students at risk for math learning difficulties. Few studies have considered the use of a structural equation method to rationalize these relations. Participating in this study were 207 preschool students ages 59 to 72 months, 108 boys and 99 girls. Performance with respect to early math skills, early literacy, general intelligence, working memory, and short-term memory was assessed. A structural equation model explaining 64.3% of the variance in early math skills was applied. Early literacy exhibited the highest statistical significance (β = 0.443, p < 0.05), followed by intelligence (β = 0.286, p < 0.05), working memory (β = 0.220, p < 0.05), and short-term memory (β = 0.213, p < 0.05). Correlations between the independent variables were also significant (p < 0.05). According to the results, cognitive variables should be included in remedial intervention programs. © 2016 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A longitudinal analysis of sex differences in math and spatial skills in primary school age children☆

PubMed Central

Lachance, Jennifer A.; Mazzocco, Michèle M.M.

2009-01-01

We report on a longitudinal study designed to assess possible sex differences in math achievement, math ability, and math-related tasks during the primary school age years. Participants included over 200 children from one public school district. Annual assessments included measures of math ability, math calculation achievement scores, rapid naming and decoding tasks, visual perception tests, visual motor tasks, and reading skills. During select years of the study we also administered tests of counting and math facts skills. We examined whether girls or boys were overrepresented among the bottom or top performers on any of these tasks, relative to their peers, and whether growth rates or predictors of math-related skills differed for boys and girls. Our findings support the notion that sex differences in math are minimal or nonexistent on standardized psychometric tests routinely given in assessments of primary school age children. There was no persistent finding suggesting a male or female advantage in math performance overall, during any single year of the study, or in any one area of math or spatial skills. Growth rates for all skills, and early correlates of later math performance, were comparable for boys and girls. The findings fail to support either persistent or emerging sex differences on non-specialized math ability measures during the primary school age years. PMID:20463851

Self-Regulation and Math Attitudes: Effects on Academic Performance in Developmental Math Courses at a Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otts, Cynthia D.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship among math attitudes, self-regulated learning, and course outcomes in developmental math. Math attitudes involved perceived usefulness of math and math anxiety. Self-regulated learning represented the ability of students to control cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioral aspects of…

Differentiating anxiety forms and their role in academic performance from primary to secondary school

PubMed Central

Devine, Amy; Hill, Francesca; Szűcs, Dénes

2017-01-01

Introduction Individuals with high levels of mathematics anxiety are more likely to have other forms of anxiety, such as general anxiety and test anxiety, and tend to have some math performance decrement compared to those with low math anxiety. However, it is unclear how the anxiety forms cluster in individuals, or how the presence of other anxiety forms influences the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. Method We measured math anxiety, test anxiety, general anxiety and mathematics and reading performance in 1720 UK students (year 4, aged 8–9, and years 7 and 8, aged 11–13). We conducted latent profile analysis of students’ anxiety scores in order to examine the developmental change in anxiety profiles, the demographics of each anxiety profile and the relationship between profiles and academic performance. Results Anxiety profiles appeared to change in specificity between the two age groups studied. Only in the older students did clusters emerge with specifically elevated general anxiety or academic anxiety (test and math anxiety). Our findings suggest that boys are slightly more likely than girls to have elevated academic anxieties relative to their general anxiety. Year 7/8 students with specifically academic anxiety show lower academic performance than those who also have elevated general anxiety. Conclusions There may be a developmental change in the specificity of anxiety and gender seems to play a strong role in determining one’s anxiety profile. The anxiety profiles present in our year 7/8 sample, and their relationships with math performance, suggest a bidirectional relationship between math anxiety and math performance. PMID:28350857

Differentiating anxiety forms and their role in academic performance from primary to secondary school.

PubMed

Carey, Emma; Devine, Amy; Hill, Francesca; Szűcs, Dénes

2017-01-01

Individuals with high levels of mathematics anxiety are more likely to have other forms of anxiety, such as general anxiety and test anxiety, and tend to have some math performance decrement compared to those with low math anxiety. However, it is unclear how the anxiety forms cluster in individuals, or how the presence of other anxiety forms influences the relationship between math anxiety and math performance. We measured math anxiety, test anxiety, general anxiety and mathematics and reading performance in 1720 UK students (year 4, aged 8-9, and years 7 and 8, aged 11-13). We conducted latent profile analysis of students' anxiety scores in order to examine the developmental change in anxiety profiles, the demographics of each anxiety profile and the relationship between profiles and academic performance. Anxiety profiles appeared to change in specificity between the two age groups studied. Only in the older students did clusters emerge with specifically elevated general anxiety or academic anxiety (test and math anxiety). Our findings suggest that boys are slightly more likely than girls to have elevated academic anxieties relative to their general anxiety. Year 7/8 students with specifically academic anxiety show lower academic performance than those who also have elevated general anxiety. There may be a developmental change in the specificity of anxiety and gender seems to play a strong role in determining one's anxiety profile. The anxiety profiles present in our year 7/8 sample, and their relationships with math performance, suggest a bidirectional relationship between math anxiety and math performance.

78 FR 18326 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

...; Comment Request; Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report AGENCY: The Office... considered public records. Title of Collection: Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance...) and Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Programs. The Department is requesting a new APR because of...

An investigation of the impact of science course sequencing on student performance in high school science and math

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mary, Michael Todd

High school students in the United States for the past century have typically taken science courses in a sequence of biology followed by chemistry and concluding with physics. An alternative sequence, typically referred to as "physics first" inverts the traditional sequence by having students begin with physics and end with biology. Proponents of physics first cite advances in biological sciences that have dramatically changed the nature of high school biology and the potential benefit to student learning in math that would accompany taking an algebra-based physics course in the early years of high school to support changing the sequence. Using a quasi-experimental, quantitative research design, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of science course sequencing on student achievement in math and science at a school district that offered both course sequences. The Texas state end-of-course exams in biology, chemistry, physics, algebra I and geometry were used as the instruments measuring student achievement in math and science at the end of each academic year. Various statistical models were used to analyze these achievement data. The conclusion was, for students in this study, the sequence in which students took biology, chemistry, and physics had little or no impact on performance on the end-of-course assessments in each of these courses. Additionally there was only a minimal effect found with respect to math performance, leading to the conclusion that neither the traditional or "physics first" science course sequence presented an advantage for student achievement in math or science.

A Correlation of Community College Math Readiness and Student Success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Jayna Nicole

Although traditional college students are more prepared for college-level math based on college admissions tests, little data have been collected on nontraditional adult learners. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between math placement tests and community college students' success in math courses and persistence to degree or certificate completion. Guided by Tinto's theory of departure and student retention, the research questions addressed relationships and predictability of math Computer-adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) test scores and students' performance in math courses, persistence in college, and degree completion. After conducting correlation and regression analyses, no significant relationships were identified between COMPASS Math test scores and students' performance (n = 234) in math courses, persistence in college, or degree completion. However, independent t test and chi-squared analyses of the achievements of college students who tested into Basic Math (n = 138) vs. Introduction to Algebra (n = 96) yielded statistically significant differences in persistence (p = .039), degree completion (p < .001), performance (p = .008), and progress ( p = .001), indicating students who tested into Introduction to Algebra were more successful and persisted more often to degree completion. In order to improve instructional methods for Basic Math courses, a 3-day professional development workshop was developed for math faculty focusing on current, best practices in remedial math instruction. Implications for social change include providing math faculty with the knowledge and skills to develop new instructional methods for remedial math courses. A change in instructional methods may improve community college students' math competencies and degree achievement.

Worrying Thoughts Limit Working Memory Capacity in Math Anxiety

PubMed Central

Shi, Zhan; Liu, Peiru

2016-01-01

Sixty-one high-math-anxious persons and sixty-one low-math-anxious persons completed a modified working memory capacity task, designed to measure working memory capacity under a dysfunctional math-related context and working memory capacity under a valence-neutral context. Participants were required to perform simple tasks with emotionally benign material (i.e., lists of letters) over short intervals while simultaneously reading and making judgments about sentences describing dysfunctional math-related thoughts or sentences describing emotionally-neutral facts about the world. Working memory capacity for letters under the dysfunctional math-related context, relative to working memory capacity performance under the valence-neutral context, was poorer overall in the high-math-anxious group compared with the low-math-anxious group. The findings show a particular difficulty employing working memory in math-related contexts in high-math-anxious participants. Theories that can provide reasonable interpretations for these findings and interventions that can reduce anxiety-induced worrying intrusive thoughts or improve working memory capacity for math anxiety are discussed. PMID:27788235

Worrying Thoughts Limit Working Memory Capacity in Math Anxiety.

PubMed

Shi, Zhan; Liu, Peiru

2016-01-01

Sixty-one high-math-anxious persons and sixty-one low-math-anxious persons completed a modified working memory capacity task, designed to measure working memory capacity under a dysfunctional math-related context and working memory capacity under a valence-neutral context. Participants were required to perform simple tasks with emotionally benign material (i.e., lists of letters) over short intervals while simultaneously reading and making judgments about sentences describing dysfunctional math-related thoughts or sentences describing emotionally-neutral facts about the world. Working memory capacity for letters under the dysfunctional math-related context, relative to working memory capacity performance under the valence-neutral context, was poorer overall in the high-math-anxious group compared with the low-math-anxious group. The findings show a particular difficulty employing working memory in math-related contexts in high-math-anxious participants. Theories that can provide reasonable interpretations for these findings and interventions that can reduce anxiety-induced worrying intrusive thoughts or improve working memory capacity for math anxiety are discussed.

Mathematics Anxiety and the Affective Drop in Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashcraft, Mark H.; Moore, Alex M.

2009-01-01

The authors provide a brief review of the history and assessment of math anxiety, its relationship to personal and educational consequences, and its important impact on measures of performance. Overall, math anxiety causes an "affective drop," a decline in performance when math is performed under timed, high-stakes conditions, both in laboratory…

Attributional Gender Bias: Teachers' Ability and Effort Explanations for Students' Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinoza, Penelope; Arêas da Luz Fontes, Ana B.; Arms-Chavez, Clarissa J.

2014-01-01

Research is presented on the attributional gender bias: the tendency to generate different attributions (explanations) for female versus male students' performance in math. Whereas boys' successes in math are attributed to ability, girls' successes are attributed to effort; conversely, boys' failures in math are attributed to a…

Supporting Early Math--Rationales and Requirements for High Quality Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haake, Magnus; Husain, Layla; Gulz, Agneta

2015-01-01

There is substantial evidence that preschooler's performance in early math is highly correlated to math performance throughout school as well as academic skills in general. One way to help children attain early math skills is by using targeted educational software and the paper discusses potential gains of using such software to support early math…

Classroom Environment, Achievement Goals and Maths Performance: Gender Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gherasim, Loredana Ruxandra; Butnaru, Simona; Mairean, Cornelia

2013-01-01

This study investigated how gender shapes the relationships between classroom environment, achievement goals and maths performance. Seventh-grade students ("N"?=?498) from five urban secondary schools filled in achievement goal orientations and classroom environment scales at the beginning of the second semester. Maths performance was…

Regression Model Optimization for the Analysis of Experimental Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulbrich, N.

2009-01-01

A candidate math model search algorithm was developed at Ames Research Center that determines a recommended math model for the multivariate regression analysis of experimental data. The search algorithm is applicable to classical regression analysis problems as well as wind tunnel strain gage balance calibration analysis applications. The algorithm compares the predictive capability of different regression models using the standard deviation of the PRESS residuals of the responses as a search metric. This search metric is minimized during the search. Singular value decomposition is used during the search to reject math models that lead to a singular solution of the regression analysis problem. Two threshold dependent constraints are also applied. The first constraint rejects math models with insignificant terms. The second constraint rejects math models with near-linear dependencies between terms. The math term hierarchy rule may also be applied as an optional constraint during or after the candidate math model search. The final term selection of the recommended math model depends on the regressor and response values of the data set, the user s function class combination choice, the user s constraint selections, and the result of the search metric minimization. A frequently used regression analysis example from the literature is used to illustrate the application of the search algorithm to experimental data.

Test and analysis procedures for updating math models of Space Shuttle payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Craig, Roy R., Jr.

1991-01-01

Over the next decade or more, the Space Shuttle will continue to be the primary transportation system for delivering payloads to Earth orbit. Although a number of payloads have already been successfully carried by the Space Shuttle in the payload bay of the Orbiter vehicle, there continues to be a need for evaluation of the procedures used for verifying and updating the math models of the payloads. The verified payload math models is combined with an Orbiter math model for the coupled-loads analysis, which is required before any payload can fly. Several test procedures were employed for obtaining data for use in verifying payload math models and for carrying out the updating of the payload math models. Research was directed at the evaluation of test/update procedures for use in the verification of Space Shuttle payload math models. The following research tasks are summarized: (1) a study of free-interface test procedures; (2) a literature survey and evaluation of model update procedures; and (3) the design and construction of a laboratory payload simulator.

Anticipating Mathematics Performance: A Cross-Validation Comparison of AID3 and Regression. AIR 1988 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Allan M.; And Others

In response to the increasing importance of student performance in required classes, research was conducted to compare two prediction procedures, linear modeling using multiple regression and nonlinear modeling using AID3. Performance in the first college math course (College Mathematics, Calculus, or Business Calculus Matrices) was the dependent…

Reciprocal Relations among Motivational Frameworks, Math Anxiety, and Math Achievement in Early Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunderson, Elizabeth A.; Park, Daeun; Maloney, Erin A.; Beilock, Sian L.; Levine, Susan C.

2018-01-01

School-entry math achievement is a strong predictor of math achievement through high school. We asked whether reciprocal relations among math achievement, math anxiety, and entity motivational frameworks (believing that ability is fixed and a focus on performance) can help explain these persistent individual differences. We assessed 1st and 2nd…

A Latent Profile Analysis of Math Achievement, Numerosity, and Math Anxiety in Twins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Sara A.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A.

2016-01-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated 5 groupings of…

Methylphenidate-Related Improvements in Math Performance Cannot Be Explained by Better Cognitive Functioning or Higher Academic Motivation: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Kortekaas-Rijlaarsdam, Anne Fleur; Luman, Marjolein; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund; Bet, Pierre; Oosterlaan, Jaap

2017-06-01

This study investigated whether improvements in working memory, reaction time, lapses of attention, interference control, academic motivation, and perceived competence mediated effects of methylphenidate on math performance. Sixty-three children (ADHD diagnosis; methylphenidate treatment; age 8-13; IQ > 70) were randomly allocated to a 7-day methylphenidate or placebo treatment in this double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study and compared with 67 controls. Data were collected at schools and analyzed using mixed-model analysis. Methylphenidate was hypothesized to improve all measures; all measures were evaluated as potential mediators of methylphenidate-related math improvements. Controls mostly outperformed the ADHD group. Methylphenidate did not affect measures of cognitive functioning ( p = .082-.641) or academic motivation ( p = .199-.865). Methylphenidate improved parent ratings of their child's self-perceived competence ( p < .01), which mediated methylphenidate efficacy on math productivity. These results question the necessity of improvements in specific cognitive and motivational deficits associated with ADHD for medication-related academic improvement. They also stimulate further study of perceived competence as a mediator.

A micro-computer-based system to compute magnetic variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, Rajan

1987-01-01

A mathematical model of magnetic variation in the continental United States was implemented in the Ohio University Loran-C receiver. The model is based on a least squares fit of a polynomial function. The implementation on the microprocessor based Loran-C receiver is possible with the help of a math chip which performs 32 bit floating point mathematical operations. A Peripheral Interface Adapter is used to communicate between the 6502 based microcomputer and the 9511 math chip. The implementation provides magnetic variation data to the pilot as a function of latitude and longitude. The model and the real time implementation in the receiver are described.

Mediators of methylphenidate effects on math performance in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Froehlich, Tanya E; Antonini, Tanya N; Brinkman, William B; Langberg, Joshua M; Simon, John O; Adams, Ryan; Fredstrom, Bridget; Narad, Megan E; Kingery, Kathleen M; Altaye, Mekibib; Matheson, Heather; Tamm, Leanne; Epstein, Jeffery N

2014-01-01

Stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate (MPH), improve the academic performance of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the mechanism by which MPH exerts an effect on academic performance is unclear. We examined MPH effects on math performance and investigated possible mediation of MPH effects by changes in time on-task, inhibitory control, selective attention, and reaction time variability. Children with ADHD aged 7 to 11 years (N = 93) completed a timed math worksheet (with problems tailored to each individual's level of proficiency) and 2 neuropsychological tasks (Go/No-Go and Child Attention Network Test) at baseline, then participated in a 4-week, randomized, controlled, titration trial of MPH. Children were then randomly assigned to their optimal MPH dose or placebo for 1 week (administered double-blind) and repeated the math and neuropsychological tasks (posttest). Baseline and posttest videorecordings of children performing the math task were coded to assess time on-task. Children taking MPH completed 23 more math problems at posttest compared to baseline, whereas the placebo group completed 24 fewer problems on posttest versus baseline, but the effects on math accuracy (percent correct) did not differ. Path analyses revealed that only change in time on-task was a significant mediator of MPH's improvements in math productivity. MPH-derived math productivity improvements may be explained in part by increased time spent on-task, rather than improvements in neurocognitive parameters, such as inhibitory control, selective attention, or reaction time variability.

A latent profile analysis of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety in twins

PubMed Central

Hart, Sara A.; Logan, Jessica A.R.; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated five groupings of individuals representing different patterns of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety, coupled with differing degrees of familial transmission. These results suggest that there may be distinct profiles of math achievement, numerosity and anxiety; particularly for students who struggle in math. PMID:26957650

A latent profile analysis of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety in twins.

PubMed

Hart, Sara A; Logan, Jessica A R; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A

2016-02-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated five groupings of individuals representing different patterns of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety, coupled with differing degrees of familial transmission. These results suggest that there may be distinct profiles of math achievement, numerosity and anxiety; particularly for students who struggle in math.

The Influence of Experiencing Success in Math on Math Anxiety, Perceived Math Competence, and Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen, Brenda R. J.; Louwerse, Jolien; Straatemeier, Marthe; Van der Ven, Sanne H. G.; Klinkenberg, Sharon; Van der Maas, Han L. J.

2013-01-01

It was investigated whether children would experience less math anxiety and feel more competent when they, independent of ability level, experienced high success rates in math. Comparable success rates were achieved by adapting problem difficulty to individuals' ability levels with a computer-adaptive program. A total of 207 children (grades 3-6)…

Successful Developmental Math Students in Traditional Format and Online Delivery: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Jeremy Lloyd

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare student performance in online and traditional classroom based developmental math courses at Texas community colleges. This study specifically examined: (a) student performance in both delivery methods, (b) students who successfully completed the developmental math course, and (c) student performance in the…

Self-Reflection and Math Performance in an Online Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jinnie; Walters, Alyssa; Hoge, Pat

2017-01-01

According to recent reports, K-12 full-time virtual school students have shown lower performance in math than their counterparts in brick-and-mortar schools. However, research is lacking in what kind of programmatic interventions virtual schools might be particularly well-suited to provide to improve math performance. Engaging students in…

Gender Similarities in Math Performance from Middle School through High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scafidi, Tony; Bui, Khanh

2010-01-01

Using data from 10 states, Hyde, Lindberg, Linn, Ellis, and Williams (2008) found gender similarities in performance on standardized math tests. The present study attempted to replicate this finding with national data and to extend it by examining whether gender similarities in math performance are moderated by race, socioeconomic status, or math…

Effects of Online Visual and Interactive Technological Tool (OVITT) on Early Adolescent Students' Mathematics Performance, Math Anxiety and Attitudes toward Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orabuchi, Nkechi

2013-01-01

This study reported the results of a 3-month quasi-experimental study that determined the effectiveness of an online visual and interactive technological tool on sixth grade students' mathematics performance, math anxiety and attitudes towards math. There were 155 sixth grade students from a middle school in the North Texas area who participated…

Acute Effects of Classroom Exercise Breaks on Executive Function and Math Performance: A Dose-Response Study.

PubMed

Howie, Erin K; Schatz, Jeffrey; Pate, Russell R

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the acute dose-response relationship of classroom exercise breaks with executive function and math performance in 9- to 12-year-old children by comparing 5-min, 10-min, or 20-min classroom exercise breaks to 10 min of sedentary classroom activity. This study used a within-subjects experimental design conducted in the spring of 2012. Ninety-six 4th- and 5th-grade students in 5 classrooms in South Carolina were randomized to receive each of 4 treatments: 5-min, 10-min, or 20-min exercise breaks or 10 min of a sedentary lesson led by research staff. Students completed the Trail-Making Test, an Operational Digit Recall test, and a math fluency test immediately before and after each condition. Planned linear contrasts were used to compare posttest scores between conditions using a repeated-measures mixed model, adjusted for gender, classroom, and the time-varying pretest scores. Potential effect modifiers were added as interaction terms. Math scores were higher after the 10-min and 20-min exercise breaks compared with the sedentary condition (d = 0.24, p = .04, and d = 0.27, p = .02, respectively), and an interaction was observed with gender, IQ, aerobic fitness, and lower engagement in some of the conditions. There were no improvements in executive function tasks. A 10-min and 20-min classroom exercise break moderately improved math performance in students compared with a seated classroom lesson.

Intergenerational Effects of Parents' Math Anxiety on Children's Math Achievement and Anxiety.

PubMed

Maloney, Erin A; Ramirez, Gerardo; Gunderson, Elizabeth A; Levine, Susan C; Beilock, Sian L

2015-09-01

A large field study of children in first and second grade explored how parents' anxiety about math relates to their children's math achievement. The goal of the study was to better understand why some students perform worse in math than others. We tested whether parents' math anxiety predicts their children's math achievement across the school year. We found that when parents are more math anxious, their children learn significantly less math over the school year and have more math anxiety by the school year's end-but only if math-anxious parents report providing frequent help with math homework. Notably, when parents reported helping with math homework less often, children's math achievement and attitudes were not related to parents' math anxiety. Parents' math anxiety did not predict children's reading achievement, which suggests that the effects of parents' math anxiety are specific to children's math achievement. These findings provide evidence of a mechanism for intergenerational transmission of low math achievement and high math anxiety. © The Author(s) 2015.

Promoting children's health through physically active math classes: a pilot study.

PubMed

Erwin, Heather E; Abel, Mark G; Beighle, Aaron; Beets, Michael W

2011-03-01

School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students. Participants include four teachers and 75 students. Five math classes are taught without PA integration (i.e., baseline) followed by 13 math classes that integrate PA. Students wear pedometers and accelerometers to track PA during math class and throughout the school day. Students perform significantly more PA on school days and in math classes during the intervention. In addition, students perform higher intensity (step min(-1)) PA during PA integration math classes compared with baseline math classes. Integrating PA into the classroom is an effective alternative approach to improving PA levels among youth and is an important component of school-based wellness policies.

Project Shuttle simulation math model coordination catalog, revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

A catalog is presented of subsystem and environment math models used or planned for space shuttle simulations. The purpose is to facilitate sharing of similar math models between shuttle simulations. It provides information on mach model requirements, formulations, schedules, and contact persons for further information.

Self-Regulated Learning Strategies and Pre-University Math Performance of International Students in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loong, Tang Eng

2012-01-01

This study is an attempt to compare the use of self-regulated learning strategies and their math performance between home and international students in the Monash University Foundation Year (MUFY) and determine the self-regulated learning strategies that are significantly associated with their math performance. The participants of the study were…

Helping Students Get Past Math Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarpello, Gary

2007-01-01

Math anxiety can begin as early as the fourth grade and peaks in middle school and high school. It can be caused by past classroom experiences, parental influences, and remembering poor past math performance. Math anxiety can cause students to avoid challenging math courses and may limit their career choices. It is important for teachers, parents…

Seven-panel solar wing deployment and on-orbit maneuvering analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Earl

2005-05-01

BSS developed a new generation high power (~20kW) solar array to meet the customer demands. The high power solar array had the north and south solar wings of which designs were identical. Each side of the solar wing consists of three main conventional solar panels and the four-side panel swing-out new design. The fully deployed solar array surface area is 966 ft2. It was a quite challenging task to define the solar array's optimum design parameters and deployment scheme for such a huge solar array's successful deployment and on-orbit maneuvering. Hence, a deployable seven-flex-panel solar wing nonlinear math model and a fully deployed solar array/bus-payload math model were developed with the Dynamic Analysis and Design System (DADS) program codes utilizing the inherited and empirical data. Performing extensive parametric analyses with the math model, the optimum design parameters and the orbit maneuvering /deployment schemes were determined to meet all the design requirements, and for the successful solar wing deployment on-orbit.

Learning-related skills and academic achievement in academically at-risk first graders

PubMed Central

Cerda, Carissa A.; Im, Myung Hee; Hughes, Jan N.

2015-01-01

Using an academically at-risk, ethnically diverse sample of 744 first-grade children, this study tested a multi-method (i.e., child performance measures, teacher ratings, and peer ratings) measurement model of learning-related skills (i.e., effortful control [EC], behavioral self-regulation [BSR], and social competence [SC]), and their shared and unique contributions to children's reading and math achievement, above the effect of demographic variables. The hypothesized correlated factor measurement model demonstrated relatively good fit, with BSR and SC correlated highly with one another and moderately with EC. When entered in separate regression equations, EC and BSR each predicted children's reading and math achievement; SC only predicted reading achievement. When considered simultaneously, neither EC, BSR, nor SC contributed independently to reading achievement; however, EC had a direct effect on math achievement and an indirect effect on reading achievement via both BSR and SC. Implications for research and early intervention efforts are discussed. PMID:25908886

Electrochemical carbon dioxide concentrator: Math model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, R. D.; Schubert, F. H.; Carlson, J. N.

1973-01-01

A steady state computer simulation model of an Electrochemical Depolarized Carbon Dioxide Concentrator (EDC) has been developed. The mathematical model combines EDC heat and mass balance equations with empirical correlations derived from experimental data to describe EDC performance as a function of the operating parameters involved. The model is capable of accurately predicting performance over EDC operating ranges. Model simulation results agree with the experimental data obtained over the prediction range.

An Experimental Study of the Effects of Stereotype Threat and Stereotype Lift on Men and Women's Performance in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Heather J.; Barnard-Brak, Lucy; Saxon, Terrill F.; Johnson, Megan K.

2012-01-01

In this study the authors examined the differential effects of stereotype threat and lift between genders on math test performance. They asked 3 questions: (a) What is the effect of gender on math test performance?, (b) What is the effect of stereotyping condition (threat, lift, or neither) on math test performance?, and (c) What is the effect of…

Visual Attention and Math Performance in Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PubMed

Richard, Annette E; Hodges, Elise K; Heinrich, Kimberley P

2018-01-24

Attentional and academic difficulties, particularly in math, are common in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Of cognitive deficits experienced by survivors of childhood ALL, attention deficits may be particularly responsive to intervention. However, it is unknown whether deficits in particular aspects of attention are associated with deficits in math skills. The current study investigated relationships between math calculation skills, performance on an objective measure of sustained attention, and parent- and teacher-reported attention difficulties. Twenty-four survivors of childhood ALL (Mage = 13.5 years, SD= 2.8 years) completed a computerized measure of sustained attention and response control and a written measure of math calculation skills in the context of a comprehensive clinical neuropsychological evaluation. Parent and teacher ratings of inattention and impulsivity were obtained. Visual response control and visual attention accounted for 26.4% of the variance observed among math performance scores after controlling for IQ (p < .05). Teacher-rated, but not parent-rated, inattention was significantly negatively correlated with math calculation scores. Consistency of responses to visual stimuli on a computerized measure of attention is a unique predictor of variance in math performance among survivors of childhood ALL. Objective testing of visual response control, rather than parent-rated attentional problems, may have clinical utility in identifying ALL survivors at risk for math difficulties. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using the Intel Math Kernel Library on Peregrine | High-Performance

Science.gov Websites

Computing | NREL the Intel Math Kernel Library on Peregrine Using the Intel Math Kernel Library on Peregrine Learn how to use the Intel Math Kernel Library (MKL) with Peregrine system software. MKL architectures. Core math functions in MKL include BLAS, LAPACK, ScaLAPACK, sparse solvers, fast Fourier

Using Self-Monitoring of Performance with Self-Graphing to Increase Academic Productivity in Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, Jenny C.; Sheehey, Patricia H.; Sheehey, Michael

2017-01-01

Self-regulation skills have been found to be an important predictor of achievement in mathematics. Teaching a student to regulate his or her behavior during independent math work sessions using self-monitoring of performance with self-graphing focuses him or her on academic performance and results in increases in productivity and math proficiency.…

Utility of an Error Analysis and Performance Deficit Assessment for Selecting Brief Interventions to Increase Math Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denison, Aaron

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of a brief assessment for the selection of an effective instruction to increase fluency performance on computation math problems. Participants were four general education third-grade students who performed below the median score on a classwide administered multiple math skills probe. Students…

A micro-computer based system to compute magnetic variation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, R.

1984-01-01

A mathematical model of magnetic variation in the continental United States (COT48) was implemented in the Ohio University LORAN C receiver. The model is based on a least squares fit of a polynomial function. The implementation on the microprocessor based LORAN C receiver is possible with the help of a math chip, Am9511 which performs 32 bit floating point mathematical operations. A Peripheral Interface Adapter (M6520) is used to communicate between the 6502 based micro-computer and the 9511 math chip. The implementation provides magnetic variation data to the pilot as a function of latitude and longitude. The model and the real time implementation in the receiver are described.

Examining the relationship between obesity and math performance among Canadian school children: a prospective analysis.

PubMed

Carter, Megan Ann; Dubois, Lise; Ramsay, Tim

2010-10-01

To determine whether obesity during the pre-school to primary school years was related to math performance, independently of other factors, in a large representative sample of Canadian children. Our main hypothesis was that obese children would obtain lower overall math scores than their non-obese peers. Participants of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth comprised the sample for our analysis (n = 4 664). Obesity was based on mother-reported height and weight and IOTF age- and sex-specific body mass index cut-offs, and was assessed when the cohort was aged 2-5 years and 8-11 years. Children were classified as 'never obese', 'grew out of obesity', 'developed obesity' or 'always obese', depending on their obesity status at these two time points. The outcome was performance on a standardized math test that was administered when the cohort was aged 8-11 years. Statistical analysis was conducted using multivariate linear regression methods. Children who 'grew out of obesity' scored on average 11 points higher on the math test (p<0.0001) than children who were 'never obese.' Children who were 'always obese' and those that 'developed obesity' performed no differently on the math test than children who were 'never obese'. No interactions between sex and obesity status were found. Childhood obesity in this study did not lead to poor math performance. Being obese in the pre-school years and normal weight in primary school, however, was associated with improved math performance. This finding points to a potential nutritional window for early child development.

Singapore Math: Problem-Solving Secrets from the World's Math Leader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Bob

2005-01-01

Using this four CD-ROM disc set, teachers can have their very own math problem solving mentor as a leading expert in Singapore Math guides them through a lively presentation, working through math problems and explaining how Singapore has become the world's leading method in math. The expert's explanation of how to use Singapore's model-drawing…

Longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's negative emotions, effortful control, and math achievement in early elementary school.

PubMed

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = .39 year) across kindergarten through second grade. Parents reported their reactions and children's EC. Math achievement was assessed with a standardized achievement test. First-grade EC mediated the relation between parents' reactions at kindergarten and second-grade math achievement, beyond stability in constructs across study years. Panel mediation model results suggested that socialization of EC may be one method of promoting math achievement in early school; however, when all omitted time-invariant covariates of EC and math achievement were controlled, first-grade EC no longer predicted second-grade math achievement. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Testing of the McMath-Pierce 0.8-Meter East Auxiliary Telescope's Acquisition and Slewing Accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harshaw, Richard; Ray, Jimmy; Prause, Lori; Douglass, David; Branston, Detrick; Genet, Russell M.

2015-09-01

Following mediocre results with pointing tests of the McMath-Pierce 0.8-meter East Auxiliary Telescope in April 2014, a team of astronomers/engineers met again in May 2014 to test other pointing models and assess the telescope's ability to point with enough accuracy to permit the efficient use of speckle interferometry. Results show that accurate collimation is a pre-requisite for such accuracy. Once attained, the telescope performs extremely well.

Modeling Math Growth Trajectory--An Application of Conventional Growth Curve Model and Growth Mixture Model to ECLS K-5 Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Yi

2016-01-01

To model students' math growth trajectory, three conventional growth curve models and three growth mixture models are applied to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten-Fifth grade (ECLS K-5) dataset in this study. The results of conventional growth curve model show gender differences on math IRT scores. When holding socio-economic…

Prediction and Stability of Mathematics Skill and Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Rebecca B.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also…

Determinants of Maths Performance of First-Year Business Administration and Economics Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laging, Angela; Voßkamp, Rainer

2017-01-01

This paper examines the determinants of mathematics performance of first-year students enrolled in several business administration and economics study programmes at the beginning of the first semester (T1) and nine weeks later (T2). A simple model of educational production, which is developed in accordance with the model of Schrader and Helmke…

Individual differences in nonverbal number skills predict math anxiety.

PubMed

Lindskog, Marcus; Winman, Anders; Poom, Leo

2017-02-01

Math anxiety (MA) involves negative affect and tension when solving mathematical problems, with potentially life-long consequences. MA has been hypothesized to be a consequence of negative learning experiences and cognitive predispositions. Recent research indicates genetic and neurophysiological links, suggesting that MA stems from a basic level deficiency in symbolic numerical processing. However, the contribution of evolutionary ancient purely nonverbal processes is not fully understood. Here we show that the roots of MA may go beyond symbolic numbers. We demonstrate that MA is correlated with precision of the Approximate Number System (ANS). Individuals high in MA have poorer ANS functioning than those low in MA. This correlation remains significant when controlling for other forms of anxiety and for cognitive variables. We show that MA mediates the documented correlation between ANS precision and math performance, both with ANS and with math performance as independent variable in the mediation model. In light of our results, we discuss the possibility that MA has deep roots, stemming from a non-verbal number processing deficiency. The findings provide new evidence advancing the theoretical understanding of the developmental etiology of MA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Math Achievement in Early Adolescence: The Role of Parental Involvement, Teachers' Behavior, and Students' Motivational Beliefs about Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levpuscek, Melita Puklek; Zupancic, Maja

2009-01-01

Contributions of parental involvement in educational pursuits as well as math teachers' classroom behavior to students' motivation and performance in math were investigated. By the end of the first school term, 365 Slovene eighth graders reported on their parents' academic involvement (pressure, support, and help) and their math teachers' behavior…

Comparison of Orbiter STS-2 development flight instrumentation data with thermal math model predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, I.; Rochelle, W. C.; Kimbrough, B. S.; Ritrivi, C. A.; Ting, P. C.; Dotts, R. L.

1982-01-01

Thermal performance verification of Reusable Surface Insulation (RSI) has been accomplished by comparisons of STS-2 Orbiter Flight Test (OFT) data with Thermal Math Model (TMM) predictions. The OFT data was obtained from Development Flight Instrumentation RSI plug and gap thermocouples. Quartertile RSI TMMs were developed using measured flight data for surface temperature and pressure environments. Reference surface heating rates, derived from surface temperature data, were multiplied by gap heating ratios to obtain tile sidewall heating rates. This TMM analysis resulted in good agreement of predicted temperatures with flight data for thermocouples located in the RSI, Strain Isolation Pad, filler bar and structure.

Brief Report: Investigating Relations Between Self-Concept and Performance in Reading and Math for School-Aged Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

McCauley, James B; Zajic, Matthew C; Oswald, Tasha M; Swain-Lerro, Lindsey E; McIntyre, Nancy C; Harris, Michelle A; Trzesniewski, Kali; Mundy, Peter C; Solomon, Marjorie

2018-05-01

A typically developing student's perceptions of his or her own capabilities (academic self-concept), is predictive of later academic achievement. However, little is known about academic self-concept in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To understand whether students math self-concept and reading self-concept predicted their performance, 44 school-aged children and adolescents with ASD and 36 age-matched individuals with typical development (TYP) rated their perceived math and reading abilities and were administered standardized achievement measures. Results showed self-concept was predictive of performance in math and reading in the TYP group. For youth with ASD, there was agreement between self-concept and performance only in math. These findings suggest that educators should be cautious when interpreting the self-assessments of reading ability in students with ASD.

Motor-Enriched Learning Activities Can Improve Mathematical Performance in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Beck, Mikkel M; Lind, Rune R; Geertsen, Svend S; Ritz, Christian; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Wienecke, Jacob

2016-01-01

Objective: An emerging field of research indicates that physical activity can benefit cognitive functions and academic achievements in children. However, less is known about how academic achievements can benefit from specific types of motor activities (e.g., fine and gross) integrated into learning activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor activity integrated into math lessons (i.e., motor-enrichment) could improve children's mathematical performance. Methods: A 6-week within school cluster-randomized intervention study investigated the effects of motor-enriched mathematical teaching in Danish preadolescent children ( n = 165, age = 7.5 ± 0.02 years). Three groups were included: a control group (CON), which received non-motor enriched conventional mathematical teaching, a fine motor math group (FMM) and a gross motor math group (GMM), which received mathematical teaching enriched with fine and gross motor activity, respectively. The children were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 8 weeks after the intervention (T2). A standardized mathematical test (50 tasks) was used to evaluate mathematical performance. Furthermore, it was investigated whether motor-enriched math was accompanied by different effects in low and normal math performers. Additionally, the study investigated the potential contribution of cognitive functions and motor skills on mathematical performance. Results: All groups improved their mathematical performance from T0 to T1. However, from T0 to T1, the improvement was significantly greater in GMM compared to FMM (1.87 ± 0.71 correct answers) ( p = 0.02). At T2 no significant differences in mathematical performance were observed. A subgroup analysis revealed that normal math-performers benefitted from GMM compared to both CON 1.78 ± 0.73 correct answers ( p = 0.04) and FMM 2.14 ± 0.72 correct answers ( p = 0.008). These effects were not observed in low math-performers. The effects were partly accounted for by visuo-spatial short-term memory and gross motor skills. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that motor enriched learning activities can improve mathematical performance. In normal math performers GMM led to larger improvements than FMM and CON. This was not the case for the low math performers. Future studies should further elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the observed behavioral effects.

Motor-Enriched Learning Activities Can Improve Mathematical Performance in Preadolescent Children

PubMed Central

Beck, Mikkel M.; Lind, Rune R.; Geertsen, Svend S.; Ritz, Christian; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Wienecke, Jacob

2016-01-01

Objective: An emerging field of research indicates that physical activity can benefit cognitive functions and academic achievements in children. However, less is known about how academic achievements can benefit from specific types of motor activities (e.g., fine and gross) integrated into learning activities. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether fine or gross motor activity integrated into math lessons (i.e., motor-enrichment) could improve children's mathematical performance. Methods: A 6-week within school cluster-randomized intervention study investigated the effects of motor-enriched mathematical teaching in Danish preadolescent children (n = 165, age = 7.5 ± 0.02 years). Three groups were included: a control group (CON), which received non-motor enriched conventional mathematical teaching, a fine motor math group (FMM) and a gross motor math group (GMM), which received mathematical teaching enriched with fine and gross motor activity, respectively. The children were tested before (T0), immediately after (T1) and 8 weeks after the intervention (T2). A standardized mathematical test (50 tasks) was used to evaluate mathematical performance. Furthermore, it was investigated whether motor-enriched math was accompanied by different effects in low and normal math performers. Additionally, the study investigated the potential contribution of cognitive functions and motor skills on mathematical performance. Results: All groups improved their mathematical performance from T0 to T1. However, from T0 to T1, the improvement was significantly greater in GMM compared to FMM (1.87 ± 0.71 correct answers) (p = 0.02). At T2 no significant differences in mathematical performance were observed. A subgroup analysis revealed that normal math-performers benefitted from GMM compared to both CON 1.78 ± 0.73 correct answers (p = 0.04) and FMM 2.14 ± 0.72 correct answers (p = 0.008). These effects were not observed in low math-performers. The effects were partly accounted for by visuo-spatial short-term memory and gross motor skills. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that motor enriched learning activities can improve mathematical performance. In normal math performers GMM led to larger improvements than FMM and CON. This was not the case for the low math performers. Future studies should further elucidate the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the observed behavioral effects. PMID:28066215

The impact of behavioural executive functioning and intelligence on math abilities in children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Dekker, M C; Ziermans, T B; Swaab, H

2016-11-01

Little is known about the role of behavioural executive functioning (EF) skills and level of intelligence (IQ) on math abilities in children with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities. Teachers of 63 children attending a school for special education (age: 10 to 13 years; IQ: 50 to 85) filled out a Behaviour Rating Inventory for Executive Function for each student. Furthermore, students took a standardised national composite math test and a specific math test on measurement and time problems. Information on level of intelligence was gathered through school records. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test direct, moderating and mediating effects of EF and IQ on math performance. Behavioural problems with working memory and flexibility had a direct negative effect on math outcome, while concurrently, level of intelligence had a positive effect. The effect of IQ on math skills was moderated by problems with inhibition: in children with a clinical level of inhibition problems, there was no effect of level of intelligence on math performance. Findings suggest that in students with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and math difficulties, it is important to address their strengths and weaknesses with respect to EF and adjust instruction and remedial intervention accordingly. © 2016 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teachers' Ability and Help Attributions and Children's Math Performance and Task Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tõeväli, Paula-Karoliina; Kikas, Eve

2016-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships between teachers' causal attributions and children's math performance and task persistence. In total, 760 elementary school children and their teachers participated in this study. The children were tested in math twice, at the end of the second and third grades. At both time…

78 FR 54459 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-04

... Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE... Upward Bound Math Science Annual Performance Report. OMB Control Number: 1840-NEW. Type of Review: New... Upward Bound (UB) and Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) Programs. The Department is requesting a new...

Basic Math Skills and Performance in an Introductory Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Marianne; Kuennen, Eric

2006-01-01

We identify the student characteristics most associated with success in an introductory business statistics class, placing special focus on the relationship between student math skills and course performance, as measured by student grade in the course. To determine which math skills are important for student success, we examine (1) whether the…

Approximate number sense, symbolic number processing, or number-space mappings: what underlies mathematics achievement?

PubMed

Sasanguie, Delphine; Göbel, Silke M; Moll, Kristina; Smets, Karolien; Reynvoet, Bert

2013-03-01

In this study, the performance of typically developing 6- to 8-year-old children on an approximate number discrimination task, a symbolic comparison task, and a symbolic and nonsymbolic number line estimation task was examined. For the first time, children's performances on these basic cognitive number processing tasks were explicitly contrasted to investigate which of them is the best predictor of their future mathematical abilities. Math achievement was measured with a timed arithmetic test and with a general curriculum-based math test to address the additional question of whether the predictive association between the basic numerical abilities and mathematics achievement is dependent on which math test is used. Results revealed that performance on both mathematics achievement tests was best predicted by how well childrencompared digits. In addition, an association between performance on the symbolic number line estimation task and math achievement scores for the general curriculum-based math test measuring a broader spectrum of skills was found. Together, these results emphasize the importance of learning experiences with symbols for later math abilities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

L’eggo My Ego: Reducing the Gender Gap in Math by Unlinking the Self from Performance

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shen; Schmader, Toni; Hall, William M.

2012-01-01

Stereotype threat can vary in source, with targets being threatened at the individual and/or group level. This study examines specifically the role of self-reputational threat in women’s underperformance in mathematics. A pilot study shows that women report concerns about experiencing self-reputational threat that are distinct from group threat in the domain of mathematics. In the main study, we manipulated whether performance was linked to the self by asking both men and women to complete a math test using either their real name or a fictitious name. Women who used a fictitious name, and thus had their self unlinked from the math test, showed significantly higher math performance and reported less self-threat and distraction, relative to those who used their real names. Men were unaffected by the manipulation. These findings suggest that women’s impaired math performance is often due to the threat of confirming a negative stereotype as being true of the self. The implications for understanding the different types of threats faced by stereotyped groups, particularly among women in math settings, are discussed. PMID:24223027

Cognitive characteristics of children with mathematics learning disability (MLD) vary as a function of the cutoff criterion used to define MLD.

PubMed

Murphy, Melissa M; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Hanich, Laurie B; Early, Martha C

2007-01-01

Researchers of mathematics learning disability (MLD) commonly use cutoff scores to determine which participants have MLD. Some researchers apply more restrictive cutoffs than others (e.g., performance below the 10th vs. below the 35th percentile). Different cutoffs may lead to groups of children that differ in their profile of math and related skills, including reading, visual-spatial, and working memory skills. The present study assesses the characteristics of children with MLD based on varying MLD definitions of math performance either below the 10th percentile (n = 22) or between the 11th and 25th percentile (n = 42) on the Test of Early Math Ability, second edition (TEMA-2). Initial starting levels and growth rates for math and related skills were examined in these two MLD groups relative to a comparison group (n = 146) whose TEMA-2 performance exceeded the 25th percentile. Between kindergarten and third grade, differences emerged in the starting level and growth rate, suggesting qualitative differences among the three groups. Despite some similarities, qualitative group differences were also observed in the profiles of math-related skills across groups. These results highlight differences in student characteristics based on the definition of MLD and illustrate the value of examining skill areas associated with math performance in addition to math performance itself.

The effect of negative performance stereotypes on learning.

PubMed

Rydell, Robert J; Rydell, Michael T; Boucher, Kathryn L

2010-12-01

Stereotype threat (ST) research has focused exclusively on how negative group stereotypes reduce performance. The present work examines if pejorative stereotypes about women in math inhibit their ability to learn the mathematical rules and operations necessary to solve math problems. In Experiment 1, women experiencing ST had difficulty encoding math-related information into memory and, therefore, learned fewer mathematical rules and showed poorer math performance than did controls. In Experiment 2, women experiencing ST while learning modular arithmetic (MA) performed more poorly than did controls on easy MA problems; this effect was due to reduced learning of the mathematical operations underlying MA. In Experiment 3, ST reduced women's, but not men's, ability to learn abstract mathematical rules and to transfer these rules to a second, isomorphic task. This work provides the first evidence that negative stereotypes about women in math reduce their level of mathematical learning and demonstrates that reduced learning due to stereotype threat can lead to poorer performance in negatively stereotyped domains. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Classroom Learning Environment and Gender: Do They Explain Math Self-Efficacy, Math Outcome Expectations, and Math Interest during Early Adolescence?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, Mary M.

2011-01-01

Despite initiatives to increase and broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, women remain underrepresented in STEM. While U.S. girls and women perform as well as, if not better, than boys and men in math, research results indicate that there are significant declines in girls' math self-efficacy,…

Approximate number sense correlates with math performance in gifted adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Jinjing Jenny; Halberda, Justin; Feigenson, Lisa

2017-05-01

Nonhuman animals, human infants, and human adults all share an Approximate Number System (ANS) that allows them to imprecisely represent number without counting. Among humans, people differ in the precision of their ANS representations, and these individual differences have been shown to correlate with symbolic mathematics performance in both children and adults. For example, children with specific math impairment (dyscalculia) have notably poor ANS precision. However, it remains unknown whether ANS precision contributes to individual differences only in populations of people with lower or average mathematical abilities, or whether this link also is present in people who excel in math. Here we tested non-symbolic numerical approximation in 13- to 16-year old gifted children enrolled in a program for talented adolescents (the Center for Talented Youth). We found that in this high achieving population, ANS precision significantly correlated with performance on the symbolic math portion of two common standardized tests (SAT and ACT) that typically are administered to much older students. This relationship was robust even when controlling for age, verbal performance, and reaction times in the approximate number task. These results suggest that the Approximate Number System is linked to symbolic math performance even at the top levels of math performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Individual Differences Related to College Students' Course Performance in Calculus II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Sara A.; Daucourt, Mia; Ganley, Colleen M.

2017-01-01

In this study, we explore student achievement in a semester-long flipped Calculus II course, combining various predictor measures related to student attitudes (math anxiety, math confidence, math interest, math importance) and cognitive skills (spatial skills, approximate number system), as well as student engagement with the online system…

When math hurts: math anxiety predicts pain network activation in anticipation of doing math.

PubMed

Lyons, Ian M; Beilock, Sian L

2012-01-01

Math can be difficult, and for those with high levels of mathematics-anxiety (HMAs), math is associated with tension, apprehension, and fear. But what underlies the feelings of dread effected by math anxiety? Are HMAs' feelings about math merely psychological epiphenomena, or is their anxiety grounded in simulation of a concrete, visceral sensation - such as pain - about which they have every right to feel anxious? We show that, when anticipating an upcoming math-task, the higher one's math anxiety, the more one increases activity in regions associated with visceral threat detection, and often the experience of pain itself (bilateral dorso-posterior insula). Interestingly, this relation was not seen during math performance, suggesting that it is not that math itself hurts; rather, the anticipation of math is painful. Our data suggest that pain network activation underlies the intuition that simply anticipating a dreaded event can feel painful. These results may also provide a potential neural mechanism to explain why HMAs tend to avoid math and math-related situations, which in turn can bias HMAs away from taking math classes or even entire math-related career paths.

Mathematical models for space shuttle ground systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tory, E. G.

1985-01-01

Math models are a series of algorithms, comprised of algebraic equations and Boolean Logic. At Kennedy Space Center, math models for the Space Shuttle Systems are performed utilizing the Honeywell 66/80 digital computers, Modcomp II/45 Minicomputers and special purpose hardware simulators (MicroComputers). The Shuttle Ground Operations Simulator operating system provides the language formats, subroutines, queueing schemes, execution modes and support software to write, maintain and execute the models. The ground systems presented consist primarily of the Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Hydrogen Cryogenic Propellant Systems, as well as liquid oxygen External Tank Gaseous Oxygen Vent Hood/Arm and the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) High Bay Cells. The purpose of math modeling is to simulate the ground hardware systems and to provide an environment for testing in a benign mode. This capability allows the engineers to check out application software for loading and launching the vehicle, and to verify the Checkout, Control, & Monitor Subsystem within the Launch Processing System. It is also used to train operators and to predict system response and status in various configurations (normal operations, emergency and contingent operations), including untried configurations or those too dangerous to try under real conditions, i.e., failure modes.

Visual working memory and number sense: Testing the double deficit hypothesis in mathematics.

PubMed

Toll, Sylke W M; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Van Luit, Johannes E H

2016-09-01

Evidence exists that there are two main underlying cognitive factors in mathematical difficulties: working memory and number sense. It is suggested that real math difficulties appear when both working memory and number sense are weak, here referred to as the double deficit (DD) hypothesis. The aim of this study was to test the DD hypothesis within a longitudinal time span of 2 years. A total of 670 children participated. The mean age was 4.96 years at the start of the study and 7.02 years at the end of the study. At the end of the first year of kindergarten, both visual-spatial working memory and number sense were measured by two different tasks. At the end of first grade, mathematical performance was measured with two tasks, one for math facts and one for math problems. Multiple regressions revealed that both visual working memory and symbolic number sense are predictors of mathematical performance in first grade. Symbolic number sense appears to be the strongest predictor for both math areas (math facts and math problems). Non-symbolic number sense only predicts performance in math problems. Multivariate analyses of variance showed that a combination of visual working memory and number sense deficits (NSDs) leads to the lowest performance on mathematics. Our DD hypothesis was confirmed. Both visual working memory and symbolic number sense in kindergarten are related to mathematical performance 2 years later, and a combination of visual working memory and NSDs leads to low performance in mathematical performance. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Investigation of Remedial Education Course Scores as a Predictor of Introduction-Level Course Performances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulmer, Ward; Means, Darris R.; Cawthon, Tony W.; Kristensen, Sheryl A.

2016-01-01

This study explores whether performance in remedial English and remedial math is a predictor of success in a college-level introduction English or college-level math class; and whether demographic variables increase the likelihood of remedial English and remedial math as a predictor of success in a college-level introduction English or…

Relations among Parental Causal Attributions and Children's Math Performance and Task Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tõeväli, Paula-Karoliina; Kikas, Eve

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the cross-lagged relations between parental causal attributions of children's math success to children's ability, parental help, children's math performance and task persistence. A total of 735 children, their mothers, fathers and teachers were assessed twice--at the end of the second and the third grades.…

Changing Stereotypes, Changing Grades: A Longitudinal Study of Stereotyping during a College Math Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramsey, Laura R.; Sekaquaptewa, Denise

2011-01-01

Previous research has illuminated an important connection between stereotypes and the performance of those targeted by a stereotype. This body of work suggests that even implicit (i.e., nonconscious and unintended) math-gender stereotyping is related to poor math performance among women. Our longitudinal study sought to measure students'…

Girls' Math Performance under Stereotype Threat: The Moderating Role of Mothers' Gender Stereotypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomasetto, Carlo; Alparone, Francesca Romana; Cadinu, Mara

2011-01-01

Previous research on stereotype threat in children suggests that making gender identity salient disrupts girls' math performance at as early as 5 to 7 years of age. The present study (n = 124) tested the hypothesis that parents' endorsement of gender stereotypes about math moderates girls' susceptibility to stereotype threat. Results confirmed…

Mathematics anxiety in children with developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

Rubinsten, Orly; Tannock, Rosemary

2010-07-15

Math anxiety, defined as a negative affective response to mathematics, is known to have deleterious effects on math performance in the general population. However, the assumption that math anxiety is directly related to math performance, has not yet been validated. Thus, our primary objective was to investigate the effects of math anxiety on numerical processing in children with specific deficits in the acquisition of math skills (Developmental Dyscalculia; DD) by using a novel affective priming task as an indirect measure. Participants (12 children with DD and 11 typically-developing peers) completed a novel priming task in which an arithmetic equation was preceded by one of four types of priming words (positive, neutral, negative or related to mathematics). Children were required to indicate whether the equation (simple math facts based on addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) was true or false. Typically, people respond to target stimuli more quickly after presentation of an affectively-related prime than after one that is unrelated affectively. Participants with DD responded faster to targets that were preceded by both negative primes and math-related primes. A reversed pattern was present in the control group. These results reveal a direct link between emotions, arithmetic and low achievement in math. It is also suggested that arithmetic-affective priming might be used as an indirect measure of math anxiety.

A Theoretical Math Model for Projecting AIS3+ Thoracic Injury for Belted Occupants in Frontal Impact.

PubMed

Laituri, Tony R; Sullivan, Donald; Sullivan, Kaye; Prasad, Priya

2004-11-01

A theoretical math model was created to assess the net effect of aging populations versus evolving system designs from the standpoint of thoracic injury potential. The model was used to project the next twenty-five years of thoracic injuries in Canada. The choice of Canada was topical because rulemaking for CMVSS 208 has been proposed recently. The study was limited to properly-belted, front-outboard, adult occupants in 11-1 o'clock frontal crashes. Moreover, only AIS3+ thoracic injury potential was considered. The research consisted of four steps. First, sub-models were developed and integrated. The sub-models were made for numerous real-world effects including population growth, crash involvement, fleet penetration of various systems (via system introduction, vehicle production, and vehicle attrition), and attendant injury risk estimation. Second, existing NASS data were used to estimate the number of AIS3+ chest-injured drivers in Canada in 2001. This served as data for model validation. Third, the projection model was correlated favorably with the 2001 field estimate. Finally, for the scenario that 2004-2030 model-year systems would perform like 2000-2003 model-year systems, a projection was made to estimate the long-term effect of eliminating designs that would not comply with the proposed CMVSS 208. The 2006-2030-projection result for this scenario: 764 occupants would benefit from the proposed regulation. This projection was considered to be conservative because future innovation was not considered, and, to date, the fleet's average chest deflections have been decreasing. The model also predicted that, through 2016, the effect of improving system performance would be more influential than the population-aging effect; thereafter, the population-aging effect would somewhat counteract the effect of improving system performance. This theoretical math model can provide insights for both designers and rule makers.

The Path through Math: Course Sequences and Academic Performance at the Intersection of Race-Ethnicity and Gender

PubMed Central

RIEGLE-CRUMB, CATHERINE

2010-01-01

Using new national data from Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement (AHAA), this article examines high school math patterns for students of different race-ethnicity and gender. Compared with white males, African American and Latino males receive lower returns from taking Algebra I during their freshman year, reaching lower levels of the math course sequence when they begin in the same position. This pattern is not explained by academic performance, and, furthermore, African American males receive less benefit from high math grades. Lower returns are not observed for minority female students, suggesting that more attention to racial-ethnic inequality in math among male students is needed. PMID:20574544

Minimum-complexity helicopter simulation math model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heffley, Robert K.; Mnich, Marc A.

1988-01-01

An example of a minimal complexity simulation helicopter math model is presented. Motivating factors are the computational delays, cost, and inflexibility of the very sophisticated math models now in common use. A helicopter model form is given which addresses each of these factors and provides better engineering understanding of the specific handling qualities features which are apparent to the simulator pilot. The technical approach begins with specification of features which are to be modeled, followed by a build up of individual vehicle components and definition of equations. Model matching and estimation procedures are given which enable the modeling of specific helicopters from basic data sources such as flight manuals. Checkout procedures are given which provide for total model validation. A number of possible model extensions and refinement are discussed. Math model computer programs are defined and listed.

Flight Control System Development for the BURRO Autonomous UAV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colbourne, Jason D.; Frost, Chad R.; Tischler, Mark B.; Ciolani, Luigi; Sahai, Ranjana; Tomoshofski, Chris; LaMontagne, Troy; Rutkowski, Michael (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Developing autonomous flying vehicles has been a growing field in aeronautical research within the last decade and will continue into the next century. With concerns about safety, size, and cost of manned aircraft, several autonomous vehicle projects are currently being developed; uninhabited rotorcraft offer solutions to requirements for hover, vertical take-off and landing, as well as slung load transportation capabilities. The newness of the technology requires flight control engineers to question what design approaches, control law architectures, and performance criteria apply to control law development and handling quality evaluation. To help answer these questions, this paper documents the control law design process for Kaman Aerospace BURRO project. This paper will describe the approach taken to design control laws and develop math models which will be used to convert the manned K-MAX into the BURRO autonomous rotorcraft. With the ability of the K-MAX to lift its own weight (6000 lb) the load significantly affects the dynamics of the system; the paper addresses the additional design requirements for slung load autonomous flight. The approach taken in this design was to: 1) generate accurate math models of the K-MAX helicopter with and without slung loads, 2) select design specifications that would deliver good performance as well as satisfy mission criteria, and 3) develop and tune the control system architecture to meet the design specs and mission criteria. An accurate math model was desired for control system development. The Comprehensive Identification from Frequency Responses (CIFER(R)) software package was used to identify a linear math model for unloaded and loaded flight at hover, 50 kts, and 100 kts. The results of an eight degree-of-freedom CIFER(R)-identified linear model for the unloaded hover flight condition are presented herein, and the identification of the two-body slung-load configuration is in progress.

Strategies for Reducing Math Anxiety. Information Capsule. Volume 1102

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blazer, Christie

2011-01-01

Approximately 93 percent of Americans indicate that they experience some level of math anxiety. Math anxiety is defined as negative emotions that interfere with the solving of mathematical problems. Studies have found that some students who perform poorly on math assessments actually have a full understanding of the concepts being tested; however,…

Associations of Adiposity and Aerobic Fitness with Executive Function and Math Performance in Danish Adolescents.

PubMed

Huang, Tao; Tarp, Jakob; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Thorsen, Anne Kær; Froberg, Karsten; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2015-10-01

To examine the associations of adiposity and aerobic fitness with executive function and math performance in Danish adolescents. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted with data on 525 adolescents attending sixth and seventh grades from 14 schools in the 5 main regions of Denmark. A modified Eriksen flanker task was used to assess inhibitory control, a key aspect of executive function. Academic performance was assessed by a customized math test. Aerobic fitness was assessed by an intermittent shuttle-run test (Andersen test). Body mass index (BMI) was negatively associated with accuracy on incongruent trials during the flanker task (P = .005). A higher BMI was associated with a larger accuracy interference score (P = .01). Similarly, waist circumference (WC) was negatively associated with accuracy on incongruent trials (P = .008). A higher WC was associated with a larger reaction time (RT) interference score (P = .02) and accuracy interference score (P = .009). Higher aerobic fitness was associated with a faster RT on congruent trials (P = .009) and incongruent trials (P = .003). Higher aerobic fitness was associated with a smaller RT interference score (P = .04). Aerobic fitness was positively associated with math score (P < .001). BMI and WC were not associated with math score (P > .05). These results suggest that aerobic fitness is positively associated with both inhibitory control and math performance in adolescents. Adiposity is negatively associated with inhibitory control in adolescents. Adiposity is not associated with math performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eye-movement patterns during nonsymbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude comparison and their relation to math calculation skills.

PubMed

Price, Gavin R; Wilkey, Eric D; Yeo, Darren J

2017-05-01

A growing body of research suggests that the processing of nonsymbolic (e.g. sets of dots) and symbolic (e.g. Arabic digits) numerical magnitudes serves as a foundation for the development of math competence. Performance on magnitude comparison tasks is thought to reflect the precision of a shared cognitive representation, as evidence by the presence of a numerical ratio effect for both formats. However, little is known regarding how visuo-perceptual processes are related to the numerical ratio effect, whether they are shared across numerical formats, and whether they relate to math competence independently of performance outcomes. The present study investigates these questions in a sample of typically developing adults. Our results reveal a pattern of associations between eye-movement measures, but not their ratio effects, across formats. This suggests that ratio-specific visuo-perceptual processing during magnitude processing is different across nonsymbolic and symbolic formats. Furthermore, eye movements are related to math performance only during symbolic comparison, supporting a growing body of literature suggesting symbolic number processing is more strongly related to math outcomes than nonsymbolic magnitude processing. Finally, eye-movement patterns, specifically fixation dwell time, continue to be negatively related to math performance after controlling for task performance (i.e. error rate and reaction time) and domain general cognitive abilities (IQ), suggesting that fluent visual processing of Arabic digits plays a unique and important role in linking symbolic number processing to formal math abilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acute Effect of Intermittent Exercise and Action-Based Video Game Breaks on Math Performance in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Block, Shannon S; Tooley, Trevor R; Nagy, Matthew R; O'Sullivan, Molly P; Robinson, Leah E; Colabianchi, Natalie; Hasson, Rebecca E

2018-02-27

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of video game breaks and intermittent exercise breaks, performed at varying intensities, on math performance in preadolescent children. A total of 39 children (18 males and 21 females; aged 7-11 y) completed 4 experimental conditions in random order: 8 hours of sitting interrupted with 20 two-minute low-, moderate-, or high-intensity exercise breaks or 20 two-minute sedentary computer game breaks. The intensity of exercise breaks for the low-, moderate-, and high-intensity conditions corresponded with 25%, 50%, and 75% of heart rate reserve, respectively. Math performance was assessed 3 times throughout each condition day using a 90-second math test consisting of 40 single-digit addition and subtraction questions. There were no significant differences in percent change in math scores (correct answers out of attempted) by condition [low: -1.3 (0.8), moderate: 0.1 (1.3), high: -1.8 (0.7), and computer: -2.5 (0.8); P > .05]. There were significant differences in percent change in math scores over the course of the condition days with lower math scores reported at end-of-day test compared with midday test [-2.4 (0.5) vs -0.4 (0.3); P = .01]. There were no significant condition × time, time × age, condition × age, or condition × time × age interactions (all Ps > .05). Action-based video game and exercise breaks elicit the same level of math performance in children; however, time of day may impact this relationship. These findings may have important implications for instructional time in elementary classrooms.

Training the approximate number system improves math proficiency.

PubMed

Park, Joonkoo; Brannon, Elizabeth M

2013-10-01

Humans and nonhuman animals share an approximate number system (ANS) that permits estimation and rough calculation of quantities without symbols. Recent studies show a correlation between the acuity of the ANS and performance in symbolic math throughout development and into adulthood, which suggests that the ANS may serve as a cognitive foundation for the uniquely human capacity for symbolic math. Such a proposition leads to the untested prediction that training aimed at improving ANS performance will transfer to improvement in symbolic-math ability. In the two experiments reported here, we showed that ANS training on approximate addition and subtraction of arrays of dots selectively improved symbolic addition and subtraction. This finding strongly supports the hypothesis that complex math skills are fundamentally linked to rudimentary preverbal quantitative abilities and provides the first direct evidence that the ANS and symbolic math may be causally related. It also raises the possibility that interventions aimed at the ANS could benefit children and adults who struggle with math.

When Math Hurts: Math Anxiety Predicts Pain Network Activation in Anticipation of Doing Math

PubMed Central

Lyons, Ian M.; Beilock, Sian L.

2012-01-01

Math can be difficult, and for those with high levels of mathematics-anxiety (HMAs), math is associated with tension, apprehension, and fear. But what underlies the feelings of dread effected by math anxiety? Are HMAs’ feelings about math merely psychological epiphenomena, or is their anxiety grounded in simulation of a concrete, visceral sensation – such as pain – about which they have every right to feel anxious? We show that, when anticipating an upcoming math-task, the higher one’s math anxiety, the more one increases activity in regions associated with visceral threat detection, and often the experience of pain itself (bilateral dorso-posterior insula). Interestingly, this relation was not seen during math performance, suggesting that it is not that math itself hurts; rather, the anticipation of math is painful. Our data suggest that pain network activation underlies the intuition that simply anticipating a dreaded event can feel painful. These results may also provide a potential neural mechanism to explain why HMAs tend to avoid math and math-related situations, which in turn can bias HMAs away from taking math classes or even entire math-related career paths. PMID:23118929

The Effects of Guided Discussion on Math Anxiety Levels, Course Performance, and Retention in a College Algebra Internet Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emig, Christa

2009-01-01

The study sought to test the hypotheses that effective, guided discussions that facilitate meaningful dialogue about math anxiety would reduce levels of math anxiety in college algebra students, and would enhance course performance and course retention at a large community college in South Texas. The study was quantitative with a qualitative…

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and Gendered Math Teaching in Kuwait

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Fatimah; Greenhalgh-Spencer, Heather

2017-01-01

This paper argues for a more complex literature around gender and math performance. In order to argue for this complexity, we present a small portion of data from a case study examining the performance of Kuwaiti students on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and on Kuwait national math tests. Westernized discourses suggest…

Learning by Choosing: Fourth Graders Use of an Online Multimedia Tutoring System for Math Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloy, Robert W.; Razzaq, Leena; Edwards, Sharon A.

2014-01-01

This study explored the use of an online mathematics tutoring system in eight fourth grade classrooms in two Massachusetts communities--a small rural city with a low 2010 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) math performance rating and a small suburban district with a high 2010 AYP math performance rating. 165 fourth graders completed 11 modules…

Evaluation of the Relationship between Literacy and Mathematics Skills as Assessed by Curriculum-Based Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford-Becker, Kristy J.; Vanderwood, Michael L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent that reading performance (as measured by curriculum-based measures [CBM] of oral reading fluency [ORF] and Maze reading comprehension), is related to math performance (as measured by CBM math computation and applied math). Additionally, this study examined which of the two reading measures was a…

Testing Math or Testing Language? The Construct Validity of the KeyMath-Revised for Children with Intellectual Disability and Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Katherine T.; Branum-Martin, Lee; Morris, Robin D.; Romski, MaryAnn; Sevcik, Rose A.

2015-01-01

Although it is often assumed that mathematics ability alone predicts mathematics test performance, linguistic demands may also predict achievement. This study examined the role of language in mathematics assessment performance for children with intellectual disability (ID) at less severe levels, on the KeyMath-Revised Inventory (KM-R) with a…

Distracted by the Unthought - Suppression and Reappraisal of Mind Wandering under Stereotype Threat.

PubMed

Schuster, Carolin; Martiny, Sarah E; Schmader, Toni

2015-01-01

Previous research has found that subtle reminders of negative stereotypes about one's group can lead individuals to underperform on stereotype-relevant tests (e.g., women in math, ethnic minorities on intelligence tests). This so called stereotype threat effect can contribute to systematic group differences in performance that can obscure the true abilities of certain social groups and thereby sustain social inequalities. In the present study, we examined processes underlying stereotype threat effects on women's math performance, specifically focusing on the role of suppression of mind wandering (i.e., task-irrelevant thinking) in stereotype threat (ST) and no threat (NT) situations. Based on a process model of stereotype threat effects on performance, we hypothesized that women under stereotype threat spontaneously suppress mind wandering, and that this suppression impairs performance. An alternative regulation strategy that prevents suppression (i.e., reappraising task-irrelevant thoughts as normal) was predicted to prevent stereotype threat effects on performance. We manipulated stereotype threat (ST vs. NT) and cognitive regulation strategy (suppression, reappraisal, or no strategy) and measured women's performance on a math and a concentration task (N = 113). We expected three groups to perform relatively more poorly: Those in ST with either no strategy or suppression and those in NT with a suppression strategy. We tested the performance of these groups against the remaining three groups hypothesized to perform relatively better: those in NT with no strategy or reappraisal and those in ST with reappraisal. The results showed the expected pattern for participants' math performance, but not for concentration achievement. This pattern suggests that ineffective self-regulation by suppressing mind wandering can at least partly explain stereotype threat effects on performance, whereas a reappraisal strategy can prevent this impairment. We discuss implications for the understanding of processes underlying stereotype threat effects and the benefits of reappraising subjective experience under threat.

Distracted by the Unthought – Suppression and Reappraisal of Mind Wandering under Stereotype Threat

PubMed Central

Schuster, Carolin; Martiny, Sarah E.; Schmader, Toni

2015-01-01

Previous research has found that subtle reminders of negative stereotypes about one’s group can lead individuals to underperform on stereotype-relevant tests (e.g., women in math, ethnic minorities on intelligence tests). This so called stereotype threat effect can contribute to systematic group differences in performance that can obscure the true abilities of certain social groups and thereby sustain social inequalities. In the present study, we examined processes underlying stereotype threat effects on women’s math performance, specifically focusing on the role of suppression of mind wandering (i.e., task-irrelevant thinking) in stereotype threat (ST) and no threat (NT) situations. Based on a process model of stereotype threat effects on performance, we hypothesized that women under stereotype threat spontaneously suppress mind wandering, and that this suppression impairs performance. An alternative regulation strategy that prevents suppression (i.e., reappraising task-irrelevant thoughts as normal) was predicted to prevent stereotype threat effects on performance. We manipulated stereotype threat (ST vs. NT) and cognitive regulation strategy (suppression, reappraisal, or no strategy) and measured women’s performance on a math and a concentration task (N = 113). We expected three groups to perform relatively more poorly: Those in ST with either no strategy or suppression and those in NT with a suppression strategy. We tested the performance of these groups against the remaining three groups hypothesized to perform relatively better: those in NT with no strategy or reappraisal and those in ST with reappraisal. The results showed the expected pattern for participants’ math performance, but not for concentration achievement. This pattern suggests that ineffective self-regulation by suppressing mind wandering can at least partly explain stereotype threat effects on performance, whereas a reappraisal strategy can prevent this impairment. We discuss implications for the understanding of processes underlying stereotype threat effects and the benefits of reappraising subjective experience under threat. PMID:25815814

Preparing Prekindergartners with Math Readiness Skills: The Effect of Children's Talk, Focus, and Engagement on Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummings, Tracy; Hofer, Kerry G.; Farran, Dale C.; Lipsey, Mark W.; Bilbrey, Carol; Vorhaus, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

The "Building Blocks PreK Math Curriculum" (Clements & Sarama, 2007) was designed to facilitate children's engagement in math and talk about math. Much research investigates the effect of curriculum on classrooms or teacher practices. This study used a mediational model to look at a curriculum's effect on children's achievement gain, operating…

The effectiveness of problem-based learning on students’ problem solving ability in vector analysis course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mushlihuddin, R.; Nurafifah; Irvan

2018-01-01

The student’s low ability in mathematics problem solving proved to the less effective of a learning process in the classroom. Effective learning was a learning that affects student’s math skills, one of which is problem-solving abilities. Problem-solving capability consisted of several stages: understanding the problem, planning the settlement, solving the problem as planned, re-examining the procedure and the outcome. The purpose of this research was to know: (1) was there any influence of PBL model in improving ability Problem solving of student math in a subject of vector analysis?; (2) was the PBL model effective in improving students’ mathematical problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses? This research was a quasi-experiment research. The data analysis techniques performed from the test stages of data description, a prerequisite test is the normality test, and hypothesis test using the ANCOVA test and Gain test. The results showed that: (1) there was an influence of PBL model in improving students’ math problem-solving abilities in vector analysis courses; (2) the PBL model was effective in improving students’ problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses with a medium category.

Self-Constructs and Anxiety Across Cultures. Research Report. ETS RR-09-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jihyun

2009-01-01

This study examined the factorial structure of three related constructs, math self-concept, math self-efficacy, and math anxiety, across 41 countries. One factorial structure was achieved at both between- and within-country levels. Within-country variations of the self-constructs were also noted in relation to math performance: Self-concept showed…

Sex Differences in the Relation between Math Performance, Spatial Skills, and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganley, Colleen M.; Vasilyeva, Marina

2011-01-01

Sex differences have been previously found in cognitive and affective predictors of math achievement, including spatial skills and math attitudes. It is important to determine whether there are sex differences not only in the predictors themselves, but also in the nature of their relation to math achievement. The present paper examined spatial…

The role of social support in students' perceived abilities and attitudes toward math and science.

PubMed

Rice, Lindsay; Barth, Joan M; Guadagno, Rosanna E; Smith, Gabrielle P A; McCallum, Debra M

2013-07-01

Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students' pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social support, and the relationship between this component and attitude and self-efficacy in math and science. A large cross-sectional design was used gathering data from 1,552 participants in four adolescent school settings from 5th grade to early college (41 % female, 80 % white). Students completed measures of perceived social support from parents, teachers and friends as well as their perceived ability and attitudes toward math and science. Fifth grade and college students reported higher levels of support from teachers and friends when compared to students at other grade levels. In addition, students who perceived greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends reported better attitudes and had higher perceptions of their abilities in math and science. Lastly, structural equation modeling revealed that social support had both a direct effect on math and science perceived abilities and an indirect effect mediated through math and science attitudes. Findings suggest that students who perceive greater social support for math and science from parents, teachers, and friends have more positive attitudes toward math and science and a higher sense of their own competence in these subjects.

Neuroanatomical correlates of performance in a state-wide test of math achievement.

PubMed

Wilkey, Eric D; Cutting, Laurie E; Price, Gavin R

2018-03-01

The development of math skills is a critical component of early education and a strong indicator of later school and economic success. Recent research utilizing population-normed, standardized measures of math achievement suggest that structural and functional integrity of parietal regions, especially the intraparietal sulcus, are closely related to the development of math skills. However, it is unknown how these findings relate to in-school math learning. The present study is the first to address this issue by investigating the relationship between regional differences in grey matter (GM) volume and performance in grade-level mathematics as measured by a state-wide, school-based test of math achievement (TCAP math) in children from 3rd to 8th grade. Results show that increased GM volume in the bilateral hippocampal formation and the right inferior frontal gyrus, regions associated with learning and memory, is associated with higher TCAP math scores. Secondary analyses revealed that GM volume in the left angular gyrus had a stronger relationship to TCAP math in grades 3-4 than in grades 5-8 while the relationship between GM volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus and TCAP math was stronger for grades 5-8. These results suggest that the neuroanatomical architecture related to in-school math achievement differs from that related to math achievement measured by standardized tests, and that the most related neural structures differ as a function of grade level. We suggest, therefore, that the use of school-relevant outcome measures is critical if neuroscience is to bridge the gap to education. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A meta-analysis of math performance in Turner syndrome.

PubMed

Baker, Joseph M; Reiss, Allan L

2016-02-01

Studies investigating the relationship between Turner syndrome and math learning disability have used a wide variation of tasks designed to test various aspects of mathematical competencies. Although these studies have revealed much about the math deficits common to Turner syndrome, their diversity makes comparisons between individual studies difficult. As a result, the consistency of outcomes among these diverse measures remains unknown. The overarching aim of this review is to provide a systematic meta-analysis of the differences in math and number performance between females with Turner syndrome and age-matched neurotypical peers. We provide a meta-analysis of behavioral performance in Turner syndrome relative to age-matched neurotypical populations on assessments of math and number aptitude. In total, 112 comparisons collected across 17 studies were included. Although 54% of all statistical comparisons in our analyses failed to reject the null hypothesis, our results indicate that meaningful group differences exist on all comparisons except those that do not require explicit calculation. Taken together, these results help elucidate our current understanding of math and number weaknesses in Turner syndrome, while highlighting specific topics that require further investigation. © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Mathematics anxiety in children with developmental dyscalculia

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Math anxiety, defined as a negative affective response to mathematics, is known to have deleterious effects on math performance in the general population. However, the assumption that math anxiety is directly related to math performance, has not yet been validated. Thus, our primary objective was to investigate the effects of math anxiety on numerical processing in children with specific deficits in the acquisition of math skills (Developmental Dyscalculia; DD) by using a novel affective priming task as an indirect measure. Methods Participants (12 children with DD and 11 typically-developing peers) completed a novel priming task in which an arithmetic equation was preceded by one of four types of priming words (positive, neutral, negative or related to mathematics). Children were required to indicate whether the equation (simple math facts based on addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) was true or false. Typically, people respond to target stimuli more quickly after presentation of an affectively-related prime than after one that is unrelated affectively. Result Participants with DD responded faster to targets that were preceded by both negative primes and math-related primes. A reversed pattern was present in the control group. Conclusion These results reveal a direct link between emotions, arithmetic and low achievement in math. It is also suggested that arithmetic-affective priming might be used as an indirect measure of math anxiety. PMID:20633269

From classroom environment to mathematics achievement: The mediating role of self-perceived ability and subject interest.

PubMed

Tosto, Maria G; Asbury, Kathryn; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Petrill, Stephen A; Kovas, Yulia

2016-08-01

Drawing on Bandura's triadic reciprocal causation model, perceived classroom environment and three intrapersonal factors (mathematics self-efficacy, maths interest and academic self-concept) were considered as predictors of test performance in two correlated mathematics assessments: a public examination (GCSE) and an on-line test, both taken by UK pupils at age 16 (n = 6689). Intrapersonal factors were significantly associated with both test scores, even when the alternative score was taken into account. Classroom environment did not correlate with mathematics achievement once intrapersonal factors and alternative test performance were included in the model, but was associated with subject interest and academic self-concept. Perceptions of classroom environment may exercise an indirect influence on achievement by boosting interest and self-concept. In turn, these intrapersonal factors have direct relationships with achievement and were found to mediate the relationship between perceived classroom environment and maths performance. Findings and their implications for mathematics education are discussed.

Assessing the Effectiveness of a Learning Community Course Design to Improve the Math Performance of First-Year Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Michele J.; Meshulam, Susan; Parker, Brooke

2013-01-01

National attention is focused on the persistent high failure rates for students enrolled in math courses, and the search for strategies to change these outcomes is on. This study used a mixed-method research design to assess the effectiveness of a learning community course designed to improve the math performance levels of firstyear students.…

Where Can We Find Future K-12 Science and Math Teachers? A Search by Academic Year, Discipline, and Academic Performance Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moin, Laura J.; Dorfield, Jennifer K.; Schunn, Christian D.

2005-01-01

Responding to the increasing math and science teacher shortage in the United States, this study intended to determine which science, engineering, and math (SEM) majors during which years in their undergraduate education and from which academic performance levels are most interested in K-12 teaching. Results may aid policymakers and practitioners…

The Link between Basing Self-Worth on Academics and Student Performance Depends on Domain Identification and Academic Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Jason S.; Charbonneau, Joseph

2009-01-01

Two studies showed that the link between how much students base their self-worth on academics and their math performance depends on whether their identification with math was statistically controlled and whether the task measured ability or not. Study 1 showed that, when math identification was uncontrolled and the task was ability-diagnostic,…

Optics Program Simplifies Analysis and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Engineers at Goddard Space Flight Center partnered with software experts at Mide Technology Corporation, of Medford, Massachusetts, through a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to design the Disturbance-Optics-Controls-Structures (DOCS) Toolbox, a software suite for performing integrated modeling for multidisciplinary analysis and design. The DOCS Toolbox integrates various discipline models into a coupled process math model that can then predict system performance as a function of subsystem design parameters. The system can be optimized for performance; design parameters can be traded; parameter uncertainties can be propagated through the math model to develop error bounds on system predictions; and the model can be updated, based on component, subsystem, or system level data. The Toolbox also allows the definition of process parameters as explicit functions of the coupled model and includes a number of functions that analyze the coupled system model and provide for redesign. The product is being sold commercially by Nightsky Systems Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina, a spinoff company that was formed by Mide specifically to market the DOCS Toolbox. Commercial applications include use by any contractors developing large space-based optical systems, including Lockheed Martin Corporation, The Boeing Company, and Northrup Grumman Corporation, as well as companies providing technical audit services, like General Dynamics Corporation

Prediction and Stability of Mathematics Skill and Difficulty

PubMed Central

Martin, Rebecca B.; Cirino, Paul T.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Stuebing, Karla K.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2016-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance. PMID:22392890

Prediction and stability of mathematics skill and difficulty.

PubMed

Martin, Rebecca B; Cirino, Paul T; Barnes, Marcia A; Ewing-Cobbs, Linda; Fuchs, Lynn S; Stuebing, Karla K; Fletcher, Jack M

2013-01-01

The present study evaluated the stability of math learning difficulties over a 2-year period and investigated several factors that might influence this stability (categorical vs. continuous change, liberal vs. conservative cut point, broad vs. specific math assessment); the prediction of math performance over time and by performance level was also evaluated. Participants were 144 students initially identified as having a math difficulty (MD) or no learning difficulty according to low achievement criteria in the spring of Grade 3 or Grade 4. Students were reassessed 2 years later. For both measure types, a similar proportion of students changed whether assessed categorically or continuously. However, categorical change was heavily dependent on distance from the cut point and so more common for MD, who started closer to the cut point; reliable change index change was more similar across groups. There were few differences with regard to severity level of MD on continuous metrics or in terms of prediction. Final math performance on a broad computation measure was predicted by behavioral inattention and working memory while considering initial performance; for a specific fluency measure, working memory was not uniquely related, and behavioral inattention more variably related to final performance, again while considering initial performance.

A Comparison of Two Balance Calibration Model Building Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLoach, Richard; Ulbrich, Norbert

2007-01-01

Simulated strain-gage balance calibration data is used to compare the accuracy of two balance calibration model building methods for different noise environments and calibration experiment designs. The first building method obtains a math model for the analysis of balance calibration data after applying a candidate math model search algorithm to the calibration data set. The second building method uses stepwise regression analysis in order to construct a model for the analysis. Four balance calibration data sets were simulated in order to compare the accuracy of the two math model building methods. The simulated data sets were prepared using the traditional One Factor At a Time (OFAT) technique and the Modern Design of Experiments (MDOE) approach. Random and systematic errors were introduced in the simulated calibration data sets in order to study their influence on the math model building methods. Residuals of the fitted calibration responses and other statistical metrics were compared in order to evaluate the calibration models developed with different combinations of noise environment, experiment design, and model building method. Overall, predicted math models and residuals of both math model building methods show very good agreement. Significant differences in model quality were attributable to noise environment, experiment design, and their interaction. Generally, the addition of systematic error significantly degraded the quality of calibration models developed from OFAT data by either method, but MDOE experiment designs were more robust with respect to the introduction of a systematic component of the unexplained variance.

Completing the Remedial Sequence and College-Level Credit-Bearing Math: Comparing Binary, Cumulative, and Continuation Ratio Logistic Regression Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, J. Cody

2016-01-01

Mathematics is the most common subject area of remedial need and the majority of remedial math students never pass a college-level credit-bearing math class. The majorities of studies that investigate this phenomenon are conducted at community colleges and use some type of regression model; however, none have used a continuation ratio model. The…

STS-2: SAIL non-avionics subsystems math model requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, W. P.; Herold, R. W.

1980-01-01

Simulation of the STS-2 Shuttle nonavionics subsystems in the shuttle avionics integration laboratory (SAIL) is necessary for verification of the integrated shuttle avionics system. The math model (simulation) requirements for each of the nonavionics subsystems that interfaces with the Shuttle avionics system is documented and a single source document for controlling approved changes (by the SAIL change control panel) to the math models is provided.

Social Capital, Information, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Math Coursework

PubMed Central

Crosnoe, Robert; Schneider, Barbara

2011-01-01

Analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study revealed that socioeconomically advantaged students persist in high school math at higher rates than their disadvantaged peers, even when they have the same initial placements and skill levels. These disparities are larger among students with prior records of low academic status because students from more privileged backgrounds persist in math coursework even when their prior performance predicts they will not. Among students with low middle school math performance, those from socioeconomically disadvantaged families appear to benefit from having consultants for coursework decisions, so that they make up ground with their socioeconomically advantaged peers. PMID:21743762

Thermal math model analysis of FRSI test article subjected to cold soak and entry environments. [Flexible Reuseable Surface Insulation in Space Shuttle Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallegos, J. J.

1978-01-01

A multi-objective test program was conducted at the NASA/JSC Radiant Heat Test Facility in which an aluminum skin/stringer test panel insulated with FRSI (Flexible Reusable Surface Insulation) was subjected to 24 simulated Space Shuttle Orbiter ascent/entry heating cycles with a cold soak in between in the 10th and 20th cycles. A two-dimensional thermal math model was developed and utilized to predict the thermal performance of the FRSI. Results are presented which indicate that the modeling techniques and property values have been proven adequate in predicting peak structure temperatures and entry thermal responses from both an ambient and cold soak condition of an FRSI covered aluminum structure.

The Menu for Every Young Mathematician's Appetite

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legnard, Danielle S.; Austin, Susan L.

2012-01-01

Math Workshop offers differentiated instruction to foster a deep understanding of rich, rigorous mathematics that is attainable by all learners. The inquiry-based model provides a menu of multilevel math tasks, within the daily math block, that focus on similar mathematical content. Math Workshop promotes a culture of engagement and…

The Role of Teachers' Expectations in the Association between Children's SES and Performance in Kindergarten: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

PubMed Central

Speybroeck, Sara; Kuppens, Sofie; Van Damme, Jan; Van Petegem, Peter; Lamote, Carl; Boonen, Tinneke; de Bilde, Jerissa

2012-01-01

This study examines the role of teachers' expectations in the association between children's socio-economic background and achievement outcomes. Furthermore, the role of children's ethnicity in moderating this mediated relation is investigated. In the present study, 3,948 children from kindergarten are examined. Data are analysed by means of structural equation modeling. First, results show that teachers' expectations mediate the relation between children's SES and their later language and math achievement, after controlling for children's ethnicity, prior achievement and gender. This result indicates that teachers may exacerbate individual differences between children. Second, children's ethnicity moderates the mediation effect of teachers' expectations with respect to math outcomes. The role of teachers' expectations in mediating the relation between SES and math outcomes is stronger for majority children than for minority children. PMID:22506023

Training Affects Variability in Training Performance both Within and Across Jobs

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

was measured by a verbal/ math composite derived from the US military enlistment test, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. Training...performance was assessed by written tests of job-related knowledge content. Predictive validity of the verbal/ math composite ranged from .124 to .836...job over several years. Participants were 116,310 enlistees enrolled in 108 US Air Force training specialties. Aptitude was measured by a verbal/ math

Mixed-Integer Nonconvex Quadratic Optimization Relaxations and Performance Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-11

Analysis of Interior Point Algorithms for Non-Lipschitz and Nonconvex Minimization,” (W. Bian, X. Chen, and Ye), Math Programming, 149 (2015) 301-327...Chen, Ge, Wang, Ye), Math Programming, 143 (1-2) (2014) 371-383. This paper resolved an important open question in cardinality constrained...Statistical Performance, and Algorithmic Theory for Local Solutions,” (H. Liu, T. Yao, R. Li, Y. Ye) manuscript, 2nd revision in Math Programming

Association between individual differences in non-symbolic number acuity and math performance: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Qixuan; Li, Jingguang

2014-05-01

Many recent studies have examined the association between number acuity, which is the ability to rapidly and non-symbolically estimate the quantity of items appearing in a scene, and symbolic math performance. However, various contradictory results have been reported. To comprehensively evaluate the association between number acuity and symbolic math performance, we conduct a meta-analysis to synthesize the results observed in previous studies. First, a meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies (36 samples, N = 4705) revealed a significant positive correlation between these skills (r = 0.20, 95% CI = [0.14, 0.26]); the association remained after considering other potential moderators (e.g., whether general cognitive abilities were controlled). Moreover, a meta-analysis of longitudinal studies revealed 1) that number acuity may prospectively predict later math performance (r = 0.24, 95% CI = [0.11, 0.37]; 6 samples) and 2) that number acuity is retrospectively correlated to early math performance as well (r = 0.17, 95% CI = [0.07, 0.26]; 5 samples). In summary, these pieces of evidence demonstrate a moderate but statistically significant association between number acuity and math performance. Based on the estimated effect sizes, power analyses were conducted, which suggested that many previous studies were underpowered due to small sample sizes. This may account for the disparity between findings in the literature, at least in part. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of our meta-analytic findings are presented, and future research questions are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Middle School Students' Motivation in Math Class: The Expectancy-Value Model Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurt, Eyup

2015-01-01

One of the most important variables affecting middle school students' mathematics performance is motivation. Motivation is closely related with expectancy belief regarding the task and value attached to the task. Identification of which one or ones of the factors constituting motivation is more closely related to mathematics performance may help…

How preschool executive functioning predicts several aspects of math achievement in Grades 1 and 3: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Viterbori, Paola; Usai, M Carmen; Traverso, Laura; De Franchis, Valentina

2015-12-01

This longitudinal study analyzes whether selected components of executive function (EF) measured during the preschool period predict several indices of math achievement in primary school. Six EF measures were assessed in a sample of 5-year-old children (N = 175). The math achievement of the same children was then tested in Grades 1 and 3 using both a composite math score and three single indices of written calculation, arithmetical facts, and problem solving. Using previous results obtained from the same sample of children, a confirmatory factor analysis examining the latent EF structure in kindergarten indicated that a two-factor model provided the best fit for the data. In this model, inhibition and working memory (WM)-flexibility were separate dimensions. A full structural equation model was then used to test the hypothesis that math achievement (the composite math score and single math scores) in Grades 1 and 3 could be explained by the two EF components comprising the kindergarten model. The results indicate that the WM-flexibility component measured during the preschool period substantially predicts mathematical achievement, especially in Grade 3. The math composite scores were predicted by the WM-flexibility factor at both grade levels. In Grade 3, both problem solving and arithmetical facts were predicted by the WM-flexibility component. The results empirically support interventions that target EF as an important component of early childhood mathematics education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Math Interest and the Development of Math Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Paige H.; Dobbs-Oates, Jennifer; Doctoroff, Greta L.; Arnold, David H.

2012-01-01

Prior models suggest that math attitudes and ability might strengthen each other over time in a reciprocal fashion (Ma, 1997). The current study investigated the relationship between math interest and skill both concurrently and over time in a preschool sample. Analyses of concurrent relationships indicated that high levels of interest were…

An Investigation into Student Perceptions towards Mathematics and Their Performance in First Year Chemistry: Introduction of Online Maths Skills Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Peter R.; Watters, Dianne J.; Brown, Christopher L.; Loughlin, Wendy A.

2016-01-01

An online Maths Skills Site was developed as an integrated support programme for first year Chemistry students, the content of which, was based on an analysis of their high-school mathematical backgrounds. This study examined the students' perceptions of Maths, their patterns of usage of the Maths Skills Site and whether there was a relationship…

Math and Science Education. IDRA Focus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

IDRA Newsletter, 1996

1996-01-01

This newsletter focuses on efforts to make math and science more attractive, relevant, and accessible to students, especially limited-English-proficient, minority, economically disadvantaged, female, and at-risk students. "TAAS Math Performance" (Linda Cantu) outlines recent statewide results for the controversial Texas Assessment of…

Multiple social identities and stereotype threat: imbalance, accessibility, and working memory.

PubMed

Rydell, Robert J; McConnell, Allen R; Beilock, Sian L

2009-05-01

In 4 experiments, the authors showed that concurrently making positive and negative self-relevant stereotypes available about performance in the same ability domain can eliminate stereotype threat effects. Replicating past work, the authors demonstrated that introducing negative stereotypes about women's math performance activated participants' female social identity and hurt their math performance (i.e., stereotype threat) by reducing working memory. Moving beyond past work, it was also demonstrated that concomitantly presenting a positive self-relevant stereotype (e.g., college students are good at math) increased the relative accessibility of females' college student identity and inhibited their gender identity, eliminating attendant working memory deficits and contingent math performance decrements. Furthermore, subtle manipulations in questions presented in the demographic section of a math test eliminated stereotype threat effects that result from women reporting their gender before completing the test. This work identifies the motivated processes through which people's social identities became active in situations in which self-relevant stereotypes about a stigmatized group membership and a nonstigmatized group membership were available. In addition, it demonstrates the downstream consequences of this pattern of activation on working memory and performance. Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Automated 3D Damaged Cavity Model Builder for Lower Surface Acreage Tile on Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belknap, Shannon; Zhang, Michael

2013-01-01

The 3D Automated Thermal Tool for Damaged Acreage Tile Math Model builder was developed to perform quickly and accurately 3D thermal analyses on damaged lower surface acreage tiles and structures beneath the damaged locations on a Space Shuttle Orbiter. The 3D model builder created both TRASYS geometric math models (GMMs) and SINDA thermal math models (TMMs) to simulate an idealized damaged cavity in the damaged tile(s). The GMMs are processed in TRASYS to generate radiation conductors between the surfaces in the cavity. The radiation conductors are inserted into the TMMs, which are processed in SINDA to generate temperature histories for all of the nodes on each layer of the TMM. The invention allows a thermal analyst to create quickly and accurately a 3D model of a damaged lower surface tile on the orbiter. The 3D model builder can generate a GMM and the correspond ing TMM in one or two minutes, with the damaged cavity included in the tile material. A separate program creates a configuration file, which would take a couple of minutes to edit. This configuration file is read by the model builder program to determine the location of the damage, the correct tile type, tile thickness, structure thickness, and SIP thickness of the damage, so that the model builder program can build an accurate model at the specified location. Once the models are built, they are processed by the TRASYS and SINDA.

Not Just Numbers: Creating a Partnership Climate to Improve Math Proficiency in Schools

PubMed Central

Sheldon, Steven B.; Epstein, Joyce L.; Galindo, Claudia L.

2009-01-01

Although we know that family involvement is associated with stronger math performance, little is known about what educators are doing to effectively involve families and community members, and whether this measurably improves math achievement at their schools. This study used data from 39 schools to assess the effects of family and community involvement activities on school levels of math achievement. The study found that better implementation of math-related practices of family and community involvement predicted stronger support from parents for schools’ partnership programs, which, in turn, helped estimate the percentage of students scoring proficient on math achievement tests. PMID:20200592

Choking under the pressure of a positive stereotype: gender identification and self-consciousness moderate men's math test performance.

PubMed

Tagler, Michael J

2012-01-01

Choking under pressure occurs when an individual underperforms due to situational pressure. The present study examined whether being the target of a positive social stereotype regarding math ability causes choking among men. Gender identification and self-consciousness were hypothesized to moderate the effect of math-gender stereotypes on men's math test performance. Men high in self-consciousness but low in gender identification significantly underperformed when exposed to gender-relevant test instructions. No significant effects were found under a gender-irrelevant condition. These findings are discussed in the contexts of research on stereotype threat, stereotype lift, and choking under pressure.

Developing Elementary Math and Science Process Skills Through Engineering Design Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strong, Matthew G.

This paper examines how elementary students can develop math and science process skills through an engineering design approach to instruction. The performance and development of individual process skills overall and by gender were also examined. The study, preceded by a pilot, took place in a grade four extracurricular engineering design program in a public, suburban school district. Students worked in pairs and small groups to design and construct airplane models from styrofoam, paper clips, and toothpicks. The development and performance of process skills were assessed through a student survey of learning gains, an engineering design packet rubric (student work), observation field notes, and focus group notes. The results indicate that students can significantly develop process skills, that female students may develop process skills through engineering design better than male students, and that engineering design is most helpful for developing the measuring, suggesting improvements, and observing process skills. The study suggests that a more regular engineering design program or curriculum could be beneficial for students' math and science abilities both in this school and for the elementary field as a whole.

Crossing the Gender Gap: A Study of Female Participation and Performance in Advanced Maths and Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haseltine, Jessica

2006-10-01

A statistical analysis of enrollment in AP maths and sciences in the Abilene Independent School District, between 2000 and 2005, studied the relationship between gender, enrollment, and performance. Data suggested that mid-scoring females were less likely than their male counterparts to enroll in AP-level courses. AISD showed higher female : male score ratios than national and state averages but no improvement in enrollment comparisons. Several programs are suggested to improve both participation and performance of females in upper-level math and science courses.

Promotive and Corrosive Factors in African American Students' Math Beliefs and Achievement.

PubMed

Diemer, Matthew A; Marchand, Aixa D; McKellar, Sarah E; Malanchuk, Oksana

2016-06-01

Framed by expectancy-value theory (which posits that beliefs about and the subjective valuation of a domain predict achievement and decision-making in that domain), this study examined the relationships among teacher differential treatment and relevant math instruction on African American students' self-concept of math ability, math task value, and math achievement. These questions were examined by applying structural equation modeling to 618 African American youth (45.6 % female) followed from 7th to 11th grade in the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. While controlling for gender and prior math achievement, relevant math instruction promoted and teacher differential treatment corroded students' math beliefs and achievement over time. Further, teacher discrimination undermined students' perceptions of their teachers, a mediating process under-examined in previous inquiry. These findings suggest policy and practice levers to narrow opportunity gaps, as well as foster math achievement and science, technology, engineering and math success.

Cortical morphometry in frontoparietal and default mode networks in math-gifted adolescents.

PubMed

Navas-Sánchez, Francisco J; Carmona, Susana; Alemán-Gómez, Yasser; Sánchez-González, Javier; Guzmán-de-Villoria, Juan; Franco, Carolina; Robles, Olalla; Arango, Celso; Desco, Manuel

2016-05-01

Math-gifted subjects are characterized by above-age performance in intelligence tests, exceptional creativity, and high task commitment. Neuroimaging studies reveal enhanced functional brain organization and white matter microstructure in the frontoparietal executive network of math-gifted individuals. However, the cortical morphometry of these subjects remains largely unknown. The main goal of this study was to compare the cortical morphometry of math-gifted adolescents with that of an age- and IQ-matched control group. We used surface-based methods to perform a vertex-wise analysis of cortical thickness and surface area. Our results show that math-gifted adolescents present a thinner cortex and a larger surface area in key regions of the frontoparietal and default mode networks, which are involved in executive processing and creative thinking, respectively. The combination of reduced cortical thickness and larger surface area suggests above-age neural maturation of these networks in math-gifted individuals. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1893-1902, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Representation of numerical magnitude in math-anxious individuals.

PubMed

Colomé, Àngels

2018-01-01

Larger distance effects in high math-anxious individuals (HMA) performing comparison tasks have previously been interpreted as indicating less precise magnitude representation in this population. A recent study by Dietrich, Huber, Moeller, and Klein limited the effects of math anxiety to symbolic comparison, in which they found larger distance effects for HMA, despite equivalent size effects. However, the question of whether distance effects in symbolic comparison reflect the properties of the magnitude representation or decisional processes is currently under debate. This study was designed to further explore the relation between math anxiety and magnitude representation through three different tasks. HMA and low math-anxious individuals (LMA) performed a non-symbolic comparison, in which no group differences were found. Furthermore, we did not replicate previous findings in an Arabic digit comparison, in which HMA individuals showed equivalent distance effects to their LMA peers. Lastly, there were no group differences in a counting Stroop task. Altogether, an explanation of math anxiety differences in terms of less precise magnitude representation is not supported.

Making gender matter: the role of gender-based expectancies and gender identification on women's and men's math performance in Sweden.

PubMed

Eriksson, Kimmo; Lindholm, Torun

2007-08-01

It is well established that an emphasis on gender differences may have a negative effect on women's math performance in USA, Germany and the Netherlands. It has further been found that an individual's identification with the stereotyped group may moderate effects of negative stereotypes. The present study investigated how gender-based expectancies affected the math performance of women and men in Sweden, a nation with a smaller gender gap than in other countries, and a strong cultural emphasis on gender equality. Participants, 112 female and 74 male undergraduate math students from Swedish universities, completed a difficult math test in which their gender was either linked to their test performance or not. Men performed better than women when gender was made relevant among participants who did not see their gender as an important aspect of their identity, while participants high in gender identification were unaffected by gender identity relevance. Moreover, the gender relevance manipulation affected men's performance more than women's. The results deviate from findings on US samples, indicating that the role of group identification as a moderator of stereotype-based expectancy effects is complex, and that factors in the cultural context may interact with individual differences in identification to determine the impact of negative stereotypes.

Maths performance as a function of sex, laterality, and age of pubertal onset.

PubMed

Sappington, John; Topolski, Richard

2005-07-01

Sex differences in math/spatial performance demand explanations. Within the biological view, the complexity and number of variables make the explanation difficult at best. Laterality and age of pubertal onset have been investigated prominently in this context but rarely considered as interactions in the same study. Some 468 college subjects with SAT MATH (SAT M) scores were divided into 12 groups defined by sex, laterality, and age (early, middle, and late) of pubertal onset. Significant main effects for sex and age of onset emerged, as did an interaction between lateral preference and pubertal onset. Generally males outperformed females. The combination of maleness, sinistrality, and early maturation was associated with high SAT M scores. Sinistrality and late maturation among females predicted very poor math performance.

Beginning School Math Competence: Minority and Majority Comparisons. Report No. 34.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Entwisle, Doris R.; Alexander, Karl L.

This paper uses a structural model with a large random sample of urban children to explain children's competence in math concepts and computation at the time they begin first grade. These two aspects of math ability respond differently to environmental resources, with math concepts much more responsive to family factors before formal schooling…

Modifying high-order aeroelastic math model of a jet transport using maximum likelihood estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anissipour, Amir A.; Benson, Russell A.

1989-01-01

The design of control laws to damp flexible structural modes requires accurate math models. Unlike the design of control laws for rigid body motion (e.g., where robust control is used to compensate for modeling inaccuracies), structural mode damping usually employs narrow band notch filters. In order to obtain the required accuracy in the math model, maximum likelihood estimation technique is employed to improve the accuracy of the math model using flight data. Presented here are all phases of this methodology: (1) pre-flight analysis (i.e., optimal input signal design for flight test, sensor location determination, model reduction technique, etc.), (2) data collection and preprocessing, and (3) post-flight analysis (i.e., estimation technique and model verification). In addition, a discussion is presented of the software tools used and the need for future study in this field.

Behavioral Performance and Neural Areas Associated with Memory Processes Contribute to Math and Reading Achievement in 6-year-old Children.

PubMed

Blankenship, Tashauna L; Keith, Kayla; Calkins, Susan D; Bell, Martha Ann

2018-01-01

Associations between working memory and academic achievement (math and reading) are well documented. Surprisingly, little is known of the contributions of episodic memory, segmented into temporal memory (recollection proxy) and item recognition (familiarity proxy), to academic achievement. This is the first study to observe these associations in typically developing 6-year old children. Overlap in neural correlates exists between working memory, episodic memory, and math and reading achievement. We attempted to tease apart the neural contributions of working memory, temporal memory, and item recognition to math and reading achievement. Results suggest that working memory and temporal memory, but not item recognition, are important contributors to both math and reading achievement, and that EEG power during a working memory task contributes to performance on tests of academic achievement.

Predicting Success of Developmental Math Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Isaac

2017-01-01

Addressing the needs of developmental math students has been one of the most challenging problems in higher education. Administrators at a private university were concerned about poor academic performance of math-deficient students and sought to identify factors that influenced students' successful progression from developmental to college-level…

Football to Improve Math and Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Klaveren, Chris; De Witte, Kristof

2015-01-01

Schools frequently increase the instructional time to improve primary school children's math and reading skills. There is, however, little evidence that math and reading skills are effectively improved by these instruction-time increases. This study evaluates "Playing for Success" (PfS), an extended school day program for underachieving…

Workplace Math II: Math Works!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Nancy; Goschen, Claire

This learning module, a continuation of the math I module, provides review and practice of the concepts explored in the earlier module at an intermediate level involving workplace problems. The following concepts are covered: instruction in performing basic computations, using general numerical concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals,…

The Relationship between Cognitive Reserve and Math Abilities.

PubMed

Arcara, Giorgio; Mondini, Sara; Bisso, Alice; Palmer, Katie; Meneghello, Francesca; Semenza, Carlo

2017-01-01

Cognitive Reserve is the capital of knowledge and experiences that an individual acquires over their life-span. Cognitive Reserve is strictly related to Brain Reserve, which is the ability of the brain to cope with damage. These two concepts could explain many phenomena such as the modality of onset in dementia or the different degree of impairment in cognitive abilities in aging. The aim of this study is to verify the effect of Cognitive Reserve, as measured by a questionnaire, on a variety of numerical abilities (number comprehension, reading and writing numbers, rules and principles, mental calculations and written calculations), in a group of healthy older people (aged 65-98 years). Sixty older individuals were interviewed with the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq), and assessed with the Numerical Activities of Daily Living battery (NADL), which included formal tasks on math abilities, an informal test on math, one interview with the participant, and one interview with a relative on the perceived math abilities. We also took into account the years of education, as another proxy for Cognitive Reserve. In the multiple regression analyses on all formal tests, CRIq scores did not significantly predict math performance. Other variables, i.e., years of education and Mini-Mental State Examination score, accounted better for math performance on NADL. Only a subsection of CRIq, CRIq-Working-activity, was found to predict performance on a NADL subtest assessing informal use of math in daily life. These results show that education might better explain abstract math functions in late life than other aspects related to Cognitive Reserve, such as lifestyle or occupational attainment.

The Relationship between Cognitive Reserve and Math Abilities

PubMed Central

Arcara, Giorgio; Mondini, Sara; Bisso, Alice; Palmer, Katie; Meneghello, Francesca; Semenza, Carlo

2017-01-01

Cognitive Reserve is the capital of knowledge and experiences that an individual acquires over their life-span. Cognitive Reserve is strictly related to Brain Reserve, which is the ability of the brain to cope with damage. These two concepts could explain many phenomena such as the modality of onset in dementia or the different degree of impairment in cognitive abilities in aging. The aim of this study is to verify the effect of Cognitive Reserve, as measured by a questionnaire, on a variety of numerical abilities (number comprehension, reading and writing numbers, rules and principles, mental calculations and written calculations), in a group of healthy older people (aged 65–98 years). Sixty older individuals were interviewed with the Cognitive Reserve Index questionnaire (CRIq), and assessed with the Numerical Activities of Daily Living battery (NADL), which included formal tasks on math abilities, an informal test on math, one interview with the participant, and one interview with a relative on the perceived math abilities. We also took into account the years of education, as another proxy for Cognitive Reserve. In the multiple regression analyses on all formal tests, CRIq scores did not significantly predict math performance. Other variables, i.e., years of education and Mini-Mental State Examination score, accounted better for math performance on NADL. Only a subsection of CRIq, CRIq-Working-activity, was found to predict performance on a NADL subtest assessing informal use of math in daily life. These results show that education might better explain abstract math functions in late life than other aspects related to Cognitive Reserve, such as lifestyle or occupational attainment. PMID:29311910

Early Math Trajectories: Low-Income Children's Mathematics Knowledge From Ages 4 to 11.

PubMed

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R; Hofer, Kerry G; Farran, Dale C

2017-09-01

Early mathematics knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement, but children from low-income families enter school with weak mathematics knowledge. An early math trajectories model is proposed and evaluated within a longitudinal study of 517 low-income American children from ages 4 to 11. This model includes a broad range of math topics, as well as potential pathways from preschool to middle grades mathematics achievement. In preschool, nonsymbolic quantity, counting, and patterning knowledge predicted fifth-grade mathematics achievement. By the end of first grade, symbolic mapping, calculation, and patterning knowledge were the important predictors. Furthermore, the first-grade predictors mediated the relation between preschool math knowledge and fifth-grade mathematics achievement. Findings support the early math trajectories model among low-income children. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Motivational and Cognitive Test-Taking Strategies and Their Influence on Test Performance in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Yun; Hong, Eunsook; Mason, Elsa

2014-01-01

A structural equation model of relationships among testing-related motivation variables (test value, effort, self-efficacy, and test anxiety), test-taking strategies (test tactics and metacognitive strategies), gender, and math test performance were examined with a sample of 10th graders (N = 438; 182 males and 256 females). In general, motivation…

The Development and Validation of a Revised Version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children.

PubMed

Ganley, Colleen M; McGraw, Amanda L

2016-01-01

Although there is an extensive amount of research that examines the relation between math anxiety and math performance in adolescents and adults, little work has focused on this relation in young children. Recently more attention has been paid to the early development of math anxiety, and new measures have been created for use with this age group. In the present study, we report on the development and validation of a revised version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children (MASYC; Harari et al., 2013). We conducted cognitive interviews with the 12 MASYC items with nine children and then administered the MASYC and five newly-developed items to 296 first-, second- and third-grade children. Results from cognitive interviews show that three of the items from the original scale were being systematically misinterpreted by young children. We present a revised measure (the MASYC-R) consisting of 13 items (eight original, five newly-developed) that shows strong evidence for reliability and validity. Results also showed that a small, but meaningful, proportion of children at this age show signs of high math anxiety. Validity of the MASYC-R was supported through correlations with a number of other factors, including general anxiety, math performance, and math attitudes. In addition, results suggest that a substantial proportion of the variance in math anxiety can be explained from these other variables together. The findings suggest that the MASYC-R is appropriate for use with young children and can help researchers to answer important questions about the nature and development of math anxiety at this age.

The Development and Validation of a Revised Version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children

PubMed Central

Ganley, Colleen M.; McGraw, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Although there is an extensive amount of research that examines the relation between math anxiety and math performance in adolescents and adults, little work has focused on this relation in young children. Recently more attention has been paid to the early development of math anxiety, and new measures have been created for use with this age group. In the present study, we report on the development and validation of a revised version of the Math Anxiety Scale for Young Children (MASYC; Harari et al., 2013). We conducted cognitive interviews with the 12 MASYC items with nine children and then administered the MASYC and five newly-developed items to 296 first-, second- and third-grade children. Results from cognitive interviews show that three of the items from the original scale were being systematically misinterpreted by young children. We present a revised measure (the MASYC-R) consisting of 13 items (eight original, five newly-developed) that shows strong evidence for reliability and validity. Results also showed that a small, but meaningful, proportion of children at this age show signs of high math anxiety. Validity of the MASYC-R was supported through correlations with a number of other factors, including general anxiety, math performance, and math attitudes. In addition, results suggest that a substantial proportion of the variance in math anxiety can be explained from these other variables together. The findings suggest that the MASYC-R is appropriate for use with young children and can help researchers to answer important questions about the nature and development of math anxiety at this age. PMID:27605917

The effects of anxious responding on mental arithmetic and lexical decision task performance.

PubMed

Hopko, Derek R; McNeil, Daniel W; Lejuez, C W; Ashcraft, Mark H; Eifert, Georg H; Riel, Jim

2003-01-01

Anxiety-related responding and skill deficits historically are associated with performance-based problems such as mathematics anxiety, yet the relative contribution of these variables to substandard performance remains poorly understood. Utilizing a 7% carbon dioxide (CO2) gas to induce anxiety, the present study examined the impact of anxious responding on two performance tasks, mental arithmetic and lexical decision. Independent variables included math anxiety group, gender, and gas condition. Dependent variables included task performance and physiological and self-report indices of anxiety. A total of 64 university undergraduate students participated. Physiological and verbal-report measures of anxiety supported the utility of 7% carbon dioxide-enriched air as an anxiety-inducing stimulus. Behavioral disruption on performance tasks, however, did not differ as a function of carbon dioxide inhalation. Performance did differ as a function of math anxiety. High math anxious individuals generally exhibited higher error rates on mathematical tasks, particularly on tasks designed to measure advanced math skill and those requiring working memory resources. These findings are discussed with reference to processing efficiency theory, discordance among anxiety response systems, and the intricacies associated with skill measurement.

An Investigation of the Effect of Interventions Based on Common Core Mathematical Practices on the Math Achievement of Struggling Students in Grade 6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murthy, Geetha J.

2016-01-01

This study examined the effect of the eight Common Core mathematical practices on math achievement and math attitudes for a sample of low-performing students in Grade 6. The treatment sample (n = 63) consisted of four classes of Grade 6 students who had scored below proficient levels in state math assessments. This study was conducted in a…

Beating the Odds: The Real Challenges behind the Math Achievement Gap--And What High-Achieving Schools Can Teach Us about How to Close It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberger, Susan

2008-01-01

One of the most persistent inequities in U.S. education is the gap in math achievement along income and race lines. Yet some secondary schools beat the odds, producing consistently strong math performance with students who likely would fail in traditional settings. This report advocates that the math achievement gap is not the result of poor and…

Alternative Goal Structures for Computer Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Fengfeng

2008-01-01

This field study investigated the application of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures in classroom use of computer math games and its impact on students' math performance and math learning attitudes. One hundred and sixty 5th-grade students were recruited and randomly assigned to Teams-Games-Tournament cooperative gaming,…

Integrating Reform-Oriented Math Instruction in Special Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottge, Brian A.; Rueda, Enrique; LaRoque, Perry T.; Serlin, Ronald C.; Kwon, Jungmin

2007-01-01

This mixed-methods study assessed the effects of Enhanced Anchored Instruction (EAI) on the math performance of adolescents with learning disabilities in math (MLD). A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design with switching replications was used to measure students' computation and problem-solving skills on EAI compared to control…

The Effect of Cooperative Groups on Math Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batton, Melissa

2010-01-01

Research indicates that many students have difficulty with mathematics, which can be attributed to many factors including math anxiety. Students who experience math anxiety have poor attitudes towards mathematics and perform below grade level based on class and statewide assessments. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to…

Gameplaying for Maths Learning: Cooperative or Not?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Fengfeng; Grabowski, Barbara

2007-01-01

This study investigated the effects of gameplaying on fifth-graders' maths performance and attitudes. One hundred twenty five fifth graders were recruited and assigned to a cooperative Teams-Games-Tournament (TGT), interpersonal competitive or no gameplaying condition. A state standards-based maths exam and an inventory on attitudes towards maths…

High Fidelity Modeling of Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) Thrusters (Briefing Charts)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-24

Converged Math → Irrelevant Solutions? Validation: Fluids Example Stoke’s Flow MARTIN, SOUSA, TRAN (AFRL/RQRS) DISTRIBUTION A - APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE...Convergence Tests Converged Math → Irrelevant Solutions? Must be Aware of Valid Assumption Regions Validation: Fluids Example Stoke’s Flow Potential...AND VALIDATION Verification: Asymptotic Models → Analytical Solutions Yields Exact Convergence Tests Converged Math → Irrelevant Solutions? Must be

Changes in frontal-parietal activation and math skills performance following adaptive number sense training: Preliminary results from a pilot study

PubMed Central

Kesler, Shelli R.; Sheau, Kristen; Koovakkattu, Della; Reiss, Allan L.

2011-01-01

Number sense is believed to be critical for math development. It is putatively an implicitly learned skill and may therefore have limitations in terms of being explicitly trained, particularly in individuals with altered neurodevelopment. A case series study was conducted using an adaptive, computerized program that focused on number sense and general problem solving skills was designed to investigate training effects on performance as well as brain function in a group of children with Turner syndrome who are at risk for math difficulties and altered development of math-related brain networks. Standardized measurements of math and math-related cognitive skills as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were used to assess behavioral and neurobiologic outcomes following training. Participants demonstrated significantly increased basic math skills, including number sense, and calculation as well as processing speed, cognitive flexibility and visual-spatial processing skills. With the exception of calculation, increased scores also were clinically significant (i.e. recovered) based on reliable change analysis. Participants additionally demonstrated significantly increased bilateral parietal lobe activation and decreased frontal-striatal and mesial temporal activation following the training program. These findings show proof of concept for an accessible training approach that may be potentially associated with improved number sense, math and related skills, as well as functional changes in math-related neural systems, even among individuals at risk for altered brain development. PMID:21714745

A Model for Predicting Student Performance on High-Stakes Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dammann, Matthew Walter

2010-01-01

This research study examined the use of student achievement on reading and math state assessments to predict success on the science state assessment. Multiple regression analysis was utilized to test the prediction for all students in grades 5 and 8 in a mid-Atlantic state. The prediction model developed from the analysis explored the combined…

Multilevel Linkages between State Standards, Teacher Standards, and Student Achievement: Testing External versus Internal Standards-Based Education Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jaekyung; Liu, Xiaoyan; Amo, Laura Casey; Wang, Weichun Leilani

2014-01-01

Drawing on national and state assessment datasets in reading and math, this study tested "external" versus "internal" standards-based education models. The goal was to understand whether and how student performance standards work in multilayered school systems under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Under the…

RCC Plug Repair Thermal Tools for Shuttle Mission Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Alvaro C.; Anderson, Brian P.

2010-01-01

A thermal math model for the Space Shuttle Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) Plug Repair was developed to increase the confidence in the repair entry performance and provide a real-time mission support tool. The thermal response of the plug cover plate, local RCC, and metallic attach hardware can be assessed with this model for any location on the wing leading edge. The geometry and spatial location of the thermal mesh also matches the structural mesh which allows for the direct mapping of temperature loads and computation of the thermoelastic stresses. The thermal model was correlated to a full scale plug repair radiant test. To utilize the thermal model for flight analyses, accurate predictions of protuberance heating were required. Wind tunnel testing was performed at CUBRC to characterize the heat flux in both the radial and angular directions. Due to the complexity of the implementation of the protuberance heating, an intermediate program was developed to output the heating per nodal location for all OML surfaces in SINDA format. Three Design Reference Cases (DRC) were evaluated with the correlated plug thermal math model to bound the environments which the plug repair would potentially be used.

Atlas Career Path Guidebook: Patterns and Common Practices in Systems Engineers’ Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-16

Overview of Atlas Proficiency Model .............................................................................. 68 5.1.2. Math /Science/General... Math /Science/General Engineering ................................ 72 Figure 42. Distribution for individuals with highest proficiency self...assessment in Math /Science/General Engineering ..................................................................................... 73 Figure 43

Stereotype threat in classroom settings: the interactive effect of domain identification, task difficulty and stereotype threat on female students' maths performance.

PubMed

Keller, Johannes

2007-06-01

Stereotype threat research revealed that negative stereotypes can disrupt the performance of persons targeted by such stereotypes. This paper contributes to stereotype threat research by providing evidence that domain identification and the difficulty level of test items moderate stereotype threat effects on female students' maths performance. The study was designed to test theoretical ideas derived from stereotype threat theory and assumptions outlined in the Yerkes-Dodson law proposing a nonlinear relationship between arousal, task difficulty and performance. Participants were 108 high school students attending secondary schools. Participants worked on a test comprising maths problems of different difficulty levels. Half of the participants learned that the test had been shown to produce gender differences (stereotype threat). The other half learned that the test had been shown not to produce gender differences (no threat). The degree to which participants identify with the domain of maths was included as a quasi-experimental factor. Maths-identified female students showed performance decrements under conditions of stereotype threat. Moreover, the stereotype threat manipulation had different effects on low and high domain identifiers' performance depending on test item difficulty. On difficult items, low identifiers showed higher performance under threat (vs. no threat) whereas the reverse was true in high identifiers. This interaction effect did not emerge on easy items. Domain identification and test item difficulty are two important factors that need to be considered in the attempt to understand the impact of stereotype threat on performance.

Reactivity to stress and the cognitive components of math disability in grade 1 children.

PubMed

MacKinnon McQuarrie, Maureen A; Siegel, Linda S; Perry, Nancy E; Weinberg, Joanne

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship among working memory, processing speed, math performance, and reactivity to stress in 83 Grade 1 children. Specifically, 39 children with math disability (MD) were compared to 44 children who are typically achieving (TA) in mathematics. It is the first study to use a physiological index of stress (salivary cortisol levels) to measure children's reactivity while completing tasks that assess the core components of MD: working memory for numbers, working memory for words, digits backward, letter number sequence, digit span forward, processing speed for numbers and words, block rotation, and math tasks. Grade 1 children with MD obtained significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence and quantitative concepts tasks. Higher levels of reactivity significantly predicted poorer performance on the working memory for numbers, working memory for words, and quantitative concepts tasks for Grade 1 children, regardless of math ability. Grade 1 children with MD and higher reactivity had significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence task than the children with MD and low reactivity. The findings suggest that high reactivity impairs performance in working memory and math tasks in Grade 1 children, and young children with high reactivity may benefit from interventions aimed at lowering anxiety in stressful situations, which may improve learning. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2012.

Reactivity to Stress and the Cognitive Components of Math Disability in Grade 1 Children

PubMed Central

MacKinnon McQuarrie, Maureen A.; Siegel, Linda S.; Perry, Nancy E.; Weinberg, Joanne

2016-01-01

This study investigated the relationship among working memory, processing speed, math performance, and reactivity to stress in 83 Grade 1 children. Specifically, 39 children with math disability (MD) were compared to 44 children who are typically achieving (TA) in mathematics. It is the first study to use a physiological index of stress (salivary cortisol levels) to measure children’s reactivity while completing tasks that assess the core components of MD: working memory for numbers, working memory for words, digits backward, letter number sequence, digit span forward, processing speed for numbers and words, block rotation, and math tasks. Grade 1 children with MD obtained significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence and quantitative concepts tasks. Higher levels of reactivity significantly predicted poorer performance on the working memory for numbers, working memory for words, and quantitative concepts tasks for Grade 1 children, regardless of math ability. Grade 1 children with MD and higher reactivity had significantly lower scores on the letter number sequence task than the children with MD and low reactivity. The findings suggest that high reactivity impairs performance in working memory and math tasks in Grade 1 children, and young children with high reactivity may benefit from interventions aimed at lowering anxiety in stressful situations, which may improve learning. PMID:23124381

Working memory, worry, and algebraic ability.

PubMed

Trezise, Kelly; Reeve, Robert A

2014-05-01

Math anxiety (MA)-working memory (WM) relationships have typically been examined in the context of arithmetic problem solving, and little research has examined the relationship in other math domains (e.g., algebra). Moreover, researchers have tended to examine MA/worry separate from math problem solving activities and have used general WM tasks rather than domain-relevant WM measures. Furthermore, it seems to have been assumed that MA affects all areas of math. It is possible, however, that MA is restricted to particular math domains. To examine these issues, the current research assessed claims about the impact on algebraic problem solving of differences in WM and algebraic worry. A sample of 80 14-year-old female students completed algebraic worry, algebraic WM, algebraic problem solving, nonverbal IQ, and general math ability tasks. Latent profile analysis of worry and WM measures identified four performance profiles (subgroups) that differed in worry level and WM capacity. Consistent with expectations, subgroup membership was associated with algebraic problem solving performance: high WM/low worry>moderate WM/low worry=moderate WM/high worry>low WM/high worry. Findings are discussed in terms of the conceptual relationship between emotion and cognition in mathematics and implications for the MA-WM-performance relationship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Priming Ability-Relevant Social Categories Improves Intellectual Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Phoebe S.; Kennette, Lynne N.; Van Havermaet, Lisa R.; Frank, Nichole M.; McIntyre, Rusty B.

2012-01-01

Research shows that priming affects behavioral tasks; fewer studies, however, have been conducted on how social category primes affect cognitive tasks. The present study aimed to examine the effects of social category primes on math performance and word recall. It was hypothesized that Asian prime words would improve math performance and word…

Math and Science Pursuits: A Self-Efficacy Intervention Comparison Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordero, Elizabeth D.; Porter, Sarah H.; Israel, Tania; Brown, Michael T.

2010-01-01

This study compared two interventions to increase math self-efficacy among undergraduate students. Ninety-nine first-year undergraduate students participated in an intervention involving performance accomplishment or an intervention combining performance accomplishment and belief-perseverance techniques in which participants constructed a…

The Internal/External Frame of Reference of Academic Self-Concept: Extension to a Foreign Language and the Role of Language of Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Man K.; Marsh, Herbert W.; Hau, Kit-Tai; Ho, Irene T.; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Abduljabbar, Adel S.

2013-01-01

The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model (Marsh, 1986) posits that the effects of contrasting math and verbal domains of achievement are positive for matching academic self-concepts (ASCs) but negative for nonmatching ASCs (i.e., math achievement on verbal ASC; verbal achievement on math ASC). We extend the classic I/E model by…

Regularity Results for a Class of Functionals with Non-Standard Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acerbi, Emilio; Mingione, Giuseppe

We consider the integral functional under non-standard growth assumptions that we call p(x) type: namely, we assume that a relevant model case being the functional Under sharp assumptions on the continuous function p(x)>1 we prove regularity of minimizers. Energies exhibiting this growth appear in several models from mathematical physics.

Math Anxiety and Its Relationship with Basic Arithmetic Skills among Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorvo, Riikka; Koponen, Tuire; Viholainen, Helena; Aro, Tuija; Räikkönen, Eija; Peura, Pilvi; Dowker, Ann; Aro, Mikko

2017-01-01

Background: Children have been found to report and demonstrate math anxiety as early as the first grade. However, previous results concerning the relationship between math anxiety and performance are contradictory, with some studies establishing a correlation between them while others do not. These contradictory results might be related to varying…

Neuroanatomical Correlates of Performance in a State-Wide Test of Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkey, Eric D.; Cutting, Laurie E.; Price, Gavin R.

2018-01-01

The development of math skills is a critical component of early education and a strong indicator of later school and economic success. Recent research utilizing population-normed, standardized measures of math achievement suggest that structural and functional integrity of parietal regions, especially the intraparietal sulcus, are closely related…

Let the Data Speak: Gender Differences in Math Curriculum-Based Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarbrough, Jamie L.; Cannon, Laura; Bergman, Shawn; Kidder-Ashley, Pamela; McCane-Bowling, Sara

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have identified differences between males and females in academic performance across the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. The current study examined whether or not gender differences exist when math curriculum-based measures (M-CBMs) are used to assess basic math computation skills in a sample of third- through…

Reducing the Sex Difference in Math Anxiety: The Role of Spatial Processing Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloney, Erin A.; Waechter, Stephanie; Risko, Evan F.; Fugelsang, Jonathan A.

2012-01-01

Decades of research have demonstrated that women experience higher rates of math anxiety--that is, negative affect when performing tasks involving numerical and mathematical skill--than men. Researchers have largely attributed this sex difference in math anxiety to factors such as social stereotypes and propensity to report anxiety. Here we…

Teaching Strategies for Effective Fifth Grade Math Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zank, Alicia A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study is to determine what effects explicit and systematic math intervention instruction will have on student's performance on math assessments. The study will focus on a small group of fifth grade students that have been identified as needing targeted intervention (tier 2) and intensive interventions (tier 1) through the…

Effects of Enhanced Anchored Instruction on Skills Aligned to Common Core Math Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottge, Brian A.; Cho, Sun-Joo

2013-01-01

This study compared how students with learning difficulties in math (MLD) who were randomly assigned to two instructional conditions answered items on problem solving tests aligned to the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Mathematics. Posttest scores showed improvement in the math performance of students receiving Enhanced Anchored…

Investigating the Relationship between STEM Learning Principles and Student Achievement in Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Michael; Gonzalez, Thomas

2014-01-01

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) advocates commonly emphasize an interdisciplinary, authentic, project-based, and technology-based approach to learning, though the strength of prior research varies. This study examines the association between a range of classroom activities and academic performance gains in math and science. Using…

Student Perceptions of Teacher Characteristics on Math Achievement for Middle School African American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clayton, Otis, Jr.

2013-01-01

This causal-comparative research explored how African American students' perceptions of their math teachers affected their academic performance on the Math Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Test during 2009-2010 academic year. When considering possible measures of teacher effectiveness in K-12 education, it can be argued that…

Shuttle cryogenic supply system optimization study. Volume 5A-1: Users manual for math models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The Integrated Math Model for Cryogenic Systems is a flexible, broadly applicable systems parametric analysis tool. The program will effectively accommodate systems of considerable complexity involving large numbers of performance dependent variables such as are found in the individual and integrated cryogen systems. Basically, the program logic structure pursues an orderly progression path through any given system in much the same fashion as is employed for manual systems analysis. The system configuration schematic is converted to an alpha-numeric formatted configuration data table input starting with the cryogen consumer and identifying all components, such as lines, fittings, and valves, each in its proper order and ending with the cryogen supply source assembly. Then, for each of the constituent component assemblies, such as gas generators, turbo machinery, heat exchangers, and accumulators, the performance requirements are assembled in input data tabulations. Systems operating constraints and duty cycle definitions are further added as input data coded to the configuration operating sequence.

The roots of stereotype threat: when automatic associations disrupt girls' math performance.

PubMed

Galdi, Silvia; Cadinu, Mara; Tomasetto, Carlo

2014-01-01

Although stereotype awareness is a prerequisite for stereotype threat effects (Steele & Aronson, 1995), research showed girls' deficit under stereotype threat before the emergence of math-gender stereotype awareness, and in the absence of stereotype endorsement. In a study including 240 six-year-old children, this paradox was addressed by testing whether automatic associations trigger stereotype threat in young girls. Whereas no indicators were found that children endorsed the math-gender stereotype, girls, but not boys, showed automatic associations consistent with the stereotype. Moreover, results showed that girls' automatic associations varied as a function of a manipulation regarding the stereotype content. Importantly, girls' math performance decreased in a stereotype-consistent, relative to a stereotype-inconsistent, condition and automatic associations mediated the relation between stereotype threat and performance. © 2013 The Authors. Child Development © 2013 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Mechanism of Film Cooling with One Inlet and Double Outlet Hole Injection at Various Turbulence Intensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guangchao; Chen, Yukai; Kou, Zhihai; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Guochen

2018-03-01

The trunk-branch hole was designed as a novel film cooling concept, which aims for improving film cooling performance by producing anti-vortex. The trunk-branch hole is easily manufactured in comparison with the expanded hole since it consists of two cylindrical holes. The effect of turbulence on the film cooling effectiveness with a trunk-branch hole injection was investigated at the blowing ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 by numerical simulation. The turbulence intensities from 0.4 % to 20 % were considered. The realizable k-ɛ k - ɛ turbulence model and the enhanced wall function were used. The more effective anti-vortex occurs at the low blowing ratio of 0.5 %. The high turbulence intensity causes the effectiveness evenly distributed in the spanwise direction. The increase of turbulence intensity leads to a slight decrease of the spanwise averaged effectiveness at the low blowing ratio of 0.5, but a significant increase at the high blowing ratios of 1.5 and 2.0. The optimal blowing ratio of the averaged surface effectiveness is improved from 1.0 to 1.5 when the turbulence intensity increases from 0.4 % to 20 %.

Aloha Teachers: Teacher Autonomy Support Promotes Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Students' Motivation, School Belonging, Course-Taking and Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froiland, John Mark; Davison, Mark L.; Worrell, Frank C.

2016-01-01

Among 110 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, teacher autonomy support in 9th grade significantly predicted intrinsic motivation for math in 9th grade as well as math course-taking over the next 2 years, both of which in turn significantly predicted math achievement by 11th grade. In a second model, teacher autonomy support was positively…

The Effect of Cognitively Guided Instruction on Primary Students' Math Achievement, Problem-Solving Abilities and Teacher Questioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medrano, Juan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to impact the teaching and learning of math of 2nd through 4th grade math students at Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School. The Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) model serves as the independent variable for this study. Its intent is to promote math instruction that emphasizes problem-solving to a greater degree…

Cognitive Prediction of Reading, Math, and Attention: Shared and Unique Influences.

PubMed

Peterson, Robin L; Boada, Richard; McGrath, Lauren M; Willcutt, Erik G; Olson, Richard K; Pennington, Bruce F

The current study tested a multiple-cognitive predictor model of word reading, math ability, and attention in a community-based sample of twins ages 8 to 16 years ( N = 636). The objective was to identify cognitive predictors unique to each skill domain as well as cognitive predictors shared among skills that could help explain their overlap and thus help illuminate the basis for comorbidity of related disorders (reading disability, math disability, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Results indicated that processing speed contributes to the overlap between reading and attention as well as math and attention, whereas verbal comprehension contributes to the overlap between reading and math. There was no evidence that executive functioning skills help account for covariation among these skill domains. Instead, specific executive functions differentially related to certain outcomes (i.e., working memory to math and inhibition to attention). We explored whether the model varied in younger versus older children and found only minor differences. Results are interpreted within the context of the multiple deficit framework for neurodevelopmental disorders.

A Study on the Effect of Computer Assisted Math Fact Fluency Intervention on Math Achievement for Elementary and Middle School Special Education Students in a Chicago South Suburban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottke, Regina

2017-01-01

The gap in academic achievement between regular and special education students is well documented. Math was once the stronger area for students with IEPs; however, the scores in Illinois in 2013 suggest that for the subgroup of IEP students, reading and math performance has reached an all-time ten-year low, even when correcting for the change in…

Fluid reasoning predicts future mathematics among children and adolescents

PubMed Central

Green, Chloe T.; Bunge, Silvia A.; Chiongbian, Victoria Briones; Barrow, Maia; Ferrer, Emilio

2017-01-01

The aim of this longitudinal study was to determine whether fluid reasoning (FR) plays a significant role in the acquisition of mathematics skills, above and beyond the effects of other cognitive and numerical abilities. Using a longitudinal cohort sequential design, we examined how FR measured at three assessment occasions, spaced approximately 1.5 years apart, predicted math outcomes for a group of 69 participants between ages 6 and 21 across all three assessment occasions. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the direct and indirect relations between children's prior cognitive abilities and their future math achievement. A model including age, FR, vocabulary, and spatial skills accounted for 90% of the variance in future math achievement. In this model, FR was the only significant predictor of future math achievement; neither age, vocabulary, nor spatial skills were significant predictors. Thus, FR was the only predictor of future math achievement across a wide age range that spanned primary and secondary school. These findings build on Cattell's conceptualization of FR (Cattell, 1987) as a scaffold for learning, showing that this domain-general ability supports the acquisition of rudimentary math skills as well as the ability to solve more complex mathematical problems. PMID:28152390

A Model for Math Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Tony; Erfan, Sasan

2016-01-01

Mathematical modeling is an open-ended research subject where no definite answers exist for any problem. Math modeling enables thinking outside the box to connect different fields of studies together including statistics, algebra, calculus, matrices, programming and scientific writing. As an integral part of society, it is the foundation for many…

Nursing students' confidence in medication calculations predicts math exam performance.

PubMed

Andrew, Sharon; Salamonson, Yenna; Halcomb, Elizabeth J

2009-02-01

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties, including predictive validity, of the newly-developed nursing self-efficacy for mathematics (NSE-Math). The NSE-Math is a 12 item scale that comprises items related to mathematic and arithmetic concepts underpinning medication calculations. The NSE-Math instrument was administered to second year Bachelor of Nursing students enrolled in a nursing practice subject. Students' academic results for a compulsory medication calculation examination for this subject were collected. One-hundred and twelve students (73%) completed both the NSE-Math instrument and the drug calculation assessment task. The NSE-Math demonstrated two factors 'Confidence in application of mathematic concepts to nursing practice' and 'Confidence in arithmetic concepts' with 63.5% of variance explained. Cronbach alpha for the scale was 0.90. The NSE-Math demonstrated predictive validity with the medication calculation examination results (p=0.009). Psychometric testing suggests the NSE-Math is a valid measure of mathematics self-efficacy of second year nursing students.

Reducing the Impact of Stereotype Threat on Women's Math Performance: Are Two Strategies Better than One?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Paul R.

2011-01-01

Introduction: Two studies examined whether stereotype threat impairs women's math performance and whether concurrent threat reduction strategies can be used to offset this effect. Method: In Study 1, collegiate men and women (N = 100) watched a video purporting that males and females performed equally well ("gender-fair") or males outperformed…

Blatant Stereotype Threat and Women's Math Performance: Self-Handicapping as a Strategic Means To Cope with Obtrusive Negative Performance Expectations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Johannes

2002-01-01

Examined the impact of increased salience of negative stereotypic expectations on math performance among high school students. Results indicated that female students in the condition of heightened salience of negative stereotypic expectations underperformed in comparison to their control group counterparts. The effect of blatant stereotype threat…

Culturally Based Math Education as a Way to Improve Alaska Native Students' Math Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipka, Jerry; Adams, Barbara

2004-01-01

Culturally based instruction has long been touted as a preferred approach to improving the performance of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students? academic performance. However, there has been scant research to support this conjecture, particularly when quantitative data and quasi-experimental designs are included. The results of this…

Searching for the Golden Model of Education: Cross-National Analysis of Math Achievement

PubMed Central

Bodovski, Katerina; Byun, Soo-yong; Chykina, Volha; Chung, Hee Jin

2017-01-01

We utilized four waves of TIMSS data in addition to the information we have collected on countries’ educational systems to examine whether different degrees of standardization, differentiation, proportion of students in private schools and governmental spending on education influence students’ math achievement, its variation and socioeconomic status (SES) gaps in math achievement. Findings: A higher level of standardization of educational systems was associated with higher average math achievement. Greater expenditure on education (as % of total government expenditure) was associated with a lower level of dispersion of math achievement and smaller SES gaps in math achievement. Wealthier countries exhibited higher average math achievement and a narrower variation. Higher income inequality (measured by Gini index) was associated with a lower average math achievement and larger SES gaps. Further, we found that higher level of standardization alleviates the negative effects of differentiation in the systems with more rigid tracking. PMID:29151667

Electrochromic Radiator Coupon Level Testing and Full Scale Thermal Math Modeling for Use on Altair Lunar Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheth, Rubik; Bannon, Erika; Bower, Chad

2009-01-01

In order to control system and component temperatures, many spacecraft thermal control systems use a radiator coupled with a pumped fluid loop to reject waste heat from the vehicle. Since heat loads and radiation environments can vary considerably according to mission phase, the thermal control system must be able to vary the heat rejection. The ability to "turn down" the heat rejected from the thermal control system is critically important when designing the system.. Electrochromic technology as a radiator coating is being investigated to vary the amount of heat being rejected by a radiator. Coupon level tests were performed to test the feasibility of the technology. Furthermore, thermal math models were developed to better understand the turndown ratios required by full scale radiator architectures to handle the various operation scenarios during a mission profile for Altair Lunar Lander. This paper summarizes results from coupon level tests as well as thermal math models developed to investigate how electrochromics can be used to provide the largest turn down ratio for a radiator. Data from the various design concepts of radiators and their architectures are outlined. Recommendations are made on which electrochromic radiator concept should be carried further for future thermal vacuum testing.

Electrochromic Radiator Coupon Level Testing and Full Scale Thermal Math Modeling for Use on Altair Lunar Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bannon, Erika T.; Bower, Chad E.; Sheth, Rubik; Stephan, Ryan

2010-01-01

In order to control system and component temperatures, many spacecraft thermal control systems use a radiator coupled with a pumped fluid loop to reject waste heat from the vehicle. Since heat loads and radiation environments can vary considerably according to mission phase, the thermal control system must be able to vary the heat rejection. The ability to "turn down" the heat rejected from the thermal control system is critically important when designing the system. Electrochromic technology as a radiator coating is being investigated to vary the amount of heat rejected by a radiator. Coupon level tests were performed to test the feasibility of this technology. Furthermore, thermal math models were developed to better understand the turndown ratios required by full scale radiator architectures to handle the various operation scenarios encountered during a mission profile for the Altair Lunar Lander. This paper summarizes results from coupon level tests as well as the thermal math models developed to investigate how electrochromics can be used to increase turn down ratios for a radiator. Data from the various design concepts of radiators and their architectures are outlined. Recommendations are made on which electrochromic radiator concept should be carried further for future thermal vacuum testing.

Mathematics skills in good readers with hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Barnes, Marcia A; Pengelly, Sarah; Dennis, Maureen; Wilkinson, Margaret; Rogers, Tracey; Faulkner, Heather

2002-01-01

Children with hydrocephalus have poor math skills. We investigated the nature of their arithmetic computation errors by comparing written subtraction errors in good readers with hydrocephalus, typically developing good readers of the same age, and younger children matched for math level to the children with hydrocephalus. Children with hydrocephalus made more procedural errors (although not more fact retrieval or visual-spatial errors) than age-matched controls; they made the same number of procedural errors as younger, math-level matched children. We also investigated a broad range of math abilities, and found that children with hydrocephalus performed more poorly than age-matched controls on tests of geometry and applied math skills such as estimation and problem solving. Computation deficits in children with hydrocephalus reflect delayed development of procedural knowledge. Problems in specific math domains such as geometry and applied math, were associated with deficits in constituent cognitive skills such as visual spatial competence, memory, and general knowledge.

Con Carino: Teacher Caring, Math Self-Efficacy, and Math Achievement among Hispanic English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, James L.; Ream, Robert K.; Bocian, Kathleen M.; Cardullo, Richard A.; Hammond, Kimberly A.; Fast, Lisa A.

2012-01-01

Background/Context: How do we account for the persistence of below-average math test score performance among California Hispanics who are fluent in English, as well as Spanish-dominant English learners? Recent studies have attributed the problem to an overly rigid focus on "what works" in curriculum and fluency in English to the…

Americans Need Advanced Math to Stay Globally Competitive. Math Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Achieve, Inc., 2013

2013-01-01

No student who hopes to compete in today's rapidly evolving global economy and job market can afford to graduate from high school with weak mathematical skills, which include the ability to use logic, reason, and solve problems. The benefits associated with improving the math performance of American students also extend to the larger U.S. economy.…

Using Concurrent Verbalization to Measure Math Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambeth, Cathryn Colley

2012-01-01

The current study investigated variability in student performance on a concurrent verbalization measure based on a grade-level sample math word problem and sought to determine to what extent the variability in verbalization scores is related to scores on a reliable measure of reading (DIBELS Next) and math (easyCBM) and to student factors (e.g.…

Developmental Changes in Working Memory, Updating, and Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kerry; Bull, Rebecca

2016-01-01

Children with higher working memory or updating (WMU) capacity perform better in math. What is less clear is whether and how this relation varies with grade. Children (N = 673, kindergarten to Grade 9) participated in a 4-year cross-sequential study. Data from 3 WMU (Listening Recall, Mr. X, and an updating task) and a standardized math task…

Learning Communities for Students in Developmental Math: Impact Studies at Queensborough and Houston Community Colleges. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissman, Evan; Butcher, Kristin F.; Schneider, Emily; Teres, Jedediah; Collado, Herbert; Greenberg, David

2011-01-01

Queensborough Community College and Houston Community College are two large, urban institutions that offer learning communities for their developmental math students, with the goals of accelerating students' progress through the math sequence and of helping them to perform better in college and ultimately earn degrees or certificates. They are…

Learning Communities for Students in Developmental Math: Impact Studies at Queensborough and Houston Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissman, Evan; Butcher, Kristin F.; Schneider, Emily; Teres, Jedediah; Collado, Herbert; Greenberg, David

2011-01-01

Queensborough Community College and Houston Community College are two large, urban institutions that offer learning communities for their developmental math students, with the goals of accelerating students' progress through the math sequence and of helping them to perform better in college and ultimately earn degrees or certificates. They are…

The Effect of the Math Emporium Instructional Method on Students' Performance in College Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cousins-Cooper, Kathy; Staley, Katrina N.; Kim, Seongtae; Luke, Nicholas S.

2017-01-01

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the Emporium instructional method in a course of college algebra and trigonometry by comparing to the traditional lecture method. The math emporium method is a nontraditional instructional method of learning math that has been implemented at several universities with much success and has been…

Peer Learning as a Tool to Strengthen Math Skills in Introductory Chemistry Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srougi, Melissa C.; Miller, Heather B.

2018-01-01

Math skills vary greatly among students enrolled in introductory chemistry courses. Students with weak math skills (algebra and below) tend to perform poorly in introductory chemistry courses, which is correlated with increased attrition rates. Previous research has shown that retention of main ideas in a peer learning environment is greater when…

An Exploration of the Relationships among Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Theory-Aligned Cognitive Abilities and Math Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piselli, Katherine D.

2017-01-01

Math fluency, which refers to the ability to solve single digit arithmetic problems quickly and accurately, is a foundational mathematical skill. Recent research has examined the role of phonological processing, executive control, and number sense in explaining differences in math fluency performance in school-aged children. Identifying the links…

Reactivity to Stress and the Cognitive Components of Math Disability in Grade 1 Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKinnon McQuarrie, Maureen A.; Siegel, Linda S.; Perry, Nancy E.; Weinberg, Joanne

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship among working memory, processing speed, math performance, and reactivity to stress in 83 Grade 1 children. Specifically, 39 children with math disability (MD) were compared to 44 children who are typically achieving (TA) in mathematics. It is the first study to use a physiological index of stress (salivary…

The Effect of Interactive Whiteboard Technology on a Math Curriculum Unit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flory, Vern

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of interactive whiteboard technology on the math curriculum in a single school district. Methodology: Six second grade teachers tracked their technology use during math instruction to be compared with student performance on a common assessment at the conclusion a counting money unit…

Supermath: An Alternative Approach to Improving Math Performance in Grades 4 through 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pogrow, Stanley

2004-01-01

In this article, the author shares a decade's worth of experience in developing an approach to teaching math to upper-elementary and middle school students that simultaneously increases basic skills, improves problem solving, raises test scores, and sparks student interest in math. Sections include: (1) Background Of Supermath; (2) Description Of…

Hardly Rocket Science: Collaboration with Math and Science Teachers Doesn't Need to Be Complicated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minkel, Walter

2004-01-01

While librarians routinely collaborate with reading and humanities teachers, they rarely partner with teachers of math and science--to the loss of students. With the current emphasis on standardized testing and declining student performance in math and science, media specialists need to remedy this situation. Why don't librarians click with…

Basic Math Skills and Performance in an Introductory Economics Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ballard, Charles L.; Johnson, Marianne F.

2004-01-01

The authors measure math skills with a broader set of explanatory variables than have been used in previous studies. To identify what math skills are important for student success in introductory microeconomics, they examine (1) the student's score on the mathematics portion of the ACT Assessment Test, (2) whether the student has taken calculus,…

A Randomized Trial of an Elementary School Mathematics Software Intervention: Spatial-Temporal Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Teomara; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg; Burchinal, Margaret; Kibrick, Melissa; Graham, Jeneen; Richland, Lindsey; Tran, Natalie; Schneider, Stephanie; Duran, Lauren; Martinez, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Fifty-two low performing schools were randomly assigned to receive Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math, a supplemental mathematics software and instructional program, in second/third or fourth/fifth grades or to a business-as-usual control. Analyses reveal a negligible effect of ST Math on mathematics scores, which did not differ significantly across…

Brief Report: Gum Chewing Affects Standardized Math Scores in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Craig A.; Tyler, Chermaine; Stansberry, Sandra A.; Moreno, Jennette P.; Foreyt, John P.

2012-01-01

Gum chewing has been shown to improve cognitive performance in adults; however, gum chewing has not been evaluated in children. This study examined the effects of gum chewing on standardized test scores and class grades of eighth grade math students. Math classes were randomized to a gum chewing (GC) condition that provided students with gum…

Dyscalculia ? Maths Difficulties. An Analysis of Conflicting Positions at a Time That Calls for Inclusive Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Maria Christina Secher

2016-01-01

Using Bourdieu's notion of field, the Scandinavian field of maths pedagogy occurs at a time characterised by increasing inclusion efforts in primary school. Various stakeholders in maths pedagogy are arguing about what should be done about pupils who perform poorly in mathematics and what causes their difficulties. Four analytical positions are…

Effects of Mood on Students' Metacognitive Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efklides, Anastasia; Petkaki, Chryssoula

2005-01-01

This study investigated the relations of induced mood with mathematical ability and self-concept in maths as well as the effect of induced mood on maths performance and on metacognitive experiences (ME). Ninety students, out of 246, of the 5th grade--45 students of low and 45 of high maths ability--were distributed into three equal in number…

A Comparison between Male and Female Mathematics Anxiety at a Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruben, Thomas

This study was performed using a convenience sample of 90 students at a northeastern community college to determine gender differences of math anxiety and its effect on math avoidance. Four sections of an introductory English class were given a mathematics anxiety rating scale (MARS) and a math avoidance survey. Five hypotheses were analyzed using…

Construct Relevant and Irrelevant Variables in Math Problem Solving Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birk, Lisa E.

2013-01-01

In this study, I examined the relation between various construct relevant and irrelevant variables and a math problem solving assessment. I used independent performance measures representing the variables of mathematics content knowledge, general ability, and reading fluency. Non-performance variables included gender, socioeconomic status,…

Number-specific and general cognitive markers of preschoolers' math ability profiles.

PubMed

Gray, Sarah A; Reeve, Robert A

2016-07-01

Different number-specific and general cognitive markers have been claimed to underlie preschoolers' math ability. It is unclear, however, whether similar/different cognitive markers, or combinations of them, are associated with different patterns of emerging math abilities (i.e., different patterns of strength and weakness). To examine this question, 103 preschoolers (40-60 months of age) completed six math tasks (count sequence, object counting, give a number, naming numbers, ordinal relations, and arithmetic), three number-specific markers of math ability (dot enumeration, magnitude comparison, and spontaneous focusing on numerosity), and four general markers (working memory, response inhibition, attention, and vocabulary). A three-step latent profile modeling procedure identified five math ability profiles that differed in their patterns of math strengths and weaknesses; specifically, the profiles were characterized by (a) excellent math ability on all math tasks, (b) good arithmetic ability, (c) good math ability but relatively poor count sequence recitation ability, (d) average ability on all math tasks, and (e) poor ability on all math tasks. After controlling for age, only dot enumeration and spontaneous focusing on numerosity were associated with the math ability profiles, whereas vocabulary was also marginally significant, and these markers were differentially associated with different profiles; that is, different cognitive markers were associated with different patterns of strengths and weaknesses in math abilities. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the development of math cognition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Symptoms of sleep disorders and objective academic performance.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Luciane Bizari Coin; do Prado, Lucila Bizari Fernandes; Ferrreira, Vanessa Ruotolo; da Rocha Figueiredo, Mariana Bezerra; Jung, Aline; de Morais, José Fausto; do Prado, Gilmar Fernandes

2013-09-01

We aimed to compare the academic performance of children with and without symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD). We distributed 5400 questionnaires (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children [SDSC], Brazilian version) to 7- to 10-year-old children at public elementary schools in São Paulo, Brazil. We analyzed the academic grades of Portuguese (Port) and Mathematics (Math) in 2384 children (1224 girls; 51%). Grades were assigned on a scale of 0-10 and five was considered a passing grade. Children with symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD) and symptoms of sleep-breathing disorders (SSBD) were compared to children with no symptoms of SSD (no-SSD). Mean Port (6.6±2.2) and Math (6.3±2.2) grades were lower in children with SSD or sleep-breathing disorders (SBD) than those among children with no-SSD (Port, 7.1±2.1 and Math, 7.1±2.1; P<.05). Boys with SSD or SSBD had lower grades (Port, 6.4±2.2 and Math, 6.1±2.2) than girls (Port, 6.9±2.2 and Math, 6.5±2.2; P<.05). There were more children with failing Port grades with SSD or SSBD (13%) than those among children with no-SSD (9%; P<.05). Regarding Math, 25.4% of SSD or SSBD children had failing grades vs. 8.4% of children with no-SSD (P<.05). In our sample, children with SSD particularly SBD were at increased risk for poor academic performance in Math and Port. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing Success Rates in Developmental Math: The Complementary Role of Individual and Institutional Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fong, Kristen E.; Melguizo, Tatiana; Prather, George

2015-01-01

This study tracks students' progression through developmental math sequences and defines progression as both attempting and passing each level of the sequence. A model of successful progression in developmental education was built utilizing individual-, institutional-, and developmental math-level factors. Employing step-wise logistic regression…

Atlas 1.1: An Update to the Theory of Effective Systems Engineers

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-16

Proficiency Model ........................................................................................................... 21 5.1.1 Area 1: Math ... Math /Science/General Engineering: Foundational concepts from mathematics, physical sciences, and general engineering; 2. System’s Domain...Table 5. Atlas Proficiency Areas, Categories, and Topics Area Category Topic 1. Math / Science / General Engineering 1.1. Natural Science

Behavioral Engagement in Learning and Math Achievement over Kindergarten: A Contextual Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Keith; Mueller, Anna S.

2014-01-01

Using nationally representative data on 12,462 kindergarten children, this report examines the link between behavioral engagement and math achievement growth during kindergarten. Multilevel models show that students with higher individual engagement tend to experience larger math achievement growth over kindergarten, that classroom engagement…

enVisionMATH. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

"enVisionMATH," published by Pearson Education, Inc., is a core curriculum for students in kindergarten through grade 6. The program seeks to help students develop an understanding of math concepts through problem-based instruction, small-group interaction, and visual learning with a focus on reasoning and modeling. Differentiated…

Designing Tasks for Math Modeling in College Algebra: A Critical Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staats, Susan; Robertson, Douglas

2014-01-01

Over the last decade, the pedagogical approach known as mathematical modeling has received increased interest in college algebra classes in the United States. Math modeling assignments ask students to develop their own problem-solving tools to address non-routine, realistic scenarios. The open-ended quality of modeling activities creates dilemmas…

Effects of Blended Instructional Models on Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottge, Brian A.; Ma, Xin; Gassaway, Linda; Toland, Michael D.; Butler, Mark; Cho, Sun-Joo

2014-01-01

A pretest-posttest cluster-randomized trial involving 31 middle schools and 335 students with disabilities tested the effects of combining explicit and anchored instruction on fraction computation and problem solving. Results of standardized and researcher-developed tests showed that students who were taught with the blended units outscored…

Evaluation of Math Block-Scheduling for Low Performing At-Risk and Economically-Disadvantaged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trice, Toni M.

2017-01-01

Research shows a math achievement gap for at-risk and economically-disadvantaged students in the United States. To address this issue, a Texas school district implemented a 90-minute math block-scheduling program with 8th grade students. Shaped by the academic learning time and social justice theories, the purpose of this quantitative program…

The Impact of Early Exposure of Eighth Grade Math Standards on End of Grade Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Tonjai E.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the Cumberland County Schools district-wide issue surrounding the disproportional performance of eighth grade Math I students' proficiency scores on standardized end-of-grade and end-of-course assessments. The study focused on the impact of the school district incorporating eighth grade math standards in…

Motivation and Math Skills as Determinants of First-Year Performance in Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Ivo J. M.; Straten, Jerry T.

2012-01-01

The importance of math skills for study success in economics has been widely researched. This article adds to the literature by combining information on students' math skills and their motivation. The authors are thus able to present a rich picture of why students succeed in their study of economics and to confirm previous findings that deficient…

Do Teachers' Perceptions of Children's Math and Reading Related Ability and Effort Predict Children's Self-Concept of Ability in Math and Reading?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadyaya, Katja; Eccles, Jacquelynne

2015-01-01

This study investigated to what extent primary school teachers' perceptions of their students' ability and effort predict developmental changes in children's self-concepts of ability in math and reading after controlling for students' academic performance and general intelligence. Three cohorts (N?=?849) of elementary school children and their…

The Impact of a Classroom-Based Guidance Program on Student Performance in Community College Math Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butcher, Kristin F.; Visher, Mary G.

2013-01-01

Passing through remedial and required math classes poses a significant barrier to success for many community college students. This study uses random assignment to investigate the impact of a "light-touch" intervention, where an individual visited math classes a few times during the semester, for a few minutes each time, to inform…

Self-Concept of Computer and Math Ability: Gender Implications across Time and within ICT Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sainz, Milagros; Eccles, Jacquelynne

2012-01-01

The scarcity of women in ICT-related studies has been systematically reported by the scientific community for many years. This paper has three goals: to analyze gender differences in self-concept of computer and math abilities along with math performance in two consecutive academic years; to study the ontogeny of gender differences in self-concept…

Using Mathematics Curriculum Based Measurement as an Indicator of Student Performance on State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Linda De Zell

2009-01-01

Math skills are essential to daily life, impacting a person's ability to function at home, work, and in the community. Although reading has been the focus in recent years, many students struggle in math. The inability to master math calculation and problem solving has contributed to the rising incidence of student failure, referrals for special…

Payload test philosophy. [to provide confidence in Shuttle structural math models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayhew, D.

1979-01-01

Shuttle payload test philosophy is discussed with reference to testing to provide confidence in Shuttle structural math models. Particular attention is given the Shuttle quarter-scale program and the Mated Vertical Ground Vibration Test Program.

Equity in the Turkish Education System: A Multilevel Analysis of Social Background Influences on the Mathematics Performance of 15-Year-Old Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özdemir, Caner

2016-01-01

This paper aims to discover the level of equity in the Turkish education system using maths outcomes of 15-year-old students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam. In order to do that, associations between various social background variables and student performance are analysed via multilevel models. Female pupils,…

Young-age gender differences in mathematics mediated by independent control or uncontrollability.

PubMed

Zirk-Sadowski, Jan; Lamptey, Charlotte; Devine, Amy; Haggard, Mark; Szűcs, Dénes

2014-05-01

We studied whether the origins of math anxiety can be related to a biologically supported framework of stress induction: (un)controllability perception, here indicated by self-reported independent efforts in mathematics. Math anxiety was tested in 182 children (8- to 11-year-olds). Latent factor modeling was used to test hypotheses on plausible causal processes and mediations within competing models in quasi-experimental contrasts. Uncontrollability perception in mathematics, or (in)dependence of efforts, best fit the data as an antecedent of math anxiety. In addition, the relationship of math anxiety with gender was fully mediated by adaptive perception of control (i.e. controllability). That is, young boys differ from girls in terms of their experience of control in mathematics learning. These differences influence math anxiety. Our findings are consistent with recent suggestions in clinical literature according to which uncontrollability makes women more susceptible to fear and anxiety disorders. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mathematical Modeling: Are Prior Experiences Important?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czocher, Jennifer A.; Moss, Diana L.

2017-01-01

Why are math modeling problems the source of such frustration for students and teachers? The conceptual understanding that students have when engaging with a math modeling problem varies greatly. They need opportunities to make their own assumptions and design the mathematics to fit these assumptions (CCSSI 2010). Making these assumptions is part…

Types of Learning Problems

MedlinePlus

... Dyscalculia is defined as difficulty performing mathematical calculations. Math is problematic for many students, but dyscalculia may prevent a teenager from grasping even basic math concepts. Auditory Memory and Processing Disabilities Auditory memory ...

Designing Networks that are Capable of Self-Healing and Adapting

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-01

Undergrad. Res. Fellowship, visiting from Caltech. Undergraduate Eugene Park Math Duke Models of self-healing networks (undergrad. senior thesis...Graduate student Anastasia Deckard Math Duke 3rd/4th year PhD. Wrote software for simulation. Undergraduate Nick Day Math LIMS Summer project at...Harer gave a talk on this DTRA grant to undergraduate math majors at Duke. 11 Q UA D C HA R T Uploaded to the DTRA Basic and Fundamental Research

The effect of visual parameters on neural activation during nonsymbolic number comparison and its relation to math competency.

PubMed

Wilkey, Eric D; Barone, Jordan C; Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Vogel, Stephan E; Price, Gavin R

2017-10-01

Nonsymbolic numerical comparison task performance (whereby a participant judges which of two groups of objects is numerically larger) is thought to index the efficiency of neural systems supporting numerical magnitude perception, and performance on such tasks has been related to individual differences in math competency. However, a growing body of research suggests task performance is heavily influenced by visual parameters of the stimuli (e.g. surface area and dot size of object sets) such that the correlation with math is driven by performance on trials in which number is incongruent with visual cues. Almost nothing is currently known about whether the neural correlates of nonsymbolic magnitude comparison are also affected by visual congruency. To investigate this issue, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyze neural activity during a nonsymbolic comparison task as a function of visual congruency in a sample of typically developing high school students (n = 36). Further, we investigated the relation to math competency as measured by the preliminary scholastic aptitude test (PSAT) in 10th grade. Our results indicate that neural activity was modulated by the ratio of the dot sets being compared in brain regions previously shown to exhibit an effect of ratio (i.e. left anterior cingulate, left precentral gyrus, left intraparietal sulcus, and right superior parietal lobe) when calculated from the average of congruent and incongruent trials, as it is in most studies, and that the effect of ratio within those regions did not differ as a function of congruency condition. However, there were significant differences in other regions in overall task-related activation, as opposed to the neural ratio effect, when congruent and incongruent conditions were contrasted at the whole-brain level. Math competency negatively correlated with ratio-dependent neural response in the left insula across congruency conditions and showed distinct correlations when split across conditions. There was a positive correlation between math competency in the right supramarginal gyrus during congruent trials and a negative correlation in the left angular gyrus during incongruent trials. Together, these findings support the idea that performance on the nonsymbolic comparison task relates to math competency and ratio-dependent neural activity does not differ by congruency condition. With regards to math competency, congruent and incongruent trials showed distinct relations between math competency and individual differences in ratio-dependent neural activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How Math Anxiety Relates to Number-Space Associations.

PubMed

Georges, Carrie; Hoffmann, Danielle; Schiltz, Christine

2016-01-01

Given the considerable prevalence of math anxiety, it is important to identify the factors contributing to it in order to improve mathematical learning. Research on math anxiety typically focusses on the effects of more complex arithmetic skills. Recent evidence, however, suggests that deficits in basic numerical processing and spatial skills also constitute potential risk factors of math anxiety. Given these observations, we determined whether math anxiety also depends on the quality of spatial-numerical associations. Behavioral evidence for a tight link between numerical and spatial representations is given by the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect, characterized by faster left-/right-sided responses for small/large digits respectively in binary classification tasks. We compared the strength of the SNARC effect between high and low math anxious individuals using the classical parity judgment task in addition to evaluating their spatial skills, arithmetic performance, working memory and inhibitory control. Greater math anxiety was significantly associated with stronger spatio-numerical interactions. This finding adds to the recent evidence supporting a link between math anxiety and basic numerical abilities and strengthens the idea that certain characteristics of low-level number processing such as stronger number-space associations constitute a potential risk factor of math anxiety.

How Math Anxiety Relates to Number–Space Associations

PubMed Central

Georges, Carrie; Hoffmann, Danielle; Schiltz, Christine

2016-01-01

Given the considerable prevalence of math anxiety, it is important to identify the factors contributing to it in order to improve mathematical learning. Research on math anxiety typically focusses on the effects of more complex arithmetic skills. Recent evidence, however, suggests that deficits in basic numerical processing and spatial skills also constitute potential risk factors of math anxiety. Given these observations, we determined whether math anxiety also depends on the quality of spatial-numerical associations. Behavioral evidence for a tight link between numerical and spatial representations is given by the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect, characterized by faster left-/right-sided responses for small/large digits respectively in binary classification tasks. We compared the strength of the SNARC effect between high and low math anxious individuals using the classical parity judgment task in addition to evaluating their spatial skills, arithmetic performance, working memory and inhibitory control. Greater math anxiety was significantly associated with stronger spatio-numerical interactions. This finding adds to the recent evidence supporting a link between math anxiety and basic numerical abilities and strengthens the idea that certain characteristics of low-level number processing such as stronger number–space associations constitute a potential risk factor of math anxiety. PMID:27683570

Language, reading, and math learning profiles in an epidemiological sample of school age children.

PubMed

Archibald, Lisa M D; Oram Cardy, Janis; Joanisse, Marc F; Ansari, Daniel

2013-01-01

Dyscalculia, dyslexia, and specific language impairment (SLI) are relatively specific developmental learning disabilities in math, reading, and oral language, respectively, that occur in the context of average intellectual capacity and adequate environmental opportunities. Past research has been dominated by studies focused on single impairments despite the widespread recognition that overlapping and comorbid deficits are common. The present study took an epidemiological approach to study the learning profiles of a large school age sample in language, reading, and math. Both general learning profiles reflecting good or poor performance across measures and specific learning profiles involving either weak language, weak reading, weak math, or weak math and reading were observed. These latter four profiles characterized 70% of children with some evidence of a learning disability. Low scores in phonological short-term memory characterized clusters with a language-based weakness whereas low or variable phonological awareness was associated with the reading (but not language-based) weaknesses. The low math only group did not show these phonological deficits. These findings may suggest different etiologies for language-based deficits in language, reading, and math, reading-related impairments in reading and math, and isolated math disabilities.

Language, Reading, and Math Learning Profiles in an Epidemiological Sample of School Age Children

PubMed Central

Archibald, Lisa M. D.; Oram Cardy, Janis; Joanisse, Marc F.; Ansari, Daniel

2013-01-01

Dyscalculia, dyslexia, and specific language impairment (SLI) are relatively specific developmental learning disabilities in math, reading, and oral language, respectively, that occur in the context of average intellectual capacity and adequate environmental opportunities. Past research has been dominated by studies focused on single impairments despite the widespread recognition that overlapping and comorbid deficits are common. The present study took an epidemiological approach to study the learning profiles of a large school age sample in language, reading, and math. Both general learning profiles reflecting good or poor performance across measures and specific learning profiles involving either weak language, weak reading, weak math, or weak math and reading were observed. These latter four profiles characterized 70% of children with some evidence of a learning disability. Low scores in phonological short-term memory characterized clusters with a language-based weakness whereas low or variable phonological awareness was associated with the reading (but not language-based) weaknesses. The low math only group did not show these phonological deficits. These findings may suggest different etiologies for language-based deficits in language, reading, and math, reading-related impairments in reading and math, and isolated math disabilities. PMID:24155959

Multivariate Latent Change Modeling of Developmental Decline in Academic Intrinsic Math Motivation and Achievement: Childhood through Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gottfried, Adele Eskeles; Marcoulides, George A.; Gottfried, Allen W.; Oliver, Pamella H.; Guerin, Diana Wright

2007-01-01

Research has established that academic intrinsic motivation, enjoyment of school learning without receipt of external rewards, significantly declines across childhood through adolescence. Math intrinsic motivation evidences the most severe decline compared with other subject areas. This study addresses this developmental decline in math intrinsic…

Assessing Impacts of "Math in Focus," a "Singapore Math" Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaciw, Andrew P.; Hegseth, Whitney Michelle; Lin, Li; Toby, Megan; Newman, Denis; Ma, Boya; Zacamy, Jenna

2016-01-01

This study investigates, through a cluster randomized trial, the impact of "Math in Focus," a core mathematics program modeled after instructional approaches used in Singapore, on third- through fifth-grade students' achievement in mathematics. The program is currently being used in more than 400 school districts in the United States.…

Applied Math. Course Materials: Math 111, 112, 113. Seattle Tech Prep Applied Academics Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Seattle Community Coll., Washington.

This publication contains materials for three courses in Applied Math in the Applied Academics program at South Seattle Community College. It begins with the article, "Community College Applied Academics: The State of the Art?" (George B. Neff), which describes the characteristics, model, courses, and coordination activity that make up…

Evaluating Math Recovery: Implications for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Thomas

2010-01-01

This presentation focuses on an initial evaluation study of Math Recovery (MR), a pullout, one-to-one tutoring program that has been designed to increase mathematics achievement among low-performing first graders, thereby closing the school-entry achievement gap and enabling participants to achieve at the level of their higher-performing peers in…

Mapping Success: Performance-Based Scholarships, Student Services, and Developmental Math at Hillsborough Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommo, Colleen; Boynton, Melissa; Collado, Herbert; Diamond, John; Gardenhire, Alissa; Ratledge, Alyssa; Rudd, Timothy; Weiss, Michael J.

2014-01-01

In 2010, Hillsborough Community College (HCC), a large multicampus institution in Tampa, Florida, worked with MDRC to create the Mathematics Access Performance Scholarship (MAPS) program to help academically underprepared community college students succeed in developmental math. MAPS provides an incentive for low-income students referred to…

Evaluating Math Recovery: Investigating Tutor Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Sarah Elizabeth; Smith, Thomas

2010-01-01

The goal of the overall study was to evaluate the potential of Math Recovery (MR), a pullout, one-to-one tutoring program, to increase mathematics achievement among low-performing first graders, thereby closing the school-entry achievement gap by enabling them to achieve at the level of their higher-performing peers in the regular mathematics…

Predicting first-grade mathematics achievement: the contributions of domain-general cognitive abilities, nonverbal number sense, and early number competence.

PubMed

Hornung, Caroline; Schiltz, Christine; Brunner, Martin; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

Early number competence, grounded in number-specific and domain-general cognitive abilities, is theorized to lay the foundation for later math achievement. Few longitudinal studies have tested a comprehensive model for early math development. Using structural equation modeling and mediation analyses, the present work examined the influence of kindergarteners' nonverbal number sense and domain-general abilities (i.e., working memory, fluid intelligence, and receptive vocabulary) and their early number competence (i.e., symbolic number skills) on first grade math achievement (i.e., arithmetic, shape and space skills, and number line estimation) assessed 1 year later. Latent regression models revealed that nonverbal number sense and working memory are central building blocks for developing early number competence in kindergarten and that early number competence is key for first grade math achievement. After controlling for early number competence, fluid intelligence significantly predicted arithmetic and number line estimation while receptive vocabulary significantly predicted shape and space skills. In sum we suggest that early math achievement draws on different constellations of number-specific and domain-general mechanisms.

Predicting first-grade mathematics achievement: the contributions of domain-general cognitive abilities, nonverbal number sense, and early number competence

PubMed Central

Hornung, Caroline; Schiltz, Christine; Brunner, Martin; Martin, Romain

2014-01-01

Early number competence, grounded in number-specific and domain-general cognitive abilities, is theorized to lay the foundation for later math achievement. Few longitudinal studies have tested a comprehensive model for early math development. Using structural equation modeling and mediation analyses, the present work examined the influence of kindergarteners' nonverbal number sense and domain-general abilities (i.e., working memory, fluid intelligence, and receptive vocabulary) and their early number competence (i.e., symbolic number skills) on first grade math achievement (i.e., arithmetic, shape and space skills, and number line estimation) assessed 1 year later. Latent regression models revealed that nonverbal number sense and working memory are central building blocks for developing early number competence in kindergarten and that early number competence is key for first grade math achievement. After controlling for early number competence, fluid intelligence significantly predicted arithmetic and number line estimation while receptive vocabulary significantly predicted shape and space skills. In sum we suggest that early math achievement draws on different constellations of number-specific and domain-general mechanisms. PMID:24772098

Can Salience of Gender Identity Impair Math Performance among 7-8 Years Old Girls? The Moderating Role of Task Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuville, Emmanuelle; Croizet, Jean-Claude

2007-01-01

Can the salience of gender identity affect the math performance of 7-8 year old girls? Third-grade girls and boys were required to solve arithmetical problems of varied difficulty. Prior to the test, one half of the participants had their gender identity activated. Results showed that activation of gender identity affected girls' performance but…

Motivated Forgetting in Early Mathematics: A Proof-of-Concept Study

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Gerardo

2017-01-01

Educators assume that students are motivated to retain what they are taught. Yet, students commonly report that they forget most of what they learn, especially in mathematics. In the current study I ask whether students may be motivated to forget mathematics because of academic experiences threaten the self-perceptions they are committed to maintaining. Using a large dataset of 1st and 2nd grade children (N = 812), I hypothesize that math anxiety creates negative experiences in the classroom that threaten children’s positive math self-perceptions, which in turn spurs a motivation to forget mathematics. I argue that this motivation to forget is activated during the winter break, which in turn reduces the extent to which children grow in achievement across the school year. Children were assessed for math self-perceptions, math anxiety and math achievement in the fall before going into winter break. During the spring, children’s math achievement was measured once again. A math achievement growth score was devised from a regression model of fall math achievement predicting spring achievement. Results show that children with higher math self-perceptions showed reduced growth in math achievement across the school year as a function of math anxiety. Children with lower math interest self-perceptions did not show this relationship. Results serve as a proof-of-concept for a scientific account of motivated forgetting within the context of education. PMID:29255439

Motivated Forgetting in Early Mathematics: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

PubMed

Ramirez, Gerardo

2017-01-01

Educators assume that students are motivated to retain what they are taught. Yet, students commonly report that they forget most of what they learn, especially in mathematics. In the current study I ask whether students may be motivated to forget mathematics because of academic experiences threaten the self-perceptions they are committed to maintaining. Using a large dataset of 1st and 2nd grade children ( N = 812), I hypothesize that math anxiety creates negative experiences in the classroom that threaten children's positive math self-perceptions, which in turn spurs a motivation to forget mathematics. I argue that this motivation to forget is activated during the winter break, which in turn reduces the extent to which children grow in achievement across the school year. Children were assessed for math self-perceptions, math anxiety and math achievement in the fall before going into winter break. During the spring, children's math achievement was measured once again. A math achievement growth score was devised from a regression model of fall math achievement predicting spring achievement. Results show that children with higher math self-perceptions showed reduced growth in math achievement across the school year as a function of math anxiety. Children with lower math interest self-perceptions did not show this relationship. Results serve as a proof-of-concept for a scientific account of motivated forgetting within the context of education.

Latino Children's Math Confidence: The Role of Mothers' Gender Stereotypes and Involvement across The Transition to Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denner, Jill; Laursen, Brett; Dickson, Daniel; Hartl, Amy C.

2018-01-01

The influence of parental beliefs and behaviors on children's math confidence and performance is well documented, but few studies examine these associations over time, or in large samples of Latino/a families. This study used longitudinal data from 247 (114 sons and 133 daughters) mother-child dyads to examine whether maternal math gender…

Using Bayesian Networks to Understand Relationships among Math Anxiety, Genders, Personality Types, and Study Habits at a University in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smail, Linda

2017-01-01

Mathematics is the foundation of all sciences, but most students have problems learning math. Although students' success in life related to their success in learning, many would not take a math course unless it is their university's core requirements. Multiple reasons exist for students' poor performance in mathematics, but one prevalent variable…

A Comparison of Teacher Quality in Math for Late Elementary and Middle School Students with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilmour, Allison F.; Henry, Gary T.

2018-01-01

Students with disabilities (SWDs) perform below their peers in math on national and state assessments. The quality of teachers who provide these students with math instruction is an unexamined variable that could influence this low achievement. We used data from more than 1 million students to compare the quality of teachers assigned to teach math…

High Productivity Computing Systems Analysis and Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-07-01

cubic grid Discrete Math Global Updates per second (GUP/S) RandomAccess Paper & Pencil Contact Bob Lucas (ISI) Multiple Precision none...can be found at the web site. One of the HPCchallenge codes, RandomAccess, is derived from the HPCS discrete math benchmarks that we released, and...Kernels Discrete Math … Graph Analysis … Linear Solvers … Signal Processi ng Execution Bounds Execution Indicators 6 Scalable Compact

Attentional Cuing in Math Word Problems for Girls At-Risk for ADHD and Their Peers in General Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kercood, Suneeta; Zentall, Sydney S.; Vinh, Megan; Tom-Wright, Kinsey

2012-01-01

The purpose of this theoretically-based study was to examine the effects of yellow-highlighting "relevant" words and units within math word problems. Initial differences were documented between 10 girls at-risk for ADHD and 10 comparisons on the performance of group and individual assessments of math computations and word problems, as had…

We can do it: the interplay of construal orientation and social comparisons under threat.

PubMed

Marx, David M; Stapel, Diederik A; Muller, Dominique

2005-03-01

The authors investigated how a collective self-construal orientation in combination with positive social comparisons "turns off" the negative effects of stereotype threat. Specifically, Experiment 1 demonstrated that stereotype threat led to increased accessibility of participants' collective self ("we"). Experiment 2 showed that this feeling of "we-ness" in the stereotype threat condition centered on the participants' stereotyped group membership and not on other important social groups (e.g., students). Experiment 3 indicated that in threat situations, when participants' collective self is accessible, positive social comparison information led to improved math test performance and less concern, whereas in nonthreat situations, when the collective self is less accessible, positive comparison information led to worse test performance and more concern. Our final experiment revealed that under stereotype threat, only those comparison targets who are competent in the relevant domain (math), rather than in domains unrelated to math (athletics), enhanced participants' math test performance. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).

Numbers in action: individual differences and interactivity in mental arithmetic.

PubMed

Guthrie, Lisa G; Vallée-Tourangeau, Frédéric

2018-02-03

Previous research indicates that interactive arithmetic tasks may alleviate the deleterious impact of maths anxiety on arithmetic performance. Our aim here was to further test the impact of interactivity on maths-anxious individuals and those with poorer numeracy skills. In the experiment reported here participants completed sums in two interactivity contexts. In a low-interactivity condition, sums were completed with hands down. In a second, high-interactivity condition, participants used moveable number tokens. As anticipated, accuracy and efficiency were greater in the high compared to the low-interactivity condition. Correlational analyses indicated that maths anxiety, objective numeracy, measures of maths expertise and working memory were stronger predictors of performance in the low- than in the high-interactivity conditions. Interactivity transformed the deployment of arithmetic skills, improved performance, and reduced the gap between high- and low-ability individuals. These findings suggest that traditional psychometric efforts that identify the cognitive capacities and dispositions involved in mental arithmetic should take into account the degree of interactivity afforded by the task environment.

Locomotor Stability in a Model Swimmer: Coupling Fluid Dynamics, Neurophysiology and Muscle Mechanics

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-05

springs which resist deformation. (C) Inset that shows the position of the muscle segments. Cohen, Holmes, Rand, J. Math Biol. 1982 A representative...numbers are the segment number, labeled from head to tail. Cohen, Holmes, Rand, J. Math Biol. 1982 The signals are periodic. Cohen, Holmes, Rand, J... Math Biol. 1982 From head to tail there is a phase lag on each side. Cohen, Holmes, Rand, J. Math Biol. 1982 On a given segment, the signals are in

Math Error Types and Correlates in Adolescents with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

PubMed Central

Capodieci, Agnese; Martinussen, Rhonda

2017-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the types of errors made by youth with and without a parent-reported diagnosis of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on a math fluency task and investigate the association between error types and youths’ performance on measures of processing speed and working memory. Method: Participants included 30 adolescents with ADHD and 39 typically developing peers between 14 and 17 years old matched in age and IQ. All youth completed standardized measures of math calculation and fluency as well as two tests of working memory and processing speed. Math fluency error patterns were examined. Results: Adolescents with ADHD showed less proficient math fluency despite having similar math calculation scores as their peers. Group differences were also observed in error types with youth with ADHD making more switch errors than their peers. Conclusion: This research has important clinical applications for the assessment and intervention on math ability in students with ADHD. PMID:29075227

Math Error Types and Correlates in Adolescents with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Capodieci, Agnese; Martinussen, Rhonda

2017-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the types of errors made by youth with and without a parent-reported diagnosis of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on a math fluency task and investigate the association between error types and youths' performance on measures of processing speed and working memory. Method: Participants included 30 adolescents with ADHD and 39 typically developing peers between 14 and 17 years old matched in age and IQ. All youth completed standardized measures of math calculation and fluency as well as two tests of working memory and processing speed. Math fluency error patterns were examined. Results: Adolescents with ADHD showed less proficient math fluency despite having similar math calculation scores as their peers. Group differences were also observed in error types with youth with ADHD making more switch errors than their peers. Conclusion: This research has important clinical applications for the assessment and intervention on math ability in students with ADHD.

Math Model for Naval Ship Handling Trainer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golovcsenko, Igor V.

The report describes the math model for an experimental ship handling trainer. The training task is that of a replenishment operation at sea. The model includes equations for ship dynamics of a destroyer, propeller-engine response times, ship separation, interaction effects between supply ship and destroyer, and outputs to a visual display system.…

Space shuttle plume simulation application. Results and math model. [Ames unitary plan wind tunnel test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyle, W.; Conine, B.

1978-01-01

Pressure and gauge wind tunnel data from a transonic test of a 0.02 scale model of the space shuttle launch vehicle was analyzed to define the aerodynamic influence of the main propulsion system and solid rocket booster plumes during the transonic portion of ascent flight. Air was used as a simulant gas to develop the model exhaust plumes. A math model of the plume induced aerodynamic characteristics was developed for a range of Mach numbers to match the forebody aerodynamic math model. The base aerodynamic characteristics are presented in terms of forces and moments versus attitude. Total vehicle base and forebody aerodynamic characteristics are presented in terms of aerodynamic coefficients for Mach number from 0.6 to 1.4 Element and component base and forebody aerodynamic characteristics are presented for Mach numbers of 0.6, 1.05, 1.1, 1.25 and 1.4. The forebody data is available at Mach 1.55. Tolerances for all plume induced aerodynamic characteristics are developed in terms of a math model.

Optimal Transport, Convection, Magnetic Relaxation and Generalized Boussinesq Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brenier, Yann

2009-10-01

We establish a connection between optimal transport theory (see Villani in Topics in optimal transportation. Graduate studies in mathematics, vol. 58, AMS, Providence, 2003, for instance) and classical convection theory for geophysical flows (Pedlosky, in Geophysical fluid dynamics, Springer, New York, 1979). Our starting point is the model designed few years ago by Angenent, Haker, and Tannenbaum (SIAM J. Math. Anal. 35:61-97, 2003) to solve some optimal transport problems. This model can be seen as a generalization of the Darcy-Boussinesq equations, which is a degenerate version of the Navier-Stokes-Boussinesq (NSB) equations. In a unified framework, we relate different variants of the NSB equations (in particular what we call the generalized hydrostatic-Boussinesq equations) to various models involving optimal transport (and the related Monge-Ampère equation, Brenier in Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 64:375-417, 1991; Caffarelli in Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 45:1141-1151, 1992). This includes the 2D semi-geostrophic equations (Hoskins in Annual review of fluid mechanics, vol. 14, pp. 131-151, Palo Alto, 1982; Cullen et al. in SIAM J. Appl. Math. 51:20-31, 1991, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 185:341-363, 2007; Benamou and Brenier in SIAM J. Appl. Math. 58:1450-1461, 1998; Loeper in SIAM J. Math. Anal. 38:795-823, 2006) and some fully nonlinear versions of the so-called high-field limit of the Vlasov-Poisson system (Nieto et al. in Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 158:29-59, 2001) and of the Keller-Segel for Chemotaxis (Keller and Segel in J. Theor. Biol. 30:225-234, 1971; Jäger and Luckhaus in Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 329:819-824, 1992; Chalub et al. in Mon. Math. 142:123-141, 2004). Mathematically speaking, we establish some existence theorems for local smooth, global smooth or global weak solutions of the different models. We also justify that the inertia terms can be rigorously neglected under appropriate scaling assumptions in the generalized Navier-Stokes-Boussinesq equations. Finally, we show how a “stringy” generalization of the AHT model can be related to the magnetic relaxation model studied by Arnold and Moffatt to obtain stationary solutions of the Euler equations with prescribed topology (see Arnold and Khesin in Topological methods in hydrodynamics. Applied mathematical sciences, vol. 125, Springer, Berlin, 1998; Moffatt in J. Fluid Mech. 159:359-378, 1985, Topological aspects of the dynamics of fluids and plasmas. NATO adv. sci. inst. ser. E, appl. sci., vol. 218, Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1992; Schonbek in Theory of the Navier-Stokes equations, Ser. adv. math. appl. sci., vol. 47, pp. 179-184, World Sci., Singapore, 1998; Vladimirov et al. in J. Fluid Mech. 390:127-150, 1999; Nishiyama in Bull. Inst. Math. Acad. Sin. (N.S.) 2:139-154, 2007).

The influence of math anxiety on symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude processing.

PubMed

Dietrich, Julia F; Huber, Stefan; Moeller, Korbinian; Klein, Elise

2015-01-01

Deficits in basic numerical abilities have been investigated repeatedly as potential risk factors of math anxiety. Previous research suggested that also a deficient approximate number system (ANS), which is discussed as being the foundation for later math abilities, underlies math anxiety. However, these studies examined this hypothesis by investigating ANS acuity using a symbolic number comparison task. Recent evidence questions the view that ANS acuity can be assessed using a symbolic number comparison task. To investigate whether there is an association between math anxiety and ANS acuity, we employed both a symbolic number comparison task and a non-symbolic dot comparison task, which is currently the standard task to assess ANS acuity. We replicated previous findings regarding the association between math anxiety and the symbolic distance effect for response times. High math anxious individuals showed a larger distance effect than less math anxious individuals. However, our results revealed no association between math anxiety and ANS acuity assessed using a non-symbolic dot comparison task. Thus, our results did not provide evidence for the hypothesis that a deficient ANS underlies math anxiety. Therefore, we propose that a deficient ANS does not constitute a risk factor for the development of math anxiety. Moreover, our results suggest that previous interpretations regarding the interaction of math anxiety and the symbolic distance effect have to be updated. We suggest that impaired number comparison processes in high math anxious individuals might account for the results rather than deficient ANS representations. Finally, impaired number comparison processes might constitute a risk factor for the development of math anxiety. Implications for current models regarding the origins of math anxiety are discussed.

The influence of math anxiety on symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude processing

PubMed Central

Dietrich, Julia F.; Huber, Stefan; Moeller, Korbinian; Klein, Elise

2015-01-01

Deficits in basic numerical abilities have been investigated repeatedly as potential risk factors of math anxiety. Previous research suggested that also a deficient approximate number system (ANS), which is discussed as being the foundation for later math abilities, underlies math anxiety. However, these studies examined this hypothesis by investigating ANS acuity using a symbolic number comparison task. Recent evidence questions the view that ANS acuity can be assessed using a symbolic number comparison task. To investigate whether there is an association between math anxiety and ANS acuity, we employed both a symbolic number comparison task and a non-symbolic dot comparison task, which is currently the standard task to assess ANS acuity. We replicated previous findings regarding the association between math anxiety and the symbolic distance effect for response times. High math anxious individuals showed a larger distance effect than less math anxious individuals. However, our results revealed no association between math anxiety and ANS acuity assessed using a non-symbolic dot comparison task. Thus, our results did not provide evidence for the hypothesis that a deficient ANS underlies math anxiety. Therefore, we propose that a deficient ANS does not constitute a risk factor for the development of math anxiety. Moreover, our results suggest that previous interpretations regarding the interaction of math anxiety and the symbolic distance effect have to be updated. We suggest that impaired number comparison processes in high math anxious individuals might account for the results rather than deficient ANS representations. Finally, impaired number comparison processes might constitute a risk factor for the development of math anxiety. Implications for current models regarding the origins of math anxiety are discussed. PMID:26579012

Mission Engineering Competencies Technical Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-04-30

generate a mission capability. Note that foundational skills – e.g. math , natural or social sciences, general engineering skills - are not listed in...basic understanding of math , sciences, and the fundamentals of engineering are assumed, the foundational building block for mission...April 30, 2018 69 The Helix model focuses on 6 proficiency areas (Hutchison et al. 2018): 1. Math /Science/General

Increasing Latino/a Representation in Math and Science: An Insider's Look

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguirre, Jarrad

2009-01-01

Recent Yale alumnus Jarrad Aguirre relates his experience creating MAS Familias, a campus organization that supports Latino/a undergraduates studying math and science. Alarmed by Latino/a students' academic struggles and the lack of Latino/a role models in the fields of math and science--and increasingly aware of the social benefits of a diverse…

Using a Regression Discontinuity Design to Estimate the Impact of Placement Decisions in Developmental Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melguizo, Tatiana; Bos, Johannes M.; Ngo, Federick; Mills, Nicholas; Prather, George

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the effectiveness of math placement policies for entering community college students on these students' academic success in math. We estimate the impact of placement decisions by using a discrete-time survival model within a regression discontinuity framework. The primary conclusion that emerges is that initial placement in a…

Effectiveness of the Touch Math Technique in Teaching Basic Addition to Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yikmis, Ahmet

2016-01-01

This study aims to reveal whether the touch math technique is effective in teaching basic addition to children with autism. The dependent variable of this study is the children's skills to solve addition problems correctly, whereas teaching with the touch math technique is the independent variable. Among the single-subject research models, a…

The National Teacher Training Institute for Math, Science and Technology: Exemplary Practice in a Climate of Higher Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donlevy, James G., Ed.; Donlevy, Tia Rice, Ed.

1999-01-01

Reviews the NTTI (National Teacher Training Institute) for Math, Science and Technology model that trains teachers to use video and Internet resources to enhance math and science instruction. Discusses multimedia methodology; standards-based training; program impact in schools; and lesson plans available on the NTTI Web site. (Author/LRW)

From access to success in science: An academic-student affairs intervention for undergraduate freshmen biology students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldridge, Jacqueline Nouvelle

The first year experience is known to present an array of challenges for traditional college students. In particular, freshmen who major in a STEM discipline have their own unique set of challenges when they transition from high school science and math to college science and math; especially chemistry. As a result, students may encounter negative experiences which lower academic and social confidence. This project was designed as a pilot study intervention for a small group of freshmen biology students who were considered academically at-risk due their math SAT scores. The study occurred during the fall semester involving an enhanced active learning component based on the Peer-led Team Learning (PLTL) general chemistry supplemental pedagogy model, and a biology-focused First Year Experience (FYE). PLTL workshops took place in freshmen residence halls, creating a live-n-learn community environment. Mid-term and final chemistry grades and final math grades were collected to measure academic progress. Self-reporting surveys and journals were used to encourage participants to reconstruct their experiences and perceptions of the study. Descriptive analysis was performed to measure statistical significance between midterm and final grade performance, and a general inductive qualitative method was used to determine academic and social confidence as well as experiences and perceptions of the project. Findings of this project revealed a statistically significant improvement between chemistry midterm and final grades of the sample participants. Although academic confidence did not increase, results reveal that social confidence progressed as the majority of students developed a value for studying in groups.

Exploring Dynamical Assessments of Affect, Behavior, and Cognition and Math State Test Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Pedro, Maria Ofelia Z.; Snow, Erica L.; Baker, Ryan S.; McNamara, Danielle S.; Heffernan, Neil T.

2015-01-01

There is increasing evidence that fine-grained aspects of student performance and interaction within educational software are predictive of long-term learning. Machine learning models have been used to provide assessments of affect, behavior, and cognition based on analyses of system log data, estimating the probability of a student's particular…

Examining Differential Math Performance by Gender and Opportunity to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albano, Anthony D.; Rodriguez, Michael C.

2013-01-01

Although a substantial amount of research has been conducted on differential item functioning in testing, studies have focused on detecting differential item functioning rather than on explaining how or why it may occur. Some recent work has explored sources of differential functioning using explanatory and multilevel item response models. This…

Modeling Guidelines for Code Generation in the Railway Signaling Context

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ferrari, Alessio; Bacherini, Stefano; Fantechi, Alessandro; Zingoni, Niccolo

2009-01-01

Modeling guidelines constitute one of the fundamental cornerstones for Model Based Development. Their relevance is essential when dealing with code generation in the safety-critical domain. This article presents the experience of a railway signaling systems manufacturer on this issue. Introduction of Model-Based Development (MBD) and code generation in the industrial safety-critical sector created a crucial paradigm shift in the development process of dependable systems. While traditional software development focuses on the code, with MBD practices the focus shifts to model abstractions. The change has fundamental implications for safety-critical systems, which still need to guarantee a high degree of confidence also at code level. Usage of the Simulink/Stateflow platform for modeling, which is a de facto standard in control software development, does not ensure by itself production of high-quality dependable code. This issue has been addressed by companies through the definition of modeling rules imposing restrictions on the usage of design tools components, in order to enable production of qualified code. The MAAB Control Algorithm Modeling Guidelines (MathWorks Automotive Advisory Board)[3] is a well established set of publicly available rules for modeling with Simulink/Stateflow. This set of recommendations has been developed by a group of OEMs and suppliers of the automotive sector with the objective of enforcing and easing the usage of the MathWorks tools within the automotive industry. The guidelines have been published in 2001 and afterwords revisited in 2007 in order to integrate some additional rules developed by the Japanese division of MAAB [5]. The scope of the current edition of the guidelines ranges from model maintainability and readability to code generation issues. The rules are conceived as a reference baseline and therefore they need to be tailored to comply with the characteristics of each industrial context. Customization of these recommendations has been performed for the automotive control systems domain in order to enforce code generation [7]. The MAAB guidelines have been found profitable also in the aerospace/avionics sector [1] and they have been adopted by the MathWorks Aerospace Leadership Council (MALC). General Electric Transportation Systems (GETS) is a well known railway signaling systems manufacturer leading in Automatic Train Protection (ATP) systems technology. Inside an effort of adopting formal methods within its own development process, GETS decided to introduce system modeling by means of the MathWorks tools [2], and in 2008 chose to move to code generation. This article reports the experience performed by GETS in developing its own modeling standard through customizing the MAAB rules for the railway signaling domain and shows the result of this experience with a successful product development story.

Problems in the Pipeline: Stereotype Threat and Women's Achievement in High-Level Math Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Catherine; Aronson, Joshua; Harder, Jayne Ann

2008-01-01

It is well established that negative stereotypes can undermine women's performance on mathematics tests. Despite considerable laboratory evidence for the role of "stereotype threat" in girls' and women's math test performance, the relevance of such findings for the "real world" gender test-score gap remains unclear and debates about causes focus…

Positive Biases in Self-Assessment of Mathematics Competence, Achievement Goals, and Mathematics Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dupeyrat, Caroline; Escribe, Christian; Huet, Nathalie; Regner, Isabelle

2011-01-01

The study examined how biases in self-evaluations of math competence relate to achievement goals and progress in math achievement. It was expected that performance goals would be related to overestimation and mastery goals to accurate self-assessments. A sample of French high-school students completed a questionnaire measuring their math…

From Poor Performance to Success under Stress: Working Memory, Strategy Selection, and Mathematical Problem Solving under Pressure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beilock, Sian L.; DeCaro, Marci S.

2007-01-01

Two experiments demonstrate how individual differences in working memory (WM) impact the strategies used to solve complex math problems and how consequential testing situations alter strategy use. In Experiment 1, individuals performed multistep math problems under low- or high-pressure conditions and reported their problem-solving strategies.…

The Developmental Dynamics of Task-Avoidant Behavior and Math Performance in Kindergarten and Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirvonen, Riikka; Tolvanen, Asko; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2012-01-01

Besides cognitive factors, children's learning at school may be influenced by more dynamic phenomena, such as motivation and achievement-related task-avoidant behavior. The present study examined the developmental dynamics of task-avoidant behavior and math performance from kindergarten to Grade 4. A total of 225 children were tested for their…

Algebraic Structure of Dynamical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-22

to suggest that the mathematics performed in this research will have such profound 10 implications, but just to demonstrate that studying math for...the sake of studying math can often reveal much about the world, even if not immediately obvious. Throughout the paper, we prove the following three...Banach and Alfred Tarski. Sur la décomposition des ensembles de points en parties respectivement congruentes. Fund. math , 6(1924):244–277, 1924. [3

Does Mathletics, a Supplementary Digital Math Tool, Improve Student Learning and Teaching Methods at Three Private Catholic Schools in Florida?--A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephan, Kelly Purdy

2017-01-01

Improving mathematical student performance in K-12 education has been a focus in the U.S. Students in the U.S. score lower on standardized math assessments than students in other countries. Preparing students for a successful future in a global society requires schools to integrate effective digital technologies in math classroom curricula.…

Integrating Quantitative Reasoning into STEM Courses Using an Energy and Environment Context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, J. D.; Lyford, M. E.; Mayes, R. L.

2010-12-01

Many secondary and post-secondary science classes do not integrate math into their curriculum, while math classes commonly teach concepts without meaningful context. Consequently, students lack basic quantitative skills and the ability to apply them in real-world contexts. For the past three years, a Wyoming Department of Education funded Math Science Partnership at the University of Wyoming (UW) has brought together middle and high school science and math teachers to model how math and science can be taught together in a meaningful way. The UW QR-STEM project emphasizes the importance of Quantitative Reasoning (QR) to student success in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To provide a social context, QR-STEM has focused on energy and the environment. In particular, the project has examined how QR and STEM concepts play critical roles in many of the current global challenges of energy and environment. During four 3-day workshops each summer and over several virtual and short face-to-face meetings during the academic year, UW and community college science and math faculty work with math and science teachers from middle and high schools across the state to improve QR instruction in math and science classes. During the summer workshops, faculty from chemistry, physics, earth sciences, biology and math lead sessions to: 1) improve the basic science content knowledge of teachers; 2) improve teacher understanding of math and statistical concepts, 3) model how QR can be taught by engaging teachers in sessions that integrate math and science in an energy and environment context; and 4) focus curricula using Understanding by Design to identify enduring understandings on which to center instructional strategies and assessment. In addition to presenting content, faculty work with teachers as they develop classroom lessons and larger units to be implemented during the school year. Teachers form interdisciplinary groups which often consist of math and science teachers from the same school or district. By jointly developing units focused on energy and environment, math and science curricula can be coordinated during the school year. During development, teams present their curricular ideas for peer-review. Throughout the school year, teachers implement their units and collect pre-post data on student learning. Ultimately, science teachers integrate math into their science courses, and math teachers integrate science content in their math courses. Following implementation, participants share their experiences with their peers and faculty. Of central interest during these presentations are: 1) How did the QR-STEM experience change teacher practices in the classroom?; and 2) How did the modification of their teaching practices impact student learning and their ability to successfully master QR? The UW QR-STEM has worked with Wyoming science and math teachers from across the state over the three year grant period.

Measuring Math Anxiety (in Spanish) with the Rasch Rating Scale Model.

PubMed

Prieto, Gerardo; Delgado, Ana R

2007-01-01

Two successive studies probed the psychometric properties of a Math Anxiety questionnaire (in Spanish) by means of the Rasch Rating Scale Model. Participants were 411 and 216 Spanish adolescents. Convergent validity was examined by correlating the scale with both the Fennema and Sherman Attitude Scale and a math achievement test. The results show that the scores are psychometrically appropriate, and replicate those reported in meta-analyses: medium-sized negative correlations with achievement and with attitudes toward mathematics, as well as moderate sex-related differences (with girls presenting higher anxiety levels than boys).

A structural equation modeling of executive functions, IQ and mathematical skills in primary students: Differential effects on number production, mental calculus and arithmetical problems.

PubMed

Arán Filippetti, Vanessa; Richaud, María Cristina

2017-10-01

Though the relationship between executive functions (EFs) and mathematical skills has been well documented, little is known about how both EFs and IQ differentially support diverse math domains in primary students. Inconsistency of results may be due to the statistical techniques employed, specifically, if the analysis is conducted with observed variables, i.e., regression analysis, or at the latent level, i.e., structural equation modeling (SEM). The current study explores the contribution of both EFs and IQ in mathematics through an SEM approach. A total of 118 8- to 12-year-olds were administered measures of EFs, crystallized (Gc) and fluid (Gf) intelligence, and math abilities (i.e., number production, mental calculus and arithmetical problem-solving). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) offered support for the three-factor solution of EFs: (1) working memory (WM), (2) shifting, and (3) inhibition. Regarding the relationship among EFs, IQ and math abilities, the results of the SEM analysis showed that (i) WM and age predict number production and mental calculus, and (ii) shifting and sex predict arithmetical problem-solving. In all of the SEM models, EFs partially or totally mediated the relationship between IQ, age and math achievement. These results suggest that EFs differentially supports math abilities in primary-school children and is a more significant predictor of math achievement than IQ level.

Constrained structural dynamic model verification using free vehicle suspension testing methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blair, Mark A.; Vadlamudi, Nagarjuna

1988-01-01

Verification of the validity of a spacecraft's structural dynamic math model used in computing ascent (or in the case of the STS, ascent and landing) loads is mandatory. This verification process requires that tests be carried out on both the payload and the math model such that the ensuing correlation may validate the flight loads calculations. To properly achieve this goal, the tests should be performed with the payload in the launch constraint (i.e., held fixed at only the payload-booster interface DOFs). The practical achievement of this set of boundary conditions is quite difficult, especially with larger payloads, such as the 12-ton Hubble Space Telescope. The development of equations in the paper will show that by exciting the payload at its booster interface while it is suspended in the 'free-free' state, a set of transfer functions can be produced that will have minima that are directly related to the fundamental modes of the payload when it is constrained in its launch configuration.

Women's underrepresentation in science: sociocultural and biological considerations.

PubMed

Ceci, Stephen J; Williams, Wendy M; Barnett, Susan M

2009-03-01

The underrepresentation of women at the top of math-intensive fields is controversial, with competing claims of biological and sociocultural causation. The authors develop a framework to delineate possible causal pathways and evaluate evidence for each. Biological evidence is contradictory and inconclusive. Although cross-cultural and cross-cohort differences suggest a powerful effect of sociocultural context, evidence for specific factors is inconsistent and contradictory. Factors unique to underrepresentation in math-intensive fields include the following: (a) Math-proficient women disproportionately prefer careers in non-math-intensive fields and are more likely to leave math-intensive careers as they advance; (b) more men than women score in the extreme math-proficient range on gatekeeper tests, such as the SAT Mathematics and the Graduate Record Examinations Quantitative Reasoning sections; (c) women with high math competence are disproportionately more likely to have high verbal competence, allowing greater choice of professions; and (d) in some math-intensive fields, women with children are penalized in promotion rates. The evidence indicates that women's preferences, potentially representing both free and constrained choices, constitute the most powerful explanatory factor; a secondary factor is performance on gatekeeper tests, most likely resulting from sociocultural rather than biological causes. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

76 FR 48822 - Applications for New Awards; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-09

... improved student performance on standardized measures of math and literacy achievement (Pearson, Sawyer... skills in context: Testing the value of enhanced math learning in CTE (Final study). St. Paul, Minnesota...

Premigration School Quality, Time Spent in the United States, and the Math Achievement of Immigrant High School Students.

PubMed

Bozick, Robert; Malchiodi, Alessandro; Miller, Trey

2016-10-01

Using a nationally representative sample of 1,189 immigrant youth in American high schools, we examine whether the quality of education in their country of origin is related to post-migration math achievement in the 9th grade. To measure the quality of their education in the country of origin, we use country-specific average test scores from two international assessments: the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). We find that the average PISA or TIMSS scores for immigrant youth's country of origin are positively associated with their performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment. We also find that each year spent in the United States is positively associated with performance on the 9th grade post-migration math assessment, but this effect is strongest for immigrants from countries with low PISA/TIMSS scores.

Family Factors Associated with Sixth-Grade Adolescents' Math and Science Career Interests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Sherri L.; Steward, Jason C.; Lapan, Richard T.

2004-01-01

This study tested a causal model, based on social cognitive career theory (SCCT; R. W. Lent, S. D. Brown, & G. Hackett, 1994, 2000), of math and science career interests among 6th-grade adolescents (N = 318). Consistent with SCCT, it was found that career gender-typing, mother's and father's support for pursuing math and science careers, as well…

Trajectories of Change in Students' Self-Concepts of Ability and Values in Math and College Major Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Musu-Gillette, Lauren E.; Wigfield, Allan; Harring, Jeffrey R.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2015-01-01

This study extends previous research on the long-term connections between motivation constructs in expectancy-value theory and achievement outcomes. Using growth mixture modelling, we examined trajectories of change for 421 students from 4th grade through college in their self-concept of ability (SCA) in math, interest in math, and perceived…

Improving Learning for All Students through Equity-Based Inclusive Reform Practices: Effectiveness of a Fully Integrated Schoolwide Model on Student Reading and Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi, Jeong Hoon; Meisenheimer, Jessica M.; McCart, Amy B.; Sailor, Wayne

2017-01-01

The present investigation examines the schoolwide applications model (SAM) as a potentially effective school reform model for increasing equity-based inclusive education practices while enhancing student reading and math achievement for all students. A 3-year quasi-experimental comparison group analysis using latent growth modeling (LGM) was used…

The Interrelationships of Mathematical Precursors in Kindergarten

PubMed Central

Cirino, Paul T.

2011-01-01

This study evaluated the interrelations among cognitive precursors across quantitative, linguistic, and spatial attention domains that have been implicated for math achievement in young children. The dimensionality of the quantity precursors was evaluated in 286 Kindergarteners via latent variable techniques, and the contribution of precursors from each domain was established for small sums addition. Results showed a five factor structure for the quantity precursors with the major distinction between nonsymbolic and symbolic tasks. The overall model demonstrated good fit, and strong predictive power (R2 = 55%) for addition number combinations. Linguistic and spatial attention domains showed indirect relationships with outcomes, with their effects mediated by symbolic quantity measures. These results have implications for the measurement of mathematical precursors, and yield promise for predicting future math performance. PMID:21194711

Growth Texture and Mechanism of Zinc Nanowires Produced by Mechanical Elongation of Nanocontacts.

PubMed

Yamabe, Kammu; Kizuka, Tokushi

2018-01-01

Two zinc nanotips were brought into contact and elongated inside a transmission electron microscope, thereby growing single-crystal nanowires. The growth dynamics was observed in situ via a lattice imaging method. The preferential crystal growth directions were identified as [101-0], [112-0], [101-2-], and [0001]. Of these, the nanowires grown along the [101-0] and [112-0] directions accounted for 75% of the total and were surrounded by low-energy side surfaces, i.e., {0001}, {101-1}, and {101-0}. On the basis of these features, models of the nanowire morphology were proposed. In either growth direction, the tensile force aligned parallel to the direction along which slip events corresponding to the predominant slip system were unlikely to occur. This led to a high tensile stress for extracting atoms from the growth region, i.e., the promotion of nanowire growth.

An integrated model of academic self-concept development: Academic self-concept, grades, test scores, and tracking over 6 years.

PubMed

Marsh, Herbert W; Pekrun, Reinhard; Murayama, Kou; Arens, A Katrin; Parker, Philip D; Guo, Jiesi; Dicke, Theresa

2018-02-01

Our newly proposed integrated academic self-concept model integrates 3 major theories of academic self-concept formation and developmental perspectives into a unified conceptual and methodological framework. Relations among math self-concept (MSC), school grades, test scores, and school-level contextual effects over 6 years, from the end of primary school through the first 5 years of secondary school (a representative sample of 3,370 German students, 42 secondary schools, 50% male, M age at grade 5 = 11.75) support the (1) internal/external frame of reference model: Math school grades had positive effects on MSC, but the effects of German grades were negative; (2) reciprocal effects (longitudinal panel) model: MSC was predictive of and predicted by math test scores and school grades; (3) big-fish-little-pond effect: The effects on MSC were negative for school-average achievement based on 4 indicators (primary school grades in math and German, school-track prior to the start of secondary school, math test scores in the first year of secondary school). Results for all 3 theoretical models were consistent across the 5 secondary school years: This supports the prediction of developmental equilibrium. This integration highlights the robustness of support over the potentially volatile early to middle adolescent period; the interconnectedness and complementarity of 3 ASC models; their counterbalancing strengths and weaknesses; and new theoretical, developmental, and substantive implications at their intersections. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Targeting Performance Dimensions in Sequence According to the Instructional Hierarchy: Effects on Children's Math Work within a Self-Monitoring Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lannie, Amanda L.; Martens, Brian K.

2008-01-01

Four fifth-grade students were presented with frustration-level math probes while three performance dimensions were measured (i.e., percent intervals on-task, percent correct digits, and digits correct per minute (DCM)). Using a multiple baseline design across participants, students were trained to self-monitor time on-task, accuracy, and…

The Impact of Classroom Performance System-Based Instruction with Peer Instruction upon Student Achievement and Motivation in Eighth Grade Math Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, Tracy Michelle Hunter

2012-01-01

The researcher employed two designs to address the research question for this particular study. This quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group study compared the math achievement of 92 eighth grade students who received Classroom Performance System (CPS)-based instruction using Peer Instruction (PI) to 76 eighth grade students who received…

A Comparison of Online and Face-to-Face Collaboration on the Performance of Middle School Math Students' Standardized Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eliason, Norma Lynn

2014-01-01

The effects of incorporating an online social networking platform, hosted through Wikispace, as a method to potential improve the performance of middle school students on standardized math assessments was investigated in this study. A principal strategy for any educational setting may provide an instructional approach that improves the delivery of…

A Study of Selected Test-Taking Strategies and Demographic Factors on the Math Performance of At-Risk Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Olive

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was three-fold. First, the study determined the effects of mathematics teaching strategies on the performance of elementary students on a state-standardized test. More specifically, this study was concerned with the influence of the Everyday Math teaching strategies versus the Sharon Wells' teaching strategies on the…

Performance in complex motor tasks deteriorates in hyperthermic humans.

PubMed

Piil, Jacob F; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Trangmar, Steven J; Nybo, Lars

2017-01-01

Heat stress, leading to elevations in whole-body temperature, has a marked impact on both physical performance and cognition in ecological settings. Lab experiments confirm this for physically demanding activities, whereas observations are inconsistent for tasks involving cognitive processing of information or decision-making prior to responding. We hypothesized that divergences could relate to task complexity and developed a protocol consisting of 1) simple motor task [TARGET_pinch], 2) complex motor task [Visuo-motor tracking], 3) simple math task [MATH_type], 4) combined motor-math task [MATH_pinch]. Furthermore, visuo-motor tracking performance was assessed both in a separate- and a multipart protocol (complex motor tasks alternating with the three other tasks). Following familiarization, each of the 10 male subjects completed separate and multipart protocols in randomized order in the heat (40°C) or control condition (20°C) with testing at baseline (seated rest) and similar seated position, following exercise-induced hyperthermia (core temperature ∼ 39.5°C in the heat and 38.2°C in control condition). All task scores were unaffected by control exercise or passive heat exposure, but visuo-motor tracking performance was reduced by 10.7 ± 6.5% following exercise-induced hyperthermia when integrated in the multipart protocol and 4.4 ± 5.7% when tested separately (both P < 0.05 ). TARGET_pinch precision declined by 2.6 ± 1.3% ( P < 0.05 ), while no significant changes were observed for the math tasks. These results indicate that heat per se has little impact on simple motor or cognitive test performance, but complex motor performance is impaired by hyperthermia and especially so when multiple tasks are combined.

NREL Model Car Competitions | NREL

Science.gov Websites

skills in both math and science. The goals of the competition include: Generating enthusiasm for science , technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Improving students' understanding of scientific concepts and

The Critical Z-Invariant Ising Model via Dimers: Locality Property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boutillier, Cédric; de Tilière, Béatrice

2011-01-01

We study a large class of critical two-dimensional Ising models, namely critical Z-invariant Ising models. Fisher (J Math Phys 7:1776-1781, 1966) introduced a correspondence between the Ising model and the dimer model on a decorated graph, thus setting dimer techniques as a powerful tool for understanding the Ising model. In this paper, we give a full description of the dimer model corresponding to the critical Z-invariant Ising model, consisting of explicit expressions which only depend on the local geometry of the underlying isoradial graph. Our main result is an explicit local formula for the inverse Kasteleyn matrix, in the spirit of Kenyon (Invent Math 150(2):409-439, 2002), as a contour integral of the discrete exponential function of Mercat (Discrete period matrices and related topics, 2002) and Kenyon (Invent Math 150(2):409-439, 2002) multiplied by a local function. Using results of Boutillier and de Tilière (Prob Theor Rel Fields 147(3-4):379-413, 2010) and techniques of de Tilière (Prob Th Rel Fields 137(3-4):487-518, 2007) and Kenyon (Invent Math 150(2):409-439, 2002), this yields an explicit local formula for a natural Gibbs measure, and a local formula for the free energy. As a corollary, we recover Baxter's formula for the free energy of the critical Z-invariant Ising model (Baxter, in Exactly solved models in statistical mechanics, Academic Press, London, 1982), and thus a new proof of it. The latter is equal, up to a constant, to the logarithm of the normalized determinant of the Laplacian obtained in Kenyon (Invent Math 150(2):409-439, 2002).

Can I Count on Getting Better? Association between Math Anxiety and Poorer Understanding of Medical Risk Reductions.

PubMed

Rolison, Jonathan J; Morsanyi, Kinga; O'Connor, Patrick A

2016-10-01

Lower numerical ability is associated with poorer understanding of health statistics, such as risk reductions of medical treatment. For many people, despite good numeracy skills, math provokes anxiety that impedes an ability to evaluate numerical information. Math-anxious individuals also report less confidence in their ability to perform math tasks. We hypothesized that, independent of objective numeracy, math anxiety would be associated with poorer responding and lower confidence when calculating risk reductions of medical treatments. Objective numeracy was assessed using an 11-item objective numeracy scale. A 13-item self-report scale was used to assess math anxiety. In experiment 1, participants were asked to interpret the baseline risk of disease and risk reductions associated with treatment options. Participants in experiment 2 were additionally provided a graphical display designed to facilitate the processing of math information and alleviate effects of math anxiety. Confidence ratings were provided on a 7-point scale. Individuals of higher objective numeracy were more likely to respond correctly to baseline risks and risk reductions associated with treatment options and were more confident in their interpretations. Individuals who scored high in math anxiety were instead less likely to correctly interpret the baseline risks and risk reductions and were less confident in their risk calculations as well as in their assessments of the effectiveness of treatment options. Math anxiety predicted confidence levels but not correct responding when controlling for objective numeracy. The graphical display was most effective in increasing confidence among math-anxious individuals. The findings suggest that math anxiety is associated with poorer medical risk interpretation but is more strongly related to confidence in interpretations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Use of ICT and its Relationship with Performance in Examinations: A Comparison of the ImpaCT2 Project's Research Findings Using Pupil-Level, School-Level and Multilevel Modelling Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Colin; Lunzer, Eric A.; Tymms, Peter; Fitz-Gibbon, Carol Taylor; Restorick, Jane

2004-01-01

This paper reports a previously unpublished comparative analysis of data from the ImpaCT2 study investigating the relationship between students' performance in England on national tests and their reported use of information technology (particularly networked technology) for school work, at three age levels (11, 14 and 16), in English, Maths and…

Educational consequences of developmental speech disorder: Key Stage 1 National Curriculum assessment results in English and mathematics.

PubMed

Nathan, Liz; Stackhouse, Joy; Goulandris, Nata; Snowling, Margaret J

2004-06-01

Children with speech difficulties may have associated educational problems. This paper reports a study examining the educational attainment of children at Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum who had previously been identified with a speech difficulty. (1) To examine the educational attainment at Key Stage 1 of children diagnosed with speech difficulties two/three years prior to the present study. (2) To compare the Key Stage 1 assessment results of children whose speech problems had resolved at the time of assessment with those whose problems persisted. Data were available from 39 children who had an earlier diagnosis of speech difficulties at age 4/5 (from an original cohort of 47) at the age of 7. A control group of 35 children identified and matched at preschool on age, nonverbal ability and gender provided comparative data. Results of Statutory Assessment Tests (SATs) in reading, reading comprehension, spelling, writing and maths, administered to children at the end of Year 2 of school were analysed. Performance across the two groups was compared. Performance was also compared to published statistics on national levels of attainment. Children with a history of speech difficulties performed less well than controls on reading, spelling and maths. However, children whose speech problems had resolved by the time of assessment performed no differently to controls. Children with persisting speech problems performed less well than controls on tests of literacy and maths. Spelling performance was a particular area of difficulty for children with persisting speech problems. Children with speech difficulties are likely to perform less well than expected on literacy and maths SAT's at age 7. Performance is related to whether the speech problem resolves early on and whether associated language problems exist. Whilst it is unclear whether poorer performance on maths is because of the language components of this task, the results indicate that speech problems, especially persisting ones, can affect the ability to access the National Curriculum to expected levels.

A Panel Analysis of Student Mathematics Achievement in the US in the 1990s: Does Increasing the Amount of Time in Learning Activities Affect Math Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksoy, Tevfik; Link, Charles R.

2000-01-01

Uses panel estimation techniques to estimate econometric models of mathematics achievement determinants for a nationally representative sample of high-school students. Extra time spent on math homework increases test scores; an extra hour of TV viewing negatively affects scores. Longer math periods also help. (Contains 56 references.) (MLH)

Mapping Changes in Students' English and Math Self-Concepts: A Latent Growth Model Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Ronnel B.; McInerney, Dennis M.

2014-01-01

The aims of this study were to examine changes in students' English and math self-concepts and to investigate the effects of gender and school ability level on these changes. Self-concept in English and math were measured thrice across three years among a sample of 2618 secondary school students from Hong Kong. Gender and school ability level were…

Training in Influencing Skills from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (Modelled from Hypnosis and Family Therapy), in Combination with Innovative Maths Pedagogy, Raises Maths Attainment in Adult Numeracy Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, F.; Bourne, J.; Bouch, D.; Churches, R.; Dennison, J.; Evans, J.; Fowler, J.; Jeffers, A.; Prior, E.; Rhodes, L.

2012-01-01

Case study research suggests that NLP [neuro-linguistic programming] influencing strategies benefit teacher effectiveness. Maths pedagogy involving higher-order questioning, challenge, problem solving and collaborative working may be a way of improving attainment in adult numeracy learning, however, such strategies may be less effective if the…

Gender, Math Confidence, and Grit: Relationships with Quantitative Skills and Performance in an Undergraduate Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flanagan, K. M.; Einarson, J.

2017-01-01

In a world filled with big data, mathematical models, and statistics, the development of strong quantitative skills is becoming increasingly critical for modern biologists. Teachers in this field must understand how students acquire quantitative skills and explore barriers experienced by students when developing these skills. In this study, we…

The Role of Anxiety and Working Memory in Gender Differences in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganley, Colleen M.; Vasilyeva, Marina

2014-01-01

This research examined a potential mechanism underlying gender differences in math performance by testing a mediation model in which women's higher anxiety taxes their working memory resources, leading to underperformance on a mathematics test. Participants for the 2 studies were college students (N = 87, N = 118) who completed an anxiety measure,…

Raising the stakes: How students' motivation for mathematics associates with high- and low-stakes test achievement.

PubMed

Simzar, Rahila M; Martinez, Marcela; Rutherford, Teomara; Domina, Thurston; Conley, AnneMarie M

2015-04-01

This study uses data from an urban school district to examine the relation between students' motivational beliefs about mathematics and high- versus low-stakes math test performance. We use ordinary least squares and quantile regression analyses and find that the association between students' motivation and test performance differs based on the stakes of the exam. Students' math self-efficacy and performance avoidance goal orientation were the strongest predictors for both exams; however, students' math self-efficacy was more strongly related to achievement on the low-stakes exam. Students' motivational beliefs had a stronger association at the low-stakes exam proficiency cutoff than they did at the high-stakes passing cutoff. Lastly, the negative association between performance avoidance goals and high-stakes performance showed a decreasing trend across the achievement distribution, suggesting that performance avoidance goals are more detrimental for lower achieving students. These findings help parse out the ways motivation influences achievement under different stakes.

Raising the stakes: How students’ motivation for mathematics associates with high- and low-stakes test achievement☆

PubMed Central

Simzar, Rahila M.; Martinez, Marcela; Rutherford, Teomara; Domina, Thurston; Conley, AnneMarie M.

2016-01-01

This study uses data from an urban school district to examine the relation between students’ motivational beliefs about mathematics and high- versus low-stakes math test performance. We use ordinary least squares and quantile regression analyses and find that the association between students’ motivation and test performance differs based on the stakes of the exam. Students’ math self-efficacy and performance avoidance goal orientation were the strongest predictors for both exams; however, students’ math self-efficacy was more strongly related to achievement on the low-stakes exam. Students’ motivational beliefs had a stronger association at the low-stakes exam proficiency cutoff than they did at the high-stakes passing cutoff. Lastly, the negative association between performance avoidance goals and high-stakes performance showed a decreasing trend across the achievement distribution, suggesting that performance avoidance goals are more detrimental for lower achieving students. These findings help parse out the ways motivation influences achievement under different stakes. PMID:27840563

The Precision of Mapping Between Number Words and the Approximate Number System Predicts Children’s Formal Math Abilities

PubMed Central

Libertus, Melissa E.; Odic, Darko; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin

2016-01-01

Children can represent number in at least two ways: by using their non-verbal, intuitive Approximate Number System (ANS), and by using words and symbols to count and represent numbers exactly. Further, by the time they are five years old, children can map between the ANS and number words, as evidenced by their ability to verbally estimate numbers of items without counting. How does the quality of the mapping between approximate and exact numbers relate to children’s math abilities? The role of the ANS-number word mapping in math competence remains controversial for at least two reasons. First, previous work has not examined the relation between verbal estimation and distinct subtypes of math abilities. Second, previous work has not addressed how distinct components of verbal estimation – mapping accuracy and variability – might each relate to math performance. Here, we address these gaps by measuring individual differences in ANS precision, verbal number estimation, and formal and informal math abilities in 5- to 7-year-old children. We found that verbal estimation variability, but not estimation accuracy, predicted formal math abilities even when controlling for age, expressive vocabulary, and ANS precision, and that it mediated the link between ANS precision and overall math ability. These findings suggest that variability in the ANS-number word mapping may be especially important for formal math abilities. PMID:27348475

The precision of mapping between number words and the approximate number system predicts children's formal math abilities.

PubMed

Libertus, Melissa E; Odic, Darko; Feigenson, Lisa; Halberda, Justin

2016-10-01

Children can represent number in at least two ways: by using their non-verbal, intuitive approximate number system (ANS) and by using words and symbols to count and represent numbers exactly. Furthermore, by the time they are 5years old, children can map between the ANS and number words, as evidenced by their ability to verbally estimate numbers of items without counting. How does the quality of the mapping between approximate and exact numbers relate to children's math abilities? The role of the ANS-number word mapping in math competence remains controversial for at least two reasons. First, previous work has not examined the relation between verbal estimation and distinct subtypes of math abilities. Second, previous work has not addressed how distinct components of verbal estimation-mapping accuracy and variability-might each relate to math performance. Here, we addressed these gaps by measuring individual differences in ANS precision, verbal number estimation, and formal and informal math abilities in 5- to 7-year-old children. We found that verbal estimation variability, but not estimation accuracy, predicted formal math abilities, even when controlling for age, expressive vocabulary, and ANS precision, and that it mediated the link between ANS precision and overall math ability. These findings suggest that variability in the ANS-number word mapping may be especially important for formal math abilities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meeting a Math Achievement Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennings, Lenora; Likis, Lori

2005-01-01

An urban community spotlighted declining mathematics achievement and took some measures, in which the students' performance increased substantially. The Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, engaged the entire community and launched the campaign called "Math Everywhere", which changed Benjamin Banneker's…

The First APU Primary Maths Survey: An Appraisal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, Mike

1980-01-01

The author appraises the first report--on primary maths--of the APU primary survey unit which was designed as an assessment of sample selected age groups in primary and secondary schools to provide a general picture of performance. (Author/KC)

Mathematical modeling of high and low temperature heat pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chi, S. W.

1971-01-01

Mathematical models are developed for calculating heat-transfer limitations of high-temperature heat pipes and heat-transfer limitations and temperature gradient of low temperature heat pipes. Calculated results are compared with the available experimental data from various sources to increase confidence in the present math models. Complete listings of two computer programs for high- and low-temperature heat pipes respectively are appended. These programs enable the performance of heat pipes with wrapped-screen, rectangular-groove or screen-covered rectangular-groove wick to be predicted.

Impaired math achievement in patients with acute vestibular neuritis.

PubMed

Moser, Ivan; Vibert, Dominique; Caversaccio, Marco D; Mast, Fred W

2017-12-01

Broad cognitive difficulties have been reported in patients with peripheral vestibular deficit, especially in the domain of spatial cognition. Processing and manipulating numbers relies on the ability to use the inherent spatial features of numbers. It is thus conceivable that patients with acute peripheral vestibular deficit show impaired numerical cognition. Using the number Stroop task and a short math achievement test, we tested 20 patients with acute vestibular neuritis and 20 healthy, age-matched controls. On the one hand, patients showed normal congruency and distance effects in the number Stroop task, which is indicative of normal number magnitude processing. On the other hand, patients scored lower than healthy controls in the math achievement test. We provide evidence that the lower performance cannot be explained by either differences in prior math knowledge (i.e., education) or slower processing speed. Our results suggest that peripheral vestibular deficit negatively affects numerical cognition in terms of the efficient manipulation of numbers. We discuss the role of executive functions in math performance and argue that previously reported executive deficits in patients with peripheral vestibular deficit provide a plausible explanation for the lower math achievement scores. In light of the handicapping effects of impaired numerical cognition in daily living, it is crucial to further investigate the mechanisms that cause mathematical deficits in acute PVD and eventually develop adequate means for cognitive interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of heat loss from a cylindrical cavity receiver based on simultaneous energy and exergy analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madadi, Vahid; Tavakoli, Touraj; Rahimi, Amir

2015-03-01

This study undertakes the experimental and theoretical investigation of heat losses from a cylindrical cavity receiver employed in a solar parabolic dish collector. Simultaneous energy and exergy equations are used for a thermal performance analysis of the system. The effects of wind speed and its direction on convection loss has also been investigated. The effects of operational parameters, such as heat transfer fluid mass flow rate and wind speed, and structural parameters, such as receiver geometry and inclination, are investigated. The portion of radiative heat loss is less than 10%. An empirical and simplified correlation for estimating the dimensionless convective heat transfer coefficient in terms of the Re mathrm {Re} number and the average receiver wall temperature is proposed. This correlation is applicable for a wind speed range of 0.10.1 to 10 m/s. Moreover, the proposed correlation for Nu mathrm {Nu} number is validated using experimental data obtained through the experiments carried out with a conical receiver with two aperture diameters. The coefficient of determination R2 and the normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) parameters were calculated, and the results show that there is a good agreement between predicted results and experimental data. R2 is greater than 0.950.95 and the NRMSE parameters is less than 0.060.06 in this analysis.

Detecting Math Anxiety with a Mixture Partial Credit Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ölmez, Ibrahim Burak; Cohen, Allan S.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate a new methodology for detection of differences in middle grades students' math anxiety. A mixture partial credit model analysis revealed two distinct latent classes based on homogeneities in response patterns within each latent class. Students in Class 1 had less anxiety about apprehension of math…

Reciprocal Relationships between Math Self-Concept and Math Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Wondimu; Minnaert, Alexander; Kuyper, Hans; van der Werf, Greetje

2012-01-01

The present study examined the reciprocal relationships between self-concept and anxiety in mathematics. A sample of 495 grade 7 students (51% girls) completed self-report measures assessing self-concept and anxiety three times in a school year. Structural equation modeling was used to test a cross-lagged panel model of reciprocal effects between…

The Role of Social Support in Students' Perceived Abilities and Attitudes toward Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Lindsay; Barth, Joan M.; Guadagno, Rosanna E.; Smith, Gabrielle P. A.; McCallum, Debra M.

2013-01-01

Social cognitive models examining academic and career outcomes emphasize constructs such as attitude, interest, and self-efficacy as key factors affecting students' pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses and careers. The current research examines another under-researched component of social cognitive models: social…

Brief Report: Investigating Relations between Self-Concept and Performance in Reading and Math for School-Aged Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCauley, James B.; Zajic, Matthew C.; Oswald, Tasha M.; Swain-Lerro, Lindsey E.; McIntyre, Nancy C.; Harris, Michelle A.; Trzesniewski, Kali; Mundy, Peter C.; Solomon, Marjorie

2018-01-01

A typically developing student's perceptions of his or her own capabilities (academic self-concept), is predictive of later academic achievement. However, little is known about academic self-concept in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To understand whether students math self-concept and reading self-concept predicted their performance,…

Gender-, Race-, and Income-Based Stereotype Threat: The Effects of Multiple Stigmatized Aspects of Identity on Math Performance and Working Memory Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tine, Michele; Gotlieb, Rebecca

2013-01-01

This study compared the relative impact of gender-, race-, and income-based stereotype threat and examined if individuals with multiple stigmatized aspects of identity experience a larger stereotype threat effect on math performance and working memory function than people with one stigmatized aspect of identity. Seventy-one college students of the…

Middle School A/B Block and Traditional Scheduling: An Analysis of Math and Reading Performance by Race

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Willie Wallicia Allen

2011-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether a difference existed in the percentage performance of students earning a pass/advanced score on the Standards of Learning (SOL) Test in math and reading in Virginia's Region IV for schools using an A/B block schedule and those using a traditional schedule. The research also examined if…

High School Leaders' Perceptions of Practices That Increase Graduation Rates of African American Males

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Linda D.

2015-01-01

Research indicates there are significant differences in the academic performance of minorities and whites, particularly at the high school level. On average, Latino and African American high school students read and perform math on the same level as 13-year-old white students and trail their white peers by an average of 20 test points on math and…

A descriptive study of high school Latino and Caucasian students' values about math, perceived math achievement and STEM career choice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez Flecha, Samuel

The purpose of this study was to examine high school students' math values, perceived math achievement, and STEM career choice. Participants (N=515) were rural high school students from the U.S. Northwest. Data was collected by administering the "To Do or Not to Do:" STEM pilot survey. Most participants (n=294) were Latinos, followed by Caucasians (n=142). Fifty-three percent of the students rated their math achievement as C or below. Of high math students, 57% were male. Females were 53% of low math students. Caucasians (61%) rated themselves as high in math in a greater proportion than Latinos (39%). Latinos (58%) rated themselves as low in math in a greater proportion than Caucasians (39%). Math Values play a significant role in students' perceived math achievement. Internal math values (r =.68, R2 =.46, p =.001) influenced perceived math achievement regardless of gender (males: r =.70, R2 =.49, p =.001; females: r =.65, R2 =.43, p =.001), for Latinos (r =.66, R2 =.44, p =.001), and Caucasians (r =.72, R2 =.51, p =.001). External math values (r =.53, R2 =.28, p =.001) influenced perceived math achievement regardless of gender (males: r =.54, R2 =.30, p =.001; females: r =.49, R2 =.24, p =.001), for Latinos (r =.47, R2 =.22, p =.001), and Caucasians (r =.58, R2 =.33, p =.001). Most high-math students indicated an awareness of being good at math at around 11 years old. Low-math students said that they realized that math was difficult for them at approximately 13 years of age. The influence of parents, teachers, and peers may vary at different academic stages. Approximately half of the participants said there was not a person who had significantly impacted their career choice; only a minority said their parents and teachers were influencing them to a STEM career. Parents and teachers are the most influential relationships in students' career choice. More exposure to STEM role models and in a variety of professions is needed. Possible strategies to impact students' career choice, future directions and recommendations are provided. In sum, positive experiences in STEM can favorably contribute to students' sense of competence and satisfaction.

Model-based vision using geometric hashing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akerman, Alexander, III; Patton, Ronald

1991-04-01

The Geometric Hashing technique developed by the NYU Courant Institute has been applied to various automatic target recognition applications. In particular, I-MATH has extended the hashing algorithm to perform automatic target recognition ofsynthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. For this application, the hashing is performed upon the geometric locations of dominant scatterers. In addition to being a robust model-based matching algorithm -- invariant under translation, scale, and 3D rotations of the target -- hashing is of particular utility because it can still perform effective matching when the target is partially obscured. Moreover, hashing is very amenable to a SIMD parallel processing architecture, and thus potentially realtime implementable.

The Relation between 1st Grade Grey Matter Volume and 2nd Grade Math Competence

PubMed Central

Price, Gavin R.; Wilkey, Eric D.; Yeo, Darren J.; Cutting, Laurie E.

2015-01-01

Mathematical and numerical competence is a critical foundation for individual success in modern society yet the neurobiological sources of individual differences in math competence are poorly understood. Neuroimaging research over the last decade suggests that neural mechanisms in the parietal lobe, particularly the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) are structurally aberrant in individuals with mathematical learning disabilities. However, whether those same brain regions underlie individual differences in math performance across the full range of math abilities is unknown. Furthermore, previous studies have been exclusively cross-sectional, making it unclear whether variations in the structure of the IPS are caused by or consequences of the development of math skills. The present study investigates the relation between grey matter volume across the whole brain and math competence longitudinally in a representative sample of 50 elementary school children. Results show that grey matter volume in the left IPS at the end of 1st grade relates to math competence a year later at the end of 2nd grade. Grey matter volume in this region did not change over that year, and was still correlated with math competence at the end of 2nd grade. These findings support the hypothesis that the IPS and its associated functions represent a critical foundation for the acquisition of mathematical competence. PMID:26334946

Verbal and Math Self-Concepts: An Extension of the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.; Byrne, Barbara M.

The internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model describes relations among Verbal self-concept (VSC), Math self-concept (MSC), and corresponding achievement scores (VACH, MACH). In support of the model Marsh (1986) found that: (1) VSC and MSC were nearly uncorrelated; (2) the effect of VACH on VSC, and of MACH on MSC, were positive; but (3)…

The belief in a negative interdependence of math and verbal abilities as determinant of academic self-concepts.

PubMed

Möller, Jens; Streblow, Lilian; Pohlmann, Britta

2006-03-01

The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model by Marsh (1986) assumes intra-individual dimensional comparisons in which students compare their own achievements in one subject with their achievements in other subjects. These comparison processes should lead to negative paths from achievement in one subject (e.g. maths) on self-concept in another subject (e.g. verbal domains). Within this study, we investigated the impact of students' belief in a negative interdependence of maths and verbal abilities, that is, whether students think of maths and verbal abilities as negatively correlated or not, on the impact of dimensional comparisons. Maths and German grades, academic self-concepts in maths and German, and a new scale on the beliefs in a negative interdependence of maths and verbal abilities students were assessed (N = 1,443). The importance of the negative interdependence beliefs could be shown: stronger beliefs in a negative interdependence of maths and verbal ability are accompanied by more negative path coefficients from grades in one subject to academic self-concepts in the other subject. Dimensional comparisons seem to be of particular importance for students with negative interdependence beliefs.

Assessing the Math Performance of Young ESL Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Fong Yun; Silverman, Fredrick L.; Montoya, Patricia

2002-01-01

Describes proven assessment strategies, which, used separately or in combination, can help young ESL students express their understanding of math concepts while building their English-language skills: Manipulative objects, diagrams, and physical movement. Also describes other assessment techniques including self-assessment, interviewing, and…

Workplace Math I: Easing into Math.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Nancy; Goschen, Claire

This basic skills learning module includes instruction in performing basic computations, using general numerical concepts such as whole numbers, fractions, decimals, averages, ratios, proportions, percentages, and equivalents in practical situations. The problems are relevant to all aspects of the printing and manufacturing industry, with emphasis…

Working with and Visualizing Big Data Efficiently with Python for the DARPA XDATA Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

same function to be used with scalar inputs, input arrays of the same shape, or even input arrays of dimensionality in some cases. Most of the math ... math operations on values ● Split-apply-combine: similar to group-by operations in databases ● Join: combine two datasets using common columns 4.3.3...Numba - Continue to increase SIMD performance with support for fast math flags and improved support for AVX, Intel’s large vector

Integrated Modeling Activities for the James Webb Space Telescope: Structural-Thermal-Optical Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, John D.; Howard, Joseph M.; Mosier, Gary E.; Parrish, Keith A.; McGinnis, Mark A.; Bluth, Marcel; Kim, Kevin; Ha, Kong Q.

2004-01-01

The James Web Space Telescope (JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope scheduled for launch in 2011. This is a continuation of a series of papers on modeling activities for JWST. The structural-thermal-optical, often referred to as STOP, analysis process is used to predict the effect of thermal distortion on optical performance. The benchmark STOP analysis for JWST assesses the effect of an observatory slew on wavefront error. Temperatures predicted using geometric and thermal math models are mapped to a structural finite element model in order to predict thermally induced deformations. Motions and deformations at optical surfaces are then input to optical models, and optical performance is predicted using either an optical ray trace or a linear optical analysis tool. In addition to baseline performance predictions, a process for performing sensitivity studies to assess modeling uncertainties is described.

Remediation of Childhood Math Anxiety and Associated Neural Circuits through Cognitive Tutoring

PubMed Central

Iuculano, Teresa; Chen, Lang

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a negative emotional reaction that is characterized by feelings of stress and anxiety in situations involving mathematical problem solving. High math-anxious individuals tend to avoid situations involving mathematics and are less likely to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math-related careers than those with low math anxiety. Math anxiety during childhood, in particular, has adverse long-term consequences for academic and professional success. Identifying cognitive interventions and brain mechanisms by which math anxiety can be ameliorated in children is therefore critical. Here we investigate whether an intensive 8 week one-to-one cognitive tutoring program designed to improve mathematical skills reduces childhood math anxiety, and we identify the neurobiological mechanisms by which math anxiety can be reduced in affected children. Forty-six children in grade 3, a critical early-onset period for math anxiety, participated in the cognitive tutoring program. High math-anxious children showed a significant reduction in math anxiety after tutoring. Remarkably, tutoring remediated aberrant functional responses and connectivity in emotion-related circuits anchored in the basolateral amygdala. Crucially, children with greater tutoring-induced decreases in amygdala reactivity had larger reductions in math anxiety. Our study demonstrates that sustained exposure to mathematical stimuli can reduce math anxiety and highlights the key role of the amygdala in this process. Our findings are consistent with models of exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders and have the potential to inform the early treatment of a disability that, if left untreated in childhood, can lead to significant lifelong educational and socioeconomic consequences in affected individuals. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Math anxiety during early childhood has adverse long-term consequences for academic and professional success. It is therefore important to identify ways to alleviate math anxiety in young children. Surprisingly, there have been no studies of cognitive interventions and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which math anxiety can be ameliorated in young children. Here, we demonstrate that intensive 8 week one-to-one cognitive tutoring not only reduces math anxiety but also remarkably remediates aberrant functional responses and connectivity in emotion-related circuits anchored in the amygdala. Our findings are likely to propel new ways of thinking about early treatment of a disability that has significant implications for improving each individual's academic and professional chances of success in today's technological society that increasingly demands strong quantitative skills. PMID:26354922

Development of brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity and the relationship to formal math academic achievement.

PubMed

Haist, Frank; Wazny, Jarnet H; Toomarian, Elizabeth; Adamo, Maha

2015-02-01

A central question in cognitive and educational neuroscience is whether brain operations supporting nonlinguistic intuitive number sense (numerosity) predict individual acquisition and academic achievement for symbolic or "formal" math knowledge. Here, we conducted a developmental functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of nonsymbolic numerosity task performance in 44 participants including 14 school age children (6-12 years old), 14 adolescents (13-17 years old), and 16 adults and compared a brain activity measure of numerosity precision to scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III Broad Math index of math academic achievement. Accuracy and reaction time from the numerosity task did not reliably predict formal math achievement. We found a significant positive developmental trend for improved numerosity precision in the parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus specifically. Controlling for age and overall cognitive ability, we found a reliable positive relationship between individual math achievement scores and parietal lobe activity only in children. In addition, children showed robust positive relationships between math achievement and numerosity precision within ventral stream processing areas bilaterally. The pattern of results suggests a dynamic developmental trajectory for visual discrimination strategies that predict the acquisition of formal math knowledge. In adults, the efficiency of visual discrimination marked by numerosity acuity in ventral occipital-temporal cortex and hippocampus differentiated individuals with better or worse formal math achievement, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that two different brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity acuity may contribute to individual differences in math achievement and that the contribution of these systems differs across development. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity and the relationship to formal math academic achievement

PubMed Central

Haist, Frank; Wazny, Jarnet H.; Toomarian, Elizabeth; Adamo, Maha

2015-01-01

A central question in cognitive and educational neuroscience is whether brain operations supporting non-linguistic intuitive number sense (numerosity) predict individual acquisition and academic achievement for symbolic or “formal” math knowledge. Here, we conducted a developmental functional MRI study of nonsymbolic numerosity task performance in 44 participants including 14 school age children (6–12 years-old), 14 adolescents (13–17 years-old), and 16 adults and compared a brain activity measure of numerosity precision to scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III Broad Math index of math academic achievement. Accuracy and reaction time from the numerosity task did not reliably predict formal math achievement. We found a significant positive developmental trend for improved numerosity precision in the parietal cortex and intraparietal sulcus (IPS) specifically. Controlling for age and overall cognitive ability, we found a reliable positive relationship between individual math achievement scores and parietal lobe activity only in children. In addition, children showed robust positive relationships between math achievement and numerosity precision within ventral stream processing areas bilaterally. The pattern of results suggests a dynamic developmental trajectory for visual discrimination strategies that predict the acquisition of formal math knowledge. In adults, the efficiency of visual discrimination marked by numerosity acuity in ventral occipital-temporal cortex and hippocampus differentiated individuals with better or worse formal math achievement, respectively. Overall, these results suggest that two different brain systems for nonsymbolic numerosity acuity may contribute to individual differences in math achievement and that the contribution of these systems differs across development. PMID:25327879

Do student self-efficacy and teacher-student interaction quality contribute to emotional and social engagement in fifth grade math?

PubMed

Martin, Daniel P; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E

2015-10-01

This study examined (a) the contribution of math self-efficacy to students' perception of their emotional and social engagement in fifth grade math classes, and (b) the extent to which high quality teacher-student interactions compensated for students' low math self-efficacy in contributing to engagement. Teachers (n = 73) were observed three times during the year during math to measure the quality of teacher-student interactions (emotional, organizational, and instructional support). Fifth graders (n = 387) reported on their math self-efficacy at the beginning of the school year and then were surveyed about their feelings of engagement in math class three times during the year immediately after the lessons during which teachers were observed. Results of multi-level models indicated that students initially lower in math self-efficacy reported lower emotional and social engagement during math class than students with higher self-efficacy. However, in classrooms with high levels of teacher emotional support, students reported similar levels of both emotional and social engagement, regardless of their self-efficacy. No comparable findings emerged for organizational and instructional support. The discussion considers the significance of students' own feelings about math in relation to their engagement, as well as the ways in which teacher and classroom supports can compensate for students lack of agency. The work has implications for school psychologists and teachers eager to boost students' engagement in math class. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of an algorithm for improving quality and information processing capacity of MathSpeak synthetic speech renderings.

PubMed

Isaacson, M D; Srinivasan, S; Lloyd, L L

2010-01-01

MathSpeak is a set of rules for non speaking of mathematical expressions. These rules have been incorporated into a computerised module that translates printed mathematics into the non-ambiguous MathSpeak form for synthetic speech rendering. Differences between individual utterances produced with the translator module are difficult to discern because of insufficient pausing between utterances; hence, the purpose of this study was to develop an algorithm for improving the synthetic speech rendering of MathSpeak. To improve synthetic speech renderings, an algorithm for inserting pauses was developed based upon recordings of middle and high school math teachers speaking mathematic expressions. Efficacy testing of this algorithm was conducted with college students without disabilities and high school/college students with visual impairments. Parameters measured included reception accuracy, short-term memory retention, MathSpeak processing capacity and various rankings concerning the quality of synthetic speech renderings. All parameters measured showed statistically significant improvements when the algorithm was used. The algorithm improves the quality and information processing capacity of synthetic speech renderings of MathSpeak. This increases the capacity of individuals with print disabilities to perform mathematical activities and to successfully fulfill science, technology, engineering and mathematics academic and career objectives.

Threats and Supports to Female Students' Math Beliefs and Achievement.

PubMed

McKellar, Sarah E; Marchand, Aixa D; Diemer, Matthew A; Malanchuk, Oksana; Eccles, Jacquelynne S

2018-03-23

This study examines how student perceptions of teacher practices contribute to female high school students' math beliefs and achievement. Guided by the expectancy-value framework, we hypothesized that students' motivation beliefs and achievement outcomes in mathematics are fostered by teachers' emphasis on the relevance of mathematics and constrained by gender-based differential treatment. To examine these questions, structural equation modeling was applied to a longitudinal panel of 518 female students from the Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study. While controlling for prior achievement and race, gendered differential treatment was negatively associated with math beliefs and achievement, whereas relevant math instruction was positively associated with these outcomes. These findings suggest inroads that may foster positive math motivational beliefs and achievement among young women. © 2018 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Do the Effects of Head Start Vary by Parental Preacademic Stimulation?

PubMed Central

Miller, Elizabeth B.; Farkas, George; Vandell, Deborah Lowe; Duncan, Greg J.

2014-01-01

Data from the Head Start Impact Study (N=3,185, age = 3–4 years) were used to determine whether one year of Head Start differentially benefited children from homes with high, middle, and low levels of parental preacademic stimulation on three academic outcome domains – early math, early literacy, and receptive vocabulary. Results from residualized growth models showed positive impacts of random assignment to Head Start on all three outcomes, and positive associations between parental preacademic stimulation and academic performance. Two moderated effects were also found. Head Start boosted early math skills the most for children receiving low parental preacademic stimulation. Effects of Head Start on early literacy skills were largest for children receiving moderate levels of parental preacademic stimulation. Implications for Head Start are discussed. PMID:24597729

Earth Observing System (EOS)/Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) Structural Math Model - A1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ely, W.

1996-01-01

This report presents the description for the NASTRAN finite element for the AMSU-A1 module. The purpose of this report is to document the NASTRAN bulk data deck, transmitted under separate cover. The structural Math Model is to be used by the spacecraft contractor for dynamic loads analysis.

Educational Investment, Family Context, and Children's Math and Reading Growth from Kindergarten through the Third Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheadle, Jacob E.

2008-01-01

Drawing on longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999, this study used IRT modeling to operationalize a measure of parental educational investments based on Lareau's notion of concerted cultivation. It used multilevel piece-wise growth models regressing children's math and reading achievement…

Examining the Relations between Executive Function, Math, and Literacy during the Transition to Kindergarten: A Multi-Analytic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Sara A.; Geldhof, G. John; Purpura, David J.; Duncan, Robert; McClelland, Megan M.

2017-01-01

The present study explored the bidirectional and longitudinal associations between executive function (EF) and early academic skills (math and literacy) across 4 waves of measurement during the transition from preschool to kindergarten using 2 complementary analytical approaches: cross-lagged panel modeling and latent growth curve modeling (LCGM).…

Mathematical Ability of 10-Year-Old Boys and Girls: Genetic and Environmental Etiology of Typical and Low Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovas, Yulia; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Petrill, Stephen A.; Plomin, Robert

2007-01-01

The genetic and environmental etiologies of 3 aspects of low mathematical performance (math disability) and the full range of variability (math ability) were compared for boys and girls in a sample of 5,348 children age 10 years (members of 2,674 pairs of same-sex and opposite-sex twins) from the United Kingdom (UK). The measures, which we…

The Effects of Cover, Copy, and Compare, Performance Feedback and Rewards on the Mathematical Calculation Skills of Students Identified with Math Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Geetal

2013-01-01

This study examined the isolated effects of Cover, Copy and Compare (CCC) and the effects of CCC paired with performance feedback (CCC + PF) and rewards (CCC + RW) on the mathematical calculation skills of first grade students identified with math difficulty. Four research questions were addressed in this study. 1. Does Cover, Copy, and Compare…

Programs for Students and Teachers | NREL

Science.gov Websites

competition that tests the brainpower of middle and high school teams on science and math topics. Model Car 8th grade students. Student teams apply math, science, and creativity to construct solar and battery

It's a Kid's Job: Playing Helps Kids Learn and Grow

MedlinePlus

... and their colleagues found a link between preschoolers’ math skills and their ability to copy models of ... the later study of science, technology, engineering or math. “In a way, a child is becoming a ...

Leveraging the Power of Peer-Led Learning: Investigating Effects on STEM Performance in Urban High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Ally S.; Bonner, Sarah M.; Everson, Howard T.; Somers, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

The Peer Enabled Restructured Classroom (PERC) is an instructional innovation developed to address gaps in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in urban high schools. The PERC model changes instruction from teacher led to peer led by bringing peer students into the classroom to lead small-group work. Our study sought to provide…

Using a Mixture IRT Model to Understand English Learner Performance on Large-Scale Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Christine A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an eighth grade state-level math assessment contained items that function differentially (DIF) for English Learner students (EL) as compared to English Only students (EO) and if so, what factors might have caused DIF. To determine this, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis was employed.…

Academic Growth Expectations for Students with Emotional and Behavior Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ysseldyke, Jim; Scerra, Carmine; Stickney, Eric; Beckler, Amanda; Dituri, Joan; Ellis, Karen

2017-01-01

Computer adaptive assessments were used to monitor the academic status and growth of students with emotional behavior disorders (EBD) in reading (N = 321) and math (N = 322) in a regional service center serving 56 school districts. A cohort sequential model was used to compare that performance to the status and growth of a national user base of…

Dynamics of two-strain influenza model with cross-immunity and no quarantine class.

PubMed

Chung, K W; Lui, Roger

2016-12-01

The question about whether a periodic solution can exists for a given epidemiological model is a complicated one and has a long history (Hethcote and Levin, Applied math. ecology, biomathematics, vol 18. Springer, Berlin, pp 193-211, 1989). For influenza models, it is well known that a periodic solution can exists for a single-strain model with periodic contact rate (Aron and Schwartz, J Math Biol 110:665-679, 1984; Kuznetsov and Piccardi, J Math Biol 32:109-121, 1994), or a multiple-strain model with cross-immunity and quarantine class or age-structure (Nuño et al., Mathematical epidemiology. Lecture notes in mathematics, vol 1945. Springer, Berlin, 2008, chapter 13). In this paper, we prove the local asymptotic stability of the interior steady-state of a two-strain influenza model with sufficiently close cross-immunity and no quarantine class or age-structure. We also show that if the cross-immunity between two strains are far apart; then it is possible for the interior steady-state to lose its stability and bifurcation of periodic solutions can occur. Our results extend those obtained by Nuño et.al. (SIAM J Appl Math 65:964-982, 2005). This problem is important because understanding the reasons behind periodic outbreaks of seasonal flu is an important issue in public health.

Math anxiety: A review of its cognitive consequences, psychophysiological correlates, and brain bases.

PubMed

Suárez-Pellicioni, Macarena; Núñez-Peña, María Isabel; Colomé, Àngels

2016-02-01

A decade has passed since the last published review of math anxiety, which was carried out by Ashcraft and Ridley (2005). Given the considerable interest aroused by this topic in recent years and the growing number of publications related to it, the present article aims to provide a full and updated review of the field, ranging from the initial studies of the impact of math anxiety on numerical cognition, to the latest research exploring its electrophysiological correlates and brain bases from a cognitive neuroscience perspective. Finally, this review describes the factors and mechanisms that have been claimed to play a role in the origins and/or maintenance of math anxiety, and it examines in detail the main explanations proposed to account for the negative effects of math anxiety on performance: competition for working memory resources, a deficit in a low-level numerical representation, and inhibition/attentional control deficit.

Math and science illiteracy: Social and economic impacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, J.L.

1994-05-01

Today`s highly competitive global economy is being driven by increasingly rapid technological development. This paper explores the problems of math and science illiteracy in the United States and the potential impact on our economic survival in this environment during the next century. Established educational methods that reward task performance, emphasize passive lecture, and fail to demonstrate relevance to real life are partly to blame. Social norms, stereotypes, and race and gender bias also have an impact. To address this crisis, we need to question the philosophy of an educational system that values task over concept. Many schools have already initiatedmore » programs at all grade levels to make math and science learning more relevant, stimulating, and fun. Teaching methods that integrate math and science learning with teamwork, social context, and other academic subjects promote the development of higher-order thinking skills and help students see math and science as necessary skills.« less

Inhibitory control and counterintuitive science and maths reasoning in adolescence.

PubMed

Brookman-Byrne, Annie; Mareschal, Denis; Tolmie, Andrew K; Dumontheil, Iroise

2018-01-01

Existing concepts can be a major barrier to learning new counterintuitive concepts that contradict pre-existing experience-based beliefs or misleading perceptual cues. When reasoning about counterintuitive concepts, inhibitory control is thought to enable the suppression of incorrect concepts. This study investigated the association between inhibitory control and counterintuitive science and maths reasoning in adolescents (N = 90, 11-15 years). Both response and semantic inhibition were associated with counterintuitive science and maths reasoning, when controlling for age, general cognitive ability, and performance in control science and maths trials. Better response inhibition was associated with longer reaction times in counterintuitive trials, while better semantic inhibition was associated with higher accuracy in counterintuitive trials. This novel finding suggests that different aspects of inhibitory control may offer unique contributions to counterintuitive reasoning during adolescence and provides further support for the hypothesis that inhibitory control plays a role in science and maths reasoning.

Spatial ability as a predictor of math achievement: the importance of sex and handedness patterns.

PubMed

Casey, M B; Pezaris, E; Nuttall, R L

1992-01-01

In accordance with major theories of handedness and brain organization, differential predictors for math achievement were found as a function of sex and handedness subgroups among eighth graders. Although there was no difference in absolute levels of performance as a function of either sex or handedness, predictive structures did differ. Regression analyses showed that spatial ability predicts math achievement for: (1) girls with anomalous dominance (non-right-handers and right-handers with non-right-handed relatives), and (2) all boys (independent of handedness group). In contrast, for the standard dominance girls who are right-handed with all right-handed relatives (considered strongly left-hemisphere dominant for language), spatial ability did not predict for math achievement. These findings occurred, even when scholastic aptitude and verbal achievement factors were controlled. It was concluded that further studies of sex differences in math achievement should consider subgroup differences within the sexes, based on handedness patterns.

Training self-assessment and task-selection skills to foster self-regulated learning: Do trained skills transfer across domains?

PubMed

Raaijmakers, Steven F; Baars, Martine; Paas, Fred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J G; van Gog, Tamara

2018-01-01

Students' ability to accurately self-assess their performance and select a suitable subsequent learning task in response is imperative for effective self-regulated learning. Video modeling examples have proven effective for training self-assessment and task-selection skills, and-importantly-such training fostered self-regulated learning outcomes. It is unclear, however, whether trained skills would transfer across domains. We investigated whether skills acquired from training with either a specific, algorithmic task-selection rule or a more general heuristic task-selection rule in biology would transfer to self-regulated learning in math. A manipulation check performed after the training confirmed that both algorithmic and heuristic training improved task-selection skills on the biology problems compared with the control condition. However, we found no evidence that students subsequently applied the acquired skills during self-regulated learning in math. Future research should investigate how to support transfer of task-selection skills across domains.

Training self‐assessment and task‐selection skills to foster self‐regulated learning: Do trained skills transfer across domains?

PubMed Central

Baars, Martine; Paas, Fred; van Merriënboer, Jeroen J. G.; van Gog, Tamara

2018-01-01

Summary Students' ability to accurately self‐assess their performance and select a suitable subsequent learning task in response is imperative for effective self‐regulated learning. Video modeling examples have proven effective for training self‐assessment and task‐selection skills, and—importantly—such training fostered self‐regulated learning outcomes. It is unclear, however, whether trained skills would transfer across domains. We investigated whether skills acquired from training with either a specific, algorithmic task‐selection rule or a more general heuristic task‐selection rule in biology would transfer to self‐regulated learning in math. A manipulation check performed after the training confirmed that both algorithmic and heuristic training improved task‐selection skills on the biology problems compared with the control condition. However, we found no evidence that students subsequently applied the acquired skills during self‐regulated learning in math. Future research should investigate how to support transfer of task‐selection skills across domains. PMID:29610547

Multilevel Structural Equation Models for Investigating the Effects of Computer-Based Learning in Math Classrooms on Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Major Selection in 4-Year Postsecondary Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ahlam

2017-01-01

Background/Context: Because of the growing concern over the decline of bachelor degree recipients in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the U.S., several studies have been devoted to identifying the factors that affect students' STEM major choices. A majority of these studies have focused on factors relevant to…

Improving Student Achievement in Math and Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Nancy G.; Hamsa, Irene Schulz; Heath, Panagiota; Perry, Robert; White, Stacy J.

1998-01-01

As the new millennium approaches, a long anticipated reckoning for the education system of the United States is forthcoming, Years of school reform initiatives have not yielded the anticipated results. A particularly perplexing problem involves the lack of significant improvement of student achievement in math and science. Three "Partnership" projects represent collaborative efforts between Xavier University (XU) of Louisiana, Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO), Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Stennis Space Center (SSC), to enhance student achievement in math and science. These "Partnerships" are focused on students and teachers in federally designated rural and urban empowerment zones and enterprise communities. The major goals of the "Partnerships" include: (1) The identification and dissemination of key indices of success that account for high performance in math and science; (2) The education of pre-service and in-service secondary teachers in knowledge, skills, and competencies that enhance the instruction of high school math and science; (3) The development of faculty to enhance the quality of math and science courses in institutions of higher education; and (4) The incorporation of technology-based instruction in institutions of higher education. These goals will be achieved by the accomplishment of the following objectives: (1) Delineate significant ?best practices? that are responsible for enhancing student outcomes in math and science; (2) Recruit and retain pre-service teachers with undergraduate degrees in Biology, Math, Chemistry, or Physics in a graduate program, culminating with a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction; (3) Provide faculty workshops and opportunities for travel to professional meetings for dissemination of NASA resources information; (4) Implement methodologies and assessment procedures utilizing performance-based applications of higher order thinking via the incorporation of Global Learning Observations To Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), Mission to Planet Earth and the use of Geographic Imaging Systems into the K-12th grade curriculum.

Residential energy demand models: Current status and future improvements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peabody, G.

1980-12-01

Two models currently used to analyze energy use by the residential sector are described. The ORNL model is used to forecast energy use by fuel type for various end uses on a yearly basis. The MATH/CHRDS model analyzes variations in energy expenditures by households of various socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The essential features of the ORNL and MATH/CHRDS models are retained in a proposed model and integrated into a framework that is more flexible than either model. The important determinants of energy use by households are reviewed.

Contact dynamics math model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaese, John R.; Tobbe, Patrick A.

1986-01-01

The Space Station Mechanism Test Bed consists of a hydraulically driven, computer controlled six degree of freedom (DOF) motion system with which docking, berthing, and other mechanisms can be evaluated. Measured contact forces and moments are provided to the simulation host computer to enable representation of orbital contact dynamics. This report describes the development of a generalized math model which represents the relative motion between two rigid orbiting vehicles. The model allows motion in six DOF for each body, with no vehicle size limitation. The rotational and translational equations of motion are derived. The method used to transform the forces and moments from the sensor location to the vehicles' centers of mass is also explained. Two math models of docking mechanisms, a simple translational spring and the Remote Manipulator System end effector, are presented along with simulation results. The translational spring model is used in an attempt to verify the simulation with compensated hardware in the loop results.

The Mathematics Anxiety of Bilingual Community College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iossi, Laura Hillerbrand

2009-01-01

Math anxiety levels and performance outcomes were compared for bilingual and monolingual community college Intermediate Algebra students attending a culturally diverse urban commuter college. Participants (N = 618, 250 men, 368 women; 361 monolingual, 257 bilingual) completed the Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (AMAS) and a demographics instrument.…

Gum chewing affects academic performance in adolescents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chewing gum may have an impact on improved memory during specific tasks of recognition and sustained attention. Research objective was to determine the effect of gum chewing on standardized test scores and math class grades of eighth grade students. Four math classes, 108 students, were randomized i...

Analysis of Multivariate Experimental Data Using A Simplified Regression Model Search Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ulbrich, Norbert M.

2013-01-01

A new regression model search algorithm was developed that may be applied to both general multivariate experimental data sets and wind tunnel strain-gage balance calibration data. The algorithm is a simplified version of a more complex algorithm that was originally developed for the NASA Ames Balance Calibration Laboratory. The new algorithm performs regression model term reduction to prevent overfitting of data. It has the advantage that it needs only about one tenth of the original algorithm's CPU time for the completion of a regression model search. In addition, extensive testing showed that the prediction accuracy of math models obtained from the simplified algorithm is similar to the prediction accuracy of math models obtained from the original algorithm. The simplified algorithm, however, cannot guarantee that search constraints related to a set of statistical quality requirements are always satisfied in the optimized regression model. Therefore, the simplified algorithm is not intended to replace the original algorithm. Instead, it may be used to generate an alternate optimized regression model of experimental data whenever the application of the original search algorithm fails or requires too much CPU time. Data from a machine calibration of NASA's MK40 force balance is used to illustrate the application of the new search algorithm.

Abacus Training Affects Math and Task Switching Abilities and Modulates Their Relationships in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Yao, Yuan; Weng, Jian; Hu, Yuzheng; Chen, Feiyan

2015-01-01

Our previous work demonstrated that abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), a traditional Chinese calculation method, could help children improve their math abilities (e.g. basic arithmetical ability) and executive function (e.g. working memory). This study further examined the effects of long-term AMC training on math ability in visual-spatial domain and the task switching component of executive function. More importantly, this study investigated whether AMC training modulated the relationship between math abilities and task switching. The participants were seventy 7-year-old children who were randomly assigned into AMC and control groups at primary school entry. Children in AMC group received 2-hour AMC training every week since primary school entry. On the contrary, children in the control group had never received any AMC training. Math and task switching abilities were measured one year and three years respectively after AMC training began. The results showed that AMC children performed better than their peers on math abilities in arithmetical and visual-spatial domains. In addition, AMC group responded faster than control group in the switching task, while no group difference was found in switch cost. Most interestingly, group difference was present in the relationships between math abilities and switch cost. These results implied the effect of AMC training on math abilities as well as its relationship with executive function. PMID:26444689

Abacus Training Affects Math and Task Switching Abilities and Modulates Their Relationships in Chinese Children.

PubMed

Wang, Chunjie; Geng, Fengji; Yao, Yuan; Weng, Jian; Hu, Yuzheng; Chen, Feiyan

2015-01-01

Our previous work demonstrated that abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), a traditional Chinese calculation method, could help children improve their math abilities (e.g. basic arithmetical ability) and executive function (e.g. working memory). This study further examined the effects of long-term AMC training on math ability in visual-spatial domain and the task switching component of executive function. More importantly, this study investigated whether AMC training modulated the relationship between math abilities and task switching. The participants were seventy 7-year-old children who were randomly assigned into AMC and control groups at primary school entry. Children in AMC group received 2-hour AMC training every week since primary school entry. On the contrary, children in the control group had never received any AMC training. Math and task switching abilities were measured one year and three years respectively after AMC training began. The results showed that AMC children performed better than their peers on math abilities in arithmetical and visual-spatial domains. In addition, AMC group responded faster than control group in the switching task, while no group difference was found in switch cost. Most interestingly, group difference was present in the relationships between math abilities and switch cost. These results implied the effect of AMC training on math abilities as well as its relationship with executive function.

Markovian Anderson Model: Bounds for the Rate of Propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tcheremchantsev, Serguei

We consider the Anderson model in with potentials whose values at any site of the lattice are Markovian independent random functions of time. For solutions to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation we show under some conditions that with probability 1 where for d=1,2 and for .

Early Math Trajectories: Low-Income Children's Mathematics Knowledge from Ages 4 to 11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R.; Hofer, Kerry G.; Farran, Dale C.

2017-01-01

Early mathematics knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement, but children from low-income families enter school with weak mathematics knowledge. An early math trajectories model is proposed and evaluated within a longitudinal study of 517 low-income American children from ages 4 to 11. This model includes a broad range of math…

Early Math Trajectories: Low-Income Children's Mathematics Knowledge from Age 4 to 11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R.; Hofer, Kerry G.; Farran, Dale C.

2016-01-01

Early mathematics knowledge is a strong predictor of later academic achievement, but children from low-income families enter school with weak mathematics knowledge. An Early Math Trajectories model is proposed and evaluated within a longitudinal study of 517 low-income American children from age 4 to 11. This model includes a broad range of math…

The Relationship between Students' Performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Fourth and Fifth Grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnimont, Chad S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between students' performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the fourth and fifth grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio. The sample utilized students from a suburban school district in Northwest Ohio. Third grade CogAT scores (2006-2007 school year), 4th…

Relationship between the TCAP and the Pearson Benchmark Assessment in Elementary Students' Reading and Math Performance in a Northeastern Tennessee School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugger-Roberts, Cherith A.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a relationship between the TCAP test and Pearson Benchmark assessment in elementary students' reading and language arts and math performance in a northeastern Tennessee school district. This study involved 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The study focused on the following…

Games as Formative Assessment Environments: Examining the Impact of Explanations of Scoring and Incentives on Math Learning, Game Performance, and Help Seeking. CRESST Report 796

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delacruz, Girlie C.

2011-01-01

Due to their motivational nature, there has been growing interest in the potential of games to help teach academic content and skills. This report examines how different levels of detail about a game's scoring rules affect math learning and performance. Data were collected from 164 students in the fourth to sixth grades at five after-school…

The influence of female social models in corporate STEM initiatives on girls' math and science attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, Donald J.

The United States' Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce is growing slower than in the past, in comparison to demand, and in comparison to other countries. Competitive talent conditions require the United States to develop a strong pipeline of STEM talent within its own citizens. Given the number of female college graduates and their underrepresentation in the STEM workforce, women provide the greatest opportunity for fulfilling this need. The term social model represents the individuals and media that shape children's self-perceptions. Social models have been shown to positively influence girl's perceptions of the value of math and science as well as their expectations of success. This study examined differences in attitudes towards math and science among student participants in corporate STEM programs. Differences were measured based on participant gender and ethnicity, their mentor's gender and ethnicity, and program design differences. The research purpose was to inform the design of corporate STEM programs to improve female participants' attitudes towards math and science and eventually increase the number of women in the STEM workforce. Over three hundred students in differing corporate STEM programs completed math and science attitudinal scales at the start and end of their programs. Study results revealed, prior to program start, female participants had a better attitude towards math and science than male participants. Analysis of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study data showed similar results. Overall program results demonstrated higher post program math and science attitudes with no differences based on gender, age, or ethnicity of the participant or mentor. Participants with high program or mentor satisfaction were found to have higher attitudes towards math and science. These results may suggest improving female academic choice requires more focus on their expectations of success than perceived task value. Male attitudes towards women's role in STEM fields may also require attention. Increasing attitudes seems best achieved through ensuring a highly satisfying experience with the program and their mentor. Study results suggest this requires more considerations than simply matching mentor and mentee race or gender. Reliability results of attitudinal scales provided guidance on assessment strategies.

Eulerian Dynamics with a Commutator Forcing

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-09

SIAM Review 56(4) (2014) 577–621. [Pes2015] J. Peszek. Discrete Cucker-Smale flocking model with a weakly singular weight. SIAM J. Math . Anal., to...viscosities in bounded domains. J. Math . Pures Appl. (9), 87(2):227– 235, 2007. [CV2010] L. Caffarelli, A. Vasseur, Drift diffusion equations with...Further time regularity for fully non-linear parabolic equations. Math . Res. Lett., 22(6):1749–1766, 2015. [CCTT2016] José A. Carrillo, Young-Pil

Effects of a Math Intervention Program on Math Academic Performance among African American Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Willie F., Jr.

2013-01-01

In the United States, an academic achievement gap has prevented many African American students from advancement and educational empowerment. Guided by Bandura's theoretical belief, which posits a relationship between social factors and an individual's perception, this non-experimental, causal comparative, control treatment group design study…

Gender Contentedness in Aspirations to Become Engineers or Medical Doctors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koul, Ravinder; Lerdpornkulrat, Thanita; Poondej, Chanut

2017-01-01

Medical doctor and engineer are highly esteemed STEM professions. This study investigates academic and motivational characteristics of a sample of high school students in Thailand who aspire to become medical doctors or engineers. We used logistic regression to compare maths performance, gender typicality, gender contentedness, and maths and…

Odyssey Math. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2009

2009-01-01

"Odyssey Math," published by CompassLearning[R], is an interactive, software-based K-8 mathematics curriculum. It includes individualized instructional and assessment tools, as well as an administrative function that allows teachers to track student performance and progress and to generate reports. Lessons employ real-world contexts in which…

Adult Numeracy Teaching--An Australian Focus on Social Contexts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Donald

In the context of math education, students should achieve transferable understanding and skills that allow students to use math flexibly (such as understanding a percentage in a newspaper article), functional performance (such as being able to take medicine or use public transportation), and social knowledge (concepts necessary to interpret and…

Math Placement in California's Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Niu; Adan, Sara

2016-01-01

Last year, the California Legislature passed a new law--the California Mathematics Placement Act--to address widespread concern over equity in the math placement process. The law is aimed at improving the measurement of student performance in order to move more students successfully through the high school curriculum. In this context, researchers…

How to Start a STEM Team

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Bill

2009-01-01

The United States' poor performance in teaching math and science eliminates many of the best and brightest school children from the ranks of future scientists and engineers. With little chance to learn in school how science and math skills might translate into professionally useful knowledge, students are unable to make informed choices about…

Evaluating Math Recovery: Measuring Fidelity of Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munter, Charles; Garrison, Anne; Cobb, Paul; Cordray, David

2010-01-01

In this paper, the authors describe a case of measuring implementation fidelity within an evaluation study of Math Recovery (MR), a pullout tutoring program aimed at increasing the mathematics achievement of low-performing first graders, thereby closing the school-entry achievement gap by enabling them to achieve at the level of their…

SPC-Prep. Instructor's Guide. Workplace Education. Project ALERT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruetz, Nancy

This instructor's guide contains materials for a course designed to prepare employees for statistical process control (SPC) training given at their workplace by refreshing math skills and building the concepts and vocabulary necessary to understand SPC in manufacturing environments. SPC-Prep 1 addresses the math skills necessary to perform SPC…

Consumer Math 4, Mathematics: 5285.24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The last of four guidebooks for the General Math student covers installment purchases and small loans, investments, insurance, and cost of housing. Goals and strategies for the course are given; performance objectives for computational skills and for each unit are specified. A course outline, teaching suggestions for each unit, and sample pretests…

Priming performance-related concerns induces task-related mind-wandering.

PubMed

Jordano, Megan L; Touron, Dayna R

2017-10-01

Two experiments tested the hypothesis that priming of performance-related concerns would (1) increase the frequency of task-related mind-wandering (i.e., task-related interference; TRI) and (2) decrease task performance. In each experiment, sixty female participants completed an operation span task (OSPAN) containing thought content probes. The task was framed as a math task for those in a condition primed for math-related stereotype threat and as a memory task for those in a control condition. In both studies, women whose performance-related concerns were primed via stereotype threat reported more TRI than women in the control. The second experiment used a more challenging OSPAN task and stereotype primed women also had lower math accuracy than controls. These results support the "control failures×current concerns" framework of mind-wandering, which posits that the degree to which the environmental context triggers personal concerns influences both mind-wandering frequency and content. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reducing the Impact of Stereotype Threat on Women's Math Performance: Are Two Strategies Better Than One?

PubMed Central

Jones, Paul R.

2012-01-01

Introduction Two studies examined whether stereotype threat impairs women's math performance and whether concurrent threat reduction strategies can be used to offset this effect. Method In Study 1, collegiate men and women (N = 100) watched a video purporting that males and females performed equally well (gender-fair) or males outperformed females (gender differences) on an imminent math test. In Study 2, (N = 44) women viewed the gender differences video, followed by misattribution (cue present, absent) and self-affirmation (present, absent) manipulations, before taking the aforesaid test. Results In the initial study, women underperformed men on the test after receiving the gender differences video, whereas no gender differences emerged in the gender-fair condition. In Study 2, affirming the self led to better performance than not doing so. Planned contrasts indicated, however, that only women receiving a misattribution cue and self-affirmation opportunity outperformed their counterparts not given these reduction strategies. Discussion These findings are discussed relative to Stereotype Threat Theory and educational implications are provided. PMID:22545058

Remediation of Childhood Math Anxiety and Associated Neural Circuits through Cognitive Tutoring.

PubMed

Supekar, Kaustubh; Iuculano, Teresa; Chen, Lang; Menon, Vinod

2015-09-09

Math anxiety is a negative emotional reaction that is characterized by feelings of stress and anxiety in situations involving mathematical problem solving. High math-anxious individuals tend to avoid situations involving mathematics and are less likely to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math-related careers than those with low math anxiety. Math anxiety during childhood, in particular, has adverse long-term consequences for academic and professional success. Identifying cognitive interventions and brain mechanisms by which math anxiety can be ameliorated in children is therefore critical. Here we investigate whether an intensive 8 week one-to-one cognitive tutoring program designed to improve mathematical skills reduces childhood math anxiety, and we identify the neurobiological mechanisms by which math anxiety can be reduced in affected children. Forty-six children in grade 3, a critical early-onset period for math anxiety, participated in the cognitive tutoring program. High math-anxious children showed a significant reduction in math anxiety after tutoring. Remarkably, tutoring remediated aberrant functional responses and connectivity in emotion-related circuits anchored in the basolateral amygdala. Crucially, children with greater tutoring-induced decreases in amygdala reactivity had larger reductions in math anxiety. Our study demonstrates that sustained exposure to mathematical stimuli can reduce math anxiety and highlights the key role of the amygdala in this process. Our findings are consistent with models of exposure-based therapy for anxiety disorders and have the potential to inform the early treatment of a disability that, if left untreated in childhood, can lead to significant lifelong educational and socioeconomic consequences in affected individuals. Significance statement: Math anxiety during early childhood has adverse long-term consequences for academic and professional success. It is therefore important to identify ways to alleviate math anxiety in young children. Surprisingly, there have been no studies of cognitive interventions and the underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which math anxiety can be ameliorated in young children. Here, we demonstrate that intensive 8 week one-to-one cognitive tutoring not only reduces math anxiety but also remarkably remediates aberrant functional responses and connectivity in emotion-related circuits anchored in the amygdala. Our findings are likely to propel new ways of thinking about early treatment of a disability that has significant implications for improving each individual's academic and professional chances of success in today's technological society that increasingly demands strong quantitative skills. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3512574-10$15.00/0.

The Prediction of Students' Academic Performance With Fluid Intelligence in Giving Special Consideration to the Contribution of Learning.

PubMed

Ren, Xuezhu; Schweizer, Karl; Wang, Tengfei; Xu, Fen

2015-01-01

The present study provides a new account of how fluid intelligence influences academic performance. In this account a complex learning component of fluid intelligence tests is proposed to play a major role in predicting academic performance. A sample of 2, 277 secondary school students completed two reasoning tests that were assumed to represent fluid intelligence and standardized math and verbal tests assessing academic performance. The fluid intelligence data were decomposed into a learning component that was associated with the position effect of intelligence items and a constant component that was independent of the position effect. Results showed that the learning component contributed significantly more to the prediction of math and verbal performance than the constant component. The link from the learning component to math performance was especially strong. These results indicated that fluid intelligence, which has so far been considered as homogeneous, could be decomposed in such a way that the resulting components showed different properties and contributed differently to the prediction of academic performance. Furthermore, the results were in line with the expectation that learning was a predictor of performance in school.

The Prediction of Students’ Academic Performance With Fluid Intelligence in Giving Special Consideration to the Contribution of Learning

PubMed Central

Ren, Xuezhu; Schweizer, Karl; Wang, Tengfei; Xu, Fen

2015-01-01

The present study provides a new account of how fluid intelligence influences academic performance. In this account a complex learning component of fluid intelligence tests is proposed to play a major role in predicting academic performance. A sample of 2, 277 secondary school students completed two reasoning tests that were assumed to represent fluid intelligence and standardized math and verbal tests assessing academic performance. The fluid intelligence data were decomposed into a learning component that was associated with the position effect of intelligence items and a constant component that was independent of the position effect. Results showed that the learning component contributed significantly more to the prediction of math and verbal performance than the constant component. The link from the learning component to math performance was especially strong. These results indicated that fluid intelligence, which has so far been considered as homogeneous, could be decomposed in such a way that the resulting components showed different properties and contributed differently to the prediction of academic performance. Furthermore, the results were in line with the expectation that learning was a predictor of performance in school. PMID:26435760

Developmental dynamics between mathematical performance, task motivation, and teachers' goals during the transition to primary school.

PubMed

Aunola, Kaisa; Leskinen, Esko; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2006-03-01

It has been suggested that children's learning motivation and interest in a particular subject play an important role in their school performance, particularly in mathematics. However, few cross-lagged longitudinal studies have been carried out to investigate the prospective relationships between academic achievement and task motivation. Moreover, the role that the classroom context plays in this development is largely unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the developmental dynamics of maths-related motivation and mathematical performance during children's transition to primary school. The role of teachers' pedagogical goals and classroom characteristics on this development was also investigated. A total of 196 Finnish children were examined four times: (0) in October during their preschool year; (1) in October and (2) April during their first grade of primary school; and (3) in October during their second grade. Children's mathematical performance was tested at each measurement point. Task motivation was examined at measurement points 2, 3, and 4 using the Task-value scale for children. First-grade teachers were interviewed in November about their pedagogical goals and classroom characteristics. The results showed that children's mathematical performance and related task motivation formed a cumulative developmental cycle: a high level of maths performance at the beginning of the first grade increased subsequent task motivation towards mathematics, which further predicted a high level of maths performance at the beginning of the second grade. The level of maths-related task motivation increased in those classrooms where the teachers emphasized motivation or self-concept development as their most important pedagogical goal.

Effects of Small-Group Tutoring with and without Validated Classroom Instruction on At-Risk Students' Math Problem Solving: Are Two Tiers of Prevention Better Than One?

PubMed

Fuchs, Lynn S; Fuchs, Douglas; Craddock, Caitlin; Hollenbeck, Kurstin N; Hamlett, Carol L; Schatschneider, Christopher

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of small-group tutoring with and without validated classroom instruction on at-risk (AR) students' math problem solving. Stratifying within schools, 119 3(rd)-grade classes were randomly assigned to conventional or validated problem-solving instruction (Hot Math [schema-broadening instruction]). Students identified as AR (n = 243) were randomly assigned, within classroom conditions, to receive Hot Math tutoring or not. Students were tested on problem-solving and math applications measures before and after 16 weeks of intervention. Analyses of variance, which accounted for the nested structure of the data, revealed the tutored students who received validated classroom instruction achieved better than tutored students who received conventional classroom instruction (ES = 1.34). However, the advantage for tutoring over no tutoring was similar whether or not students received validated or conventional classroom instruction (ESs = 1.18 and 1.13). Tutoring, not validated classroom instruction reduced the prevalence of math difficulty. Implications for responsiveness-to-intervention prevention models and for enhancing math problem-solving instruction are discussed.

Effects of Small-Group Tutoring with and without Validated Classroom Instruction on At-Risk Students' Math Problem Solving: Are Two Tiers of Prevention Better Than One?

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Craddock, Caitlin; Hollenbeck, Kurstin N.; Hamlett, Carol L.; Schatschneider, Christopher

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of small-group tutoring with and without validated classroom instruction on at-risk (AR) students' math problem solving. Stratifying within schools, 119 3rd-grade classes were randomly assigned to conventional or validated problem-solving instruction (Hot Math [schema-broadening instruction]). Students identified as AR (n = 243) were randomly assigned, within classroom conditions, to receive Hot Math tutoring or not. Students were tested on problem-solving and math applications measures before and after 16 weeks of intervention. Analyses of variance, which accounted for the nested structure of the data, revealed the tutored students who received validated classroom instruction achieved better than tutored students who received conventional classroom instruction (ES = 1.34). However, the advantage for tutoring over no tutoring was similar whether or not students received validated or conventional classroom instruction (ESs = 1.18 and 1.13). Tutoring, not validated classroom instruction reduced the prevalence of math difficulty. Implications for responsiveness-to-intervention prevention models and for enhancing math problem-solving instruction are discussed. PMID:19122881