Which Instructional Practices Most Help First Grade Students with and without Mathematics Difficulties?

PubMed Central

Morgan, Paul L.; Farkas, George; Maczuga, Steve

2015-01-01

We used population-based, longitudinal data to investigate the relation between mathematics instructional practices used by 1st grade teachers in the U.S. and the mathematics achievement of their students. Factor analysis identified four types of instructional activities (i.e., teacher-directed, student-centered, manipulatives/calculators, movement/music) and eight types of specific skills taught (e.g., adding two-digit numbers). First-grade students were then classified into five groups on the basis of their fall and/or spring of kindergarten mathematics achievement—three groups with mathematics difficulties (MD) and two without MD. Regression analysis indicated that a higher percentage of MD students in 1st grade classrooms was associated with greater use by teachers of manipulatives/calculators and movement/music to teach mathematics. Yet follow-up analysis for each of the MD and non-MD groups indicated that only teacher-directed instruction was significantly associated with the achievement of students with MD (covariate-adjusted ESs = .05–.07). The largest predicted effect for a specific instructional practice was for routine practice and drill. In contrast, for both groups of non-MD students, teacher-directed and student-centered instruction had approximately equal, statistically significant positive predicted effects (covariate-adjusted ESs = .03–.04). First-grade teachers in the U.S. may need to increase their use of teacher-directed instruction if they are to raise the mathematics achievement of students with MD. PMID:26180268

The Influence of Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction Embedded within Addition Tutoring for First-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.; Driver, Melissa K.

2015-01-01

Researchers and practitioners indicate students require explicit instruction on mathematics vocabulary terms, yet no study has examined the effects of an embedded vocabulary component within mathematics tutoring for early elementary students. First-grade students with mathematics difficulty (MD; n = 98) were randomly assigned to addition tutoring…

How Persistent is a Diagnosis of Mathematical Disorder at an Early Age? A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desoete, Annemmie; De Weerd, Frauke; Vanderswalmen, Ruth; De Bond, Annemie

2014-01-01

The study was conducted to look at differences between children who outgrew and did not outgrow an early diagnosis of mathematical learning disorder (MD; n=13), and peers without MD (n=13). Children were tested at 5, 6, 7 and 10 years of age. About 54% of the children with an early diagnosis of MD still experienced mathematical difficulties at the…

Characteristics of Students at Risk for Mathematics Difficulties Predicting Arithmetic Word Problem Solving Performance: The Role of Attention, Behavior, and Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Corroy, Kelly Cozine; Dupuis, Danielle N.

2013-01-01

The purposes of this study were (a) to evaluate differences in arithmetic word problem solving between high and low at-risk students for mathematics difficulties (MD) and (b) to assess the influence of attention, behavior, reading, and socio-economic status (SES) in predicting the word problem solving performance of third-grade students with MD.…

Do Chinese Children With Math Difficulties Have a Deficit in Executive Functioning?

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaochen; Georgiou, George K.; Li, Qing; Tavouktsoglou, Athanasios

2018-01-01

Several studies have shown that Executive Functioning (EF) is a unique predictor of mathematics performance. However, whether or not children with mathematics difficulties (MD) experience deficits in EF remains unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine if Chinese children with MD experience deficits in EF. We assessed 23 children with MD (9 girls, mean age = 10.40 years), 30 children with reading difficulties and MD (RDMD; 12 girls, mean age = 10.82 years), and 31 typically-developing (TD) peers (16 girls, mean age = 10.41 years) on measures of inhibition (Color-Word Stroop, Inhibition), shifting of attention (Planned Connections, Rapid Alternating Stimuli), working memory (Digit Span Backwards, Listening Span), processing speed (Visual Matching, Planned Search), reading (Character Recognition, Sentence Verification), and mathematics (Addition and Subtraction Fluency, Math Standard Achievement Test). The results of MANOVA analyses showed first that the performance of the MD children in all EF tasks was worse than their TD peers. Second, with the exception of the shifting tasks in which the MD children performed better than the RDMD children, the performance of the two groups was similar in all measures of working memory and inhibition. Finally, covarying for the effects of processing speed eliminated almost all differences between the TD and MD groups (the only exception was Listening Span) as well as the differences between the MD and RDMD groups in shifting of attention. Taken together, our findings suggest that although Chinese children with MD (with or without comorbid reading difficulties) experience significant deficits in all EF skills, most of their deficits can be accounted by lower-level deficits in processing speed. PMID:29928246

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Impact of Schema-Based Instruction on Mathematical Outcomes for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Dupuis, Danielle N.; Rodriguez, Michael C.; Zaslofsky, Anne F.; Slater, Susan; Cozine-Corroy, Kelly; Church, Chris

2013-01-01

This study compared the effects of delivering a supplemental, small-group tutoring intervention on the mathematics outcomes of third-grade students at risk for mathematics difficulties (MD) who were randomly assigned to either a schema-based instruction (SBI) or control group. SBI emphasized the underlying mathematical structure of additive…

Contribution of Equal-Sign Instruction beyond Word-Problem Tutoring for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty.

PubMed

Powell, Sarah R; Fuchs, Lynn S

2010-05-01

Elementary school students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as an operational rather than a relational symbol. Such misunderstanding is problematic because solving equations with missing numbers may be important for higher-order mathematics skills including word problems. Research indicates equal-sign instruction can alter how typically-developing students use the equal sign, but no study has examined effects for students with mathematics difficulty (MD) or how equal-sign instruction contributes to word-problem skill for students with or without MD. The present study assessed the efficacy of equal-sign instruction within word-problem tutoring. Third-grade students with MD (n = 80) were assigned to word-problem tutoring, word-problem tutoring plus equal-sign instruction (combined) tutoring, or no-tutoring control. Combined tutoring produced better improvement on equal sign tasks and open equations compared to the other 2 conditions. On certain forms of word problems, combined tutoring but not word-problem tutoring alone produced better improvement than control. When compared at posttest to 3(rd)-grade students without MD on equal sign tasks and open equations, only combined tutoring students with MD performed comparably.

Effectiveness of Mathematical Word Problem Solving Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities and Mathematics Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lein, Amy E.

2016-01-01

This meta-analysis synthesized the findings from 23 published and five unpublished experimental or quasi-experimental group design studies on word problem-solving instruction for K-12 students with learning disabilities (LD) and mathematics difficulties (MD). A secondary purpose of this meta-analysis was to analyze the relation between treatment…

Evidence-Based Practices: Applications of Concrete Representational Abstract Framework across Math Concepts for Students with Mathematics Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agrawal, Jugnu; Morin, Lisa L.

2016-01-01

Students with mathematics disabilities (MD) experience difficulties with both conceptual and procedural knowledge of different math concepts across grade levels. Research shows that concrete representational abstract framework of instruction helps to bridge this gap for students with MD. In this article, we provide an overview of this strategy…

A Meta-Analysis of Empirical Research on Teaching Students with Mathematics Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Minyi Shih; Sharp, Emily; Chovanes, Jacquelyn; Thomas, Amanda; Burns, Raquel M.; Custer, Beth; Park, Junkoung

2016-01-01

This article quantitatively summarizes experimental and quasi-experimental studies on teaching students with mathematics difficulties (MD) published between 2000 and 2014, research that was available following earlier syntheses. It reports the analysis of effect sizes of 25 intervention studies on participant characteristics, intervention…

A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Schema-Based Instruction on Proportional Problem-Solving for Students With Mathematics Problem-Solving Difficulties.

PubMed

Jitendra, Asha K; Harwell, Michael R; Dupuis, Danielle N; Karl, Stacy R

This article reports results from a study investigating the efficacy of a proportional problem-solving intervention, schema-based instruction (SBI), in seventh grade. Participants included 806 students with mathematical difficulties in problem solving (MD-PS) from an initial pool of 1,999 seventh grade students in a larger study. Teachers and their students in the larger study were randomly assigned to an SBI or control condition and teachers in both conditions then provided instruction on the topics of ratio, proportion, and percent. We found that students with MD-PS in SBI classrooms scored on average higher than their counterparts in control classrooms on a posttest and delayed posttest administered 9 weeks later. Given students' difficulties with proportional problem-solving and the consequences of these difficulties, an important contribution of this research is the finding that when provided with appropriate instruction, students with MD-PS are capable of enhanced proportional problem-solving performance.

Mathematical difficulties as decoupling of expectation and developmental trajectories

PubMed Central

McLean, Janet F.; Rusconi, Elena

2014-01-01

Recent years have seen an increase in research articles and reviews exploring mathematical difficulties (MD). Many of these articles have set out to explain the etiology of the problems, the possibility of different subtypes, and potential brain regions that underlie many of the observable behaviors. These articles are very valuable in a research field, which many have noted, falls behind that of reading and language disabilities. Here will provide a perspective on the current understanding of MD from a different angle, by outlining the school curriculum of England and the US and connecting these to the skills needed at different stages of mathematical understanding. We will extend this to explore the cognitive skills which most likely underpin these different stages and whose impairment may thus lead to mathematics difficulties at all stages of mathematics development. To conclude we will briefly explore interventions that are currently available, indicating whether these can be used to aid the different children at different stages of their mathematical development and what their current limitations may be. The principal aim of this review is to establish an explicit connection between the academic discourse, with its research base and concepts, and the developmental trajectory of abstract mathematical skills that is expected (and somewhat dictated) in formal education. This will possibly help to highlight and make sense of the gap between the complexity of the MD range in real life and the state of its academic science. PMID:24567712

Mathematics-Related Emotions among Finnish Adolescents across Different Performance Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holm, Marja Eliisa; Hannula, Markku Sakari; Björn, Piia Maria

2017-01-01

This study examined the relation of mathematics performance and gender with seven mathematics-related emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness and boredom) among adolescents. Using strict and lenient mathematics performance cut-off scores, respective groups of adolescents with mathematics difficulties (MD, n = 136), low (LA,…

Contribution of Equal-Sign Instruction beyond Word-Problem Tutoring for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty

PubMed Central

Powell, Sarah R.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2010-01-01

Elementary school students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as an operational rather than a relational symbol. Such misunderstanding is problematic because solving equations with missing numbers may be important for higher-order mathematics skills including word problems. Research indicates equal-sign instruction can alter how typically-developing students use the equal sign, but no study has examined effects for students with mathematics difficulty (MD) or how equal-sign instruction contributes to word-problem skill for students with or without MD. The present study assessed the efficacy of equal-sign instruction within word-problem tutoring. Third-grade students with MD (n = 80) were assigned to word-problem tutoring, word-problem tutoring plus equal-sign instruction (combined) tutoring, or no-tutoring control. Combined tutoring produced better improvement on equal sign tasks and open equations compared to the other 2 conditions. On certain forms of word problems, combined tutoring but not word-problem tutoring alone produced better improvement than control. When compared at posttest to 3rd-grade students without MD on equal sign tasks and open equations, only combined tutoring students with MD performed comparably. PMID:20640240

Fractions Learning in Children With Mathematics Difficulties.

PubMed

Tian, Jing; Siegler, Robert S

Learning fractions is difficult for children in general and especially difficult for children with mathematics difficulties (MD). Recent research on developmental and individual differences in fraction knowledge of children with MD and typically achieving (TA) children has demonstrated that U.S. children with MD start middle school behind their TA peers in fraction understanding and fall further behind during middle school. In contrast, Chinese children, who like the MD children in the United States score in the bottom one third of the distribution in their country, possess reasonably good fraction understanding. We interpret these findings within the framework of the integrated theory of numerical development. By emphasizing the importance of fraction magnitude knowledge for numerical understanding in general, the theory proved useful for understanding differences in fraction knowledge between MD and TA children and for understanding how knowledge can be improved. Several interventions demonstrated the possibility of improving fraction magnitude knowledge and producing benefits that generalize to fraction arithmetic learning among children with MD. The reasonably good fraction understanding of Chinese children with MD and several successful interventions with U.S. students provide hope for the improvement of fraction knowledge among American children with MD.

A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Schema-Based Instruction on Proportional Problem-Solving for Students with Mathematics Problem-Solving Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Harwell, Michael R.; Dupuis, Danielle N.; Karl, Stacy R.

2016-01-01

This paper reports results from a study investigating the efficacy of a proportional problem-solving intervention, schema-based instruction (SBI), in seventh grade. Participants included 806 students with mathematical difficulties in problem solving (MD-PS) from an initial pool of 1,999 seventh grade students in a larger study. Teachers and their…

A Randomized Trial of the Effects of Schema-Based Instruction on Proportional Problem-Solving for Students with Mathematics Problem-Solving Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Harwell, Michael R.; Dupuis, Danielle N.; Karl, Stacy R.

2017-01-01

This article reports results from a study investigating the efficacy of a proportional problem-solving intervention, schema-based instruction (SBI), in seventh grade. Participants included 806 students with mathematical difficulties in problem solving (MD-PS) from an initial pool of 1,999 seventh grade students in a larger study. Teachers and…

(Non-)symbolic magnitude processing in children with mathematical difficulties: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Schwenk, Christin; Sasanguie, Delphine; Kuhn, Jörg-Tobias; Kempe, Sophia; Doebler, Philipp; Holling, Heinz

2017-05-01

Symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude representations, measured by digit or dot comparison tasks, are assumed to underlie the development of arithmetic skills. The comparison distance effect (CDE) has been suggested as a hallmark of the preciseness of mental magnitude representations. It implies that two magnitudes are harder to discriminate when the numerical distance between them is small, and may therefore differ in children with mathematical difficulties (MD), i.e. low mathematical achievement or dyscalculia. However, empirical findings on the CDE in children with MD are heterogeneous, and only few studies assess both symbolic and non-symbolic skills. This meta-analysis therefore integrates 44 symbolic and 48 non-symbolic response time (RT) outcomes reported in nineteen studies (N=1630 subjects, aged 6-14 years). Independent of age, children with MD show significantly longer mean RTs than typically achieving controls, particularly on symbolic (Hedges' g=0.75; 95% CI [0.51; 0.99]), but to a significantly lower extent also on non-symbolic (g=0.24; 95% CI [0.13; 0.36]) tasks. However, no group differences were found for the CDE. Extending recent work, these meta-analytical findings on children with MD corroborate the diagnostic importance of magnitude comparison speed in symbolic tasks. By contrast, the validity of CDE measures in assessing MD is questioned. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Science behind Curriculum Development and Evaluation: Taking a Design Science Approach in the Production of a Tier 2 Mathematics Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doabler, Christian T.; Clarke, Ben; Fien, Hank; Baker, Scott K.; Kosty, Derek B.; Cary, Mari Strand

2015-01-01

The production of an effective mathematics curriculum begins with a scientific development, evaluation, and revision framework. The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial investigation of a recently developed Tier 2 mathematics curriculum designed to improve the outcomes of first grade students at risk for mathematics difficulties (MD).…

Students Help Students with Sails.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toskas, Denny

1987-01-01

Outlines a student tutoring program called SAILS (Student Assistance in Learning and Support) that helps students who have chronic difficulties in mathematics, reading, English, and with personal problems. (MD)

Basic number processing in children with specific learning disorders: Comorbidity of reading and mathematics disorders.

PubMed

Moll, Kristina; Göbel, Silke M; Snowling, Margaret J

2015-01-01

As well as being the hallmark of mathematics disorders, deficits in number processing have also been reported for individuals with reading disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate separately the components of numerical processing affected in reading and mathematical disorders within the framework of the Triple Code Model. Children with reading disorders (RD), mathematics disorders (MD), comorbid deficits (RD + MD), and typically developing children (TD) were tested on verbal, visual-verbal, and nonverbal number tasks. As expected, children with MD were impaired across a broad range of numerical tasks. In contrast, children with RD were impaired in (visual-)verbal number tasks but showed age-appropriate performance in nonverbal number skills, suggesting their impairments were domain specific and related to their reading difficulties. The comorbid group showed an additive profile of the impairments of the two single-deficit groups. Performance in speeded verbal number tasks was related to rapid automatized naming, a measure of visual-verbal access in the RD but not in the MD group. The results indicate that deficits in number skills are due to different underlying cognitive deficits in children with RD compared to children with MD: a phonological deficit in RD and a deficit in processing numerosities in MD.

The Effect of Tutoring With Nonstandard Equations for Students With Mathematics Difficulty.

PubMed

Powell, Sarah R; Driver, Melissa K; Julian, Tyler E

2015-01-01

Students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as operational instead of relational. Research indicates misinterpretation of the equal sign occurs because students receive relatively little exposure to equations that promote relational understanding of the equal sign. No study, however, has examined effects of nonstandard equations on the equation solving and equal-sign understanding of students with mathematics difficulty (MD). In the present study, second-grade students with MD (n = 51) were randomly assigned to standard equations tutoring, combined tutoring (standard and nonstandard equations), and no-tutoring control. Combined tutoring students demonstrated greater gains on equation-solving assessments and equal-sign tasks compared to the other two conditions. Standard tutoring students demonstrated improved skill on equation solving over control students, but combined tutoring students' performance gains were significantly larger. Results indicate that exposure to and practice with nonstandard equations positively influence student understanding of the equal sign. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Aberrant Functional Activation in School Age Children At-Risk for Mathematical Disability: A Functional Imaging Study of Simple Arithmetic Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Nicole; Cannistraci, Christopher J.; Rogers, Baxter P.; Gatenby, J. Christopher; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Anderson, Adam W.; Gore, John C.

2009-01-01

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the patterns of brain activation associated with different levels of performance in exact and approximate calculation tasks in well-defined cohorts of children with mathematical calculation difficulties (MD) and typically developing controls. Both groups of children activated the same…

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.

Visuo–spatial working memory is an important source of domain-general vulnerability in the development of arithmetic cognition

PubMed Central

Ashkenazi, Sarit; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Metcalfe, Arron W.S.; Swigart, Anna G.; Menon, Vinod

2014-01-01

The study of developmental disorders can provide a unique window into the role of domain-general cognitive abilities and neural systems in typical and atypical development. Mathematical disabilities (MD) are characterized by marked difficulty in mathematical cognition in the presence of preserved intelligence and verbal ability. Although studies of MD have most often focused on the role of core deficits in numerical processing, domain-general cognitive abilities, in particular working memory (WM), have also been implicated. Here we identify specific WM components that are impaired in children with MD and then examine their role in arithmetic problem solving. Compared to typically developing (TD) children, the MD group demonstrated lower arithmetic performance and lower visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) scores with preserved abilities on the phonological and central executive components of WM. Whole brain analysis revealed that, during arithmetic problem solving, left posterior parietal cortex, bilateral dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus and precuneus, and fusiform gyrus responses were positively correlated with VSWM ability in TD children, but not in the MD group. Additional analyses using a priori posterior parietal cortex regions previously implicated in WM tasks, demonstrated a convergent pattern of results during arithmetic problem solving. These results suggest that MD is characterized by a common locus of arithmetic and VSWM deficits at both the cognitive and functional neuroanatomical levels. Unlike TD children, children with MD do not use VSWM resources appropriately during arithmetic problem solving. This work advances our understanding of VSWM as an important domain-general cognitive process in both typical and atypical mathematical skill development. PMID:23896444

Investigating a Tier 1 Intervention Focused on Proportional Reasoning: A Follow-Up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Harwell, Michael R.; Karl, Stacy R.; Simonson, Gregory R.; Slater, Susan C.

2017-01-01

This randomized controlled study investigated the efficacy of a Tier 1 intervention--schema-based instruction--designed to help students with and without mathematics difficulties (MD) develop proportional reasoning. Twenty seventh-grade teachers/classrooms were randomly assigned to a treatment condition (schema-based instruction) or control…

Analysis of anatomic variability in children with low mathematical skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Zhaoying; Fuchs, Lynn; Davis, Nikki; Cannistraci, Christopher J.; Anderson, Adam W.; Gore, John C.; Dawant, Benoit M.

2008-03-01

Mathematical difficulty affects approximately 5-9% of the population. Studies on individuals with dyscalculia, a neurologically based math disorder, provide important insight into the neural correlates of mathematical ability. For example, cognitive theories, neuropsychological studies, and functional neuroimaging studies in individuals with dyscalculia suggest that the bilateral parietal lobes and intraparietal sulcus are central to mathematical performance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate morphological differences in a group of third grade children with poor math skills. We compare population averages of children with low math skill (MD) to gender and age matched controls with average math ability. Anatomical data were gathered with high resolution MRI and four different population averaging methods were used to study the effect of the normalization technique on the results. Statistical results based on the deformation fields between the two groups show anatomical differences in the bilateral parietal lobes, right frontal lobe, and left occipital/parietal lobe.

Effects of Fact Retrieval Tutoring on Third-Grade Students with Math Difficulties with and without Reading Difficulties.

PubMed

Powell, Sarah R; Fuchs, Lynn S; Fuchs, Douglas; Cirino, Paul T; Fletcher, Jack M

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of fact retrieval tutoring as a function of math difficulty (MD) subtype, that is, whether students have MD alone (MD-only) or have concurrent difficulty with math and reading (MDRD). Third graders (n = 139) at two sites were randomly assigned, blocking by site and MD subtype, to four tutoring conditions: fact retrieval practice, conceptual fact retrieval instruction with practice, procedural computation/estimation instruction, and control (no tutoring). Tutoring occurred for 45 sessions over 15weeks for 15-25 minutes per session. Results provided evidence of an interaction between tutoring condition and MD subtype status for assessment of fact retrieval. For MD-only students, students in both fact retrieval conditions achieved comparably and outperformed MD-only students in the control group as well as those in the procedural computation/estimation instruction group. By contrast, for MDRD students, there were no significant differences among intervention conditions.

Effects of Fact Retrieval Tutoring on Third-Grade Students with Math Difficulties with and without Reading Difficulties

PubMed Central

Powell, Sarah R.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Cirino, Paul T.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of fact retrieval tutoring as a function of math difficulty (MD) subtype, that is, whether students have MD alone (MD-only) or have concurrent difficulty with math and reading (MDRD). Third graders (n = 139) at two sites were randomly assigned, blocking by site and MD subtype, to four tutoring conditions: fact retrieval practice, conceptual fact retrieval instruction with practice, procedural computation/estimation instruction, and control (no tutoring). Tutoring occurred for 45 sessions over 15weeks for 15–25 minutes per session. Results provided evidence of an interaction between tutoring condition and MD subtype status for assessment of fact retrieval. For MD-only students, students in both fact retrieval conditions achieved comparably and outperformed MD-only students in the control group as well as those in the procedural computation/estimation instruction group. By contrast, for MDRD students, there were no significant differences among intervention conditions. PMID:19448840

Working Memory in Children with Reading Disabilities and/or Mathematical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Weerdt, Frauke; Desoete, Annemie; Roeyers, Herbert

2013-01-01

Elementary school children with reading disabilities (RD; "n" = 17), mathematical disabilities (MD; "n" = 22), or combined reading and mathematical disabilities (RD+MD; "n" = 28) were compared to average achieving (AA; "n" = 45) peers on working memory measures. On all working memory components, 2 (RD vs. no…

Predictive value of health-related fitness tests for self-reported mobility difficulties among high-functioning elderly men and women.

PubMed

Hämäläinen, H Pauliina; Suni, Jaana H; Pasanen, Matti E; Malmberg, Jarmo J; Miilunpalo, Seppo I

2006-06-01

The functional independence of elderly populations deteriorates with age. Several tests of physical performance have been developed for screening elderly persons who are at risk of losing their functional independence. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether several components of health-related fitness (HRF) are valid in predicting the occurrence of self-reported mobility difficulties (MD) among high-functioning older adults. Subjects were community-dwelling men and women, born 1917-1941, who participated in the assessment of HRF [6.1-m (20-ft) walk, one-leg stand, backwards walk, trunk side-bending, dynamic back extension, one-leg squat, 1-km walk] and who were free of MD in 1996 (no difficulties in walking 2- km, n=788; no difficulties in climbing stairs, n=647). Postal questionnaires were used to assess the prevalence of MD in 1996 and the occurrence of new MD in 2002. Logistic regression analysis was used as the statistical method. Both inability to perform the backwards walk and a poorer result in it were associated with risk of walking difficulties in the logistic model, with all the statistically significant single test items included. Results of 1-km walk time and one-leg squat strength test were also associated with risk, although the squat was statistically significant only in two older birth cohorts. Regarding stair-climbing difficulties, poorer results in the 1-km walk, dynamic back extension and one-leg squat tests were associated with increased risk of MD. The backwards walk, one-leg squat, dynamic back extension and 1-km walk tests were the best predictors of MD. These tests are recommended for use in screening high-functioning older people at risk of MD, as well as to target physical activity counseling to those components of HRF that are important for functional independence.

Exciting Normal Distribution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Karl Josef; Simonovits, Reinhard; Thaller, Bernd

2008-01-01

This paper describes a high school project where the mathematics teaching and learning software M@th Desktop (MD) based on the Computer Algebra System Mathematica was used for symbolical and numerical calculations and for visualisation. The mathematics teaching and learning software M@th Desktop 2.0 (MD) contains the modules Basics including tools…

Shared and Unique Risk Factors Underlying Mathematical Disability and Reading and Spelling Disability.

PubMed

Slot, Esther M; van Viersen, Sietske; de Bree, Elise H; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H

2016-01-01

High comorbidity rates have been reported between mathematical learning disabilities (MD) and reading and spelling disabilities (RSD). Research has identified skills related to math, such as number sense (NS) and visuospatial working memory (visuospatial WM), as well as to literacy, such as phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatized naming (RAN) and verbal short-term memory (Verbal STM). In order to explain the high comorbidity rates between MD and RSD, 7-11-year-old children were assessed on a range of cognitive abilities related to literacy (PA, RAN, Verbal STM) and mathematical ability (visuospatial WM, NS). The group of children consisted of typically developing (TD) children (n = 32), children with MD (n = 26), children with RSD (n = 29), and combined MD and RSD (n = 43). It was hypothesized that, in line with the multiple deficit view on learning disorders, at least one unique predictor for both MD and RSD and a possible shared cognitive risk factor would be found to account for the comorbidity between the symptom dimensions literacy and math. Secondly, our hypotheses were that (a) a probabilistic multi-factorial risk factor model would provide a better fit to the data than a deterministic single risk factor model and (b) that a shared risk factor model would provide a better fit than the specific multi-factorial model. All our hypotheses were confirmed. NS and visuospatial WM were identified as unique cognitive predictors for MD, whereas PA and RAN were both associated with RSD. Also, a shared risk factor model with PA as a cognitive predictor for both RSD and MD fitted the data best, indicating that MD and RSD might co-occur due to a shared underlying deficit in phonological processing. Possible explanations are discussed in the context of sample selection and composition. This study shows that different cognitive factors play a role in mathematics and literacy, and that a phonological processing deficit might play a role in the occurrence of MD and RSD.

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.

Relation between brain architecture and mathematical ability in children: a DBM study.

PubMed

Han, Zhaoying; Davis, Nicole; Fuchs, Lynn; Anderson, Adam W; Gore, John C; Dawant, Benoit M

2013-12-01

Population-based studies indicate that between 5 and 9 percent of US children exhibit significant deficits in mathematical reasoning, yet little is understood about the brain morphological features related to mathematical performances. In this work, deformation-based morphometry (DBM) analyses have been performed on magnetic resonance images of the brains of 79 third graders to investigate whether there is a correlation between brain morphological features and mathematical proficiency. Group comparison was also performed between Math Difficulties (MD-worst math performers) and Normal Controls (NC), where each subgroup consists of 20 age and gender matched subjects. DBM analysis is based on the analysis of the deformation fields generated by non-rigid registration algorithms, which warp the individual volumes to a common space. To evaluate the effect of registration algorithms on DBM results, five nonrigid registration algorithms have been used: (1) the Adaptive Bases Algorithm (ABA); (2) the Image Registration Toolkit (IRTK); (3) the FSL Nonlinear Image Registration Tool; (4) the Automatic Registration Tool (ART); and (5) the normalization algorithm available in SPM8. The deformation field magnitude (DFM) was used to measure the displacement at each voxel, and the Jacobian determinant (JAC) was used to quantify local volumetric changes. Results show there are no statistically significant volumetric differences between the NC and the MD groups using JAC. However, DBM analysis using DFM found statistically significant anatomical variations between the two groups around the left occipital-temporal cortex, left orbital-frontal cortex, and right insular cortex. Regions of agreement between at least two algorithms based on voxel-wise analysis were used to define Regions of Interest (ROIs) to perform an ROI-based correlation analysis on all 79 volumes. Correlations between average DFM values and standard mathematical scores over these regions were found to be significant. We also found that the choice of registration algorithm has an impact on DBM-based results, so we recommend using more than one algorithm when conducting DBM studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that uses DBM to investigate brain anatomical features related to mathematical performance in a relatively large population of children. © 2013.

Shrinkage and porosity evolution during air-drying of non-cellular food systems: Experimental data versus mathematical modelling.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thanh Khuong; Khalloufi, Seddik; Mondor, Martin; Ratti, Cristina

2018-01-01

In the present work, the impact of glass transition on shrinkage of non-cellular food systems (NCFS) during air-drying will be assessed from experimental data and the interpretation of a 'shrinkage' function involved in a mathematical model. Two NCFS made from a mixture of water/maltodextrin/agar (w/w/w: 1/0.15/0.015) were created out of maltodextrins with dextrose equivalent 19 (MD19) or 36 (MD36). The NCFS made with MD19 had 30°C higher Tg than those with MD36. This information indicated that, during drying, the NCFS with MD19 would pass from rubbery to glassy state sooner than NCFS MD36, for which glass transition only happens close to the end of drying. For the two NCFS, porosity and volume reduction as a function of moisture content were captured with high accuracy when represented by the mathematical models previously developed. No significant differences in porosity and in maximum shrinkage between both samples during drying were observed. As well, no change in the slope of the shrinkage curve as a function of moisture content was perceived. These results indicate that glass transition alone is not a determinant factor in changes of porosity or volume during air-drying. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Cognitive Strategy Training on Word Problems Compensate for Working Memory Capacity in Children with Math Difficulties?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee

2014-01-01

Cognitive strategies are important tools for children with math difficulties (MD) in learning to solve word problems. The effectiveness of strategy training, however, depends on working memory capacity (WMC). Thus, children with MD but with relatively higher WMC are more likely to benefit from strategy training, whereas children with lower WMC may…

Effects of Cognitive Strategy Interventions and Cognitive Moderators on Word Problem Solving in Children at Risk for Problem Solving Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee; Lussier, Cathy; Orosco, Michael

2013-01-01

This study investigated the role of strategy instruction and cognitive abilities on word problem solving accuracy in children with math difficulties (MD). Elementary school children (N = 120) with and without MD were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: general-heuristic (e.g., underline question sentence), visual-schematic presentation…

Nature and origins of mathematics difficulties in very preterm children: a different etiology than developmental dyscalculia.

PubMed

Simms, Victoria; Gilmore, Camilla; Cragg, Lucy; Clayton, Sarah; Marlow, Neil; Johnson, Samantha

2015-02-01

Children born very preterm (<32 wk) are at high risk for mathematics learning difficulties that are out of proportion to other academic and cognitive deficits. However, the etiology of mathematics difficulties in very preterm children is unknown. We sought to identify the nature and origins of preterm children's mathematics difficulties. One hundred and fifteen very preterm children aged 8-10 y were assessed in school with a control group of 77 term-born classmates. Achievement in mathematics, working memory, visuospatial processing, inhibition, and processing speed were assessed using standardized tests. Numerical representations and specific mathematics skills were assessed using experimental tests. Very preterm children had significantly poorer mathematics achievement, working memory, and visuospatial skills than term-born controls. Although preterm children had poorer performance in specific mathematics skills, there was no evidence of imprecise numerical representations. Difficulties in mathematics were associated with deficits in visuospatial processing and working memory. Mathematics difficulties in very preterm children are associated with deficits in working memory and visuospatial processing not numerical representations. Thus, very preterm children's mathematics difficulties are different in nature from those of children with developmental dyscalculia. Interventions targeting general cognitive problems, rather than numerical representations, may improve very preterm children's mathematics achievement.

Explicit Mathematics Instruction: What Teachers Can Do for Teaching Students With Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doabler, Christian T.; Fien, Hank

2013-01-01

This article describes the essential instructional elements necessary for delivering explicit mathematics instruction to students with mathematics difficulties. Mathematics intervention research indicates that explicit instruction is one of the most effective instructional approaches for teaching students with or at risk for math difficulties.…

Relating Difficulty in School Mathematics to Nature of Mathematics: Perception of High School Students from Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, Kunnathodi Abdul; Sarabi, M. K.

2015-01-01

This study relates factors in nature of Mathematics and its teaching learning to student difficulties for diverse mathematics tasks. Descriptive survey was done on a sample of 300 high school students in Kerala with a questionnaire on difficulties in learning. Student perception of difficulty on 26 types of tasks, under five heads that students…

Mathematical learning disorder in school-age children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Capano, Lucia; Minden, Debbie; Chen, Shirley X; Schacher, Russell J; Ickowicz, Abel

2008-06-01

To explore the prevalence of mathematics disorder (MD) relative to reading disorders (RD) in school-age children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and examine the effects of age, sex, cooccurring conduct disorder (CD), and ADHD subtype on this comorbidity. Participants were school-age children (n = 476) with confirmed DSM-IV diagnosis of ADHD. The assessment included semistructured parent and teacher interviews and standardized measures of intelligence, academic attainment, and language abilities. Based on the presence or absence of concurrent learning disorders, we compared the emerging 4 groups: ADHD-only, ADHD + MD, ADHD + RD, and ADHD + MD + RD. Overall prevalence of comorbid ADHD + MD was 18.1%. Age, sex, ADHD subtypes, or comorbid CD did not affect the frequency of MD. Children with concurrent ADHD and either MD or RD attained lower IQ, language, and academic scores than those with ADHD alone. Children with ADHD + MD + RD were more seriously impaired and demonstrated distinct deficits in receptive and expressive language. MDs are relatively common in school-age children with ADHD and are frequently associated with RDs. Children with ADHD + MD + RD are more severely impaired. These deficits simply cannot be explained as consequences of ADHD and might have unique biological underpinnings, with implications for diagnostic classification and therapeutic interventions.

Improvement of Word Problem Solving and Basic Mathematics Competencies in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Mathematical Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González-Castro, Paloma; Cueli, Marisol; Areces, Débora; Rodríguez, Celestino; Sideridis, Georgios

2016-01-01

Problem solving represents a salient deficit in students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD) primarily caused by difficulties with informal and formal mathematical competencies. This study proposes a computerized intervention tool, the integrated dynamic representation (IDR), for enhancing the early learning of basic mathematical…

Memory Abilities in Children with Mathematical Difficulties: Comorbid Language Difficulties Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reimann, Giselle; Gut, Janine; Frischknecht, Marie-Claire; Grob, Alexander

2013-01-01

The present study investigated cognitive abilities in children with difficulties in mathematics only (n = 48, M = 8 years and 5 months), combined mathematical and language difficulty (n = 27, M = 8 years and 1 month) and controls (n = 783, M = 7 years and 11 months). Cognitive abilities were measured with seven subtests, tapping visual perception,…

Reading, Mathematics, and Behavioral Difficulties Interrelate: Evidence from a Cross-Lagged Panel Design and Population-Based Sample of US Upper Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yu-Chu; Morgan, Paul L.; Hillemeier, Marianne; Cook, Michael; Maczuga, Steve; Farkas, George

2013-01-01

We examined three questions. First, do reading difficulties increase children's risk of behavioral difficulties? Second, do behavioral difficulties increase children's risk of reading difficulties? Third, do mathematics difficulties increase children's risk of reading or behavioral difficulties? We investigated these questions using (a) a sample…

Differences in the Mathematics-Vocabulary Knowledge of Fifth-Grade Students with and without Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsyth, Suzanne R.; Powell, Sarah R.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the impact of mathematics and reading learning difficulties on the mathematics-vocabulary understanding of fifth-grade students. Students (n = 114) completed three measures: mathematics computation, general vocabulary, and mathematics vocabulary. Based on performance on the mathematics computation and…

Problem Solving and Computational Skill: Are They Shared or Distinct Aspects of Mathematical Cognition?

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Lambert, Warren; Stuebing, Karla; Fletcher, Jack M.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore patterns of difficulty in 2 domains of mathematical cognition: computation and problem solving. Third graders (n = 924; 47.3% male) were representatively sampled from 89 classrooms; assessed on computation and problem solving; classified as having difficulty with computation, problem solving, both domains, or neither domain; and measured on 9 cognitive dimensions. Difficulty occurred across domains with the same prevalence as difficulty with a single domain; specific difficulty was distributed similarly across domains. Multivariate profile analysis on cognitive dimensions and chi-square tests on demographics showed that specific computational difficulty was associated with strength in language and weaknesses in attentive behavior and processing speed; problem-solving difficulty was associated with deficient language as well as race and poverty. Implications for understanding mathematics competence and for the identification and treatment of mathematics difficulties are discussed. PMID:20057912

Teaching Children with Down Syndrome in Inclusive Primary Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faragher, Rhonda; Stratford, Melanie; Clarke, Barbara

2017-01-01

At the turn of this century, expectations for learning mathematics by students with Down syndrome were low. Research and practice continued to indicate considerable difficulty with number and calculation (Bird & Buckley, 2001). Unfortunately, most authors extrapolated difficulty with number to difficulty with mathematics in general, even…

Phonological Storage and Executive Function Deficits in Children with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Peng; Congying, Sun; Beilei, Li; Sha, Tao

2012-01-01

Children with mathematics difficulties suffer from working memory deficits. This study investigated the deficit profile of phonological storage and executive functions in working memory among children with mathematics difficulties. Based on multiple instruments and two assessment points, 68 children were screened out of 805 fifth graders. Of these…

Building Knowledge Structures by Testing Helps Children with Mathematical Learning Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yiyun; Zhou, Xinlin

2016-01-01

Mathematical learning difficulty (MLD) is prevalent in the development of mathematical abilities. Previous interventions for children with MLD have focused on number sense or basic mathematical skills. This study investigated whether mathematical performance of fifth grade children with MLD could be improved by developing knowledge structures by…

Remediating Number Combination and Word Problem Deficits Among Students With Mathematics Difficulties: A Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Powell, Sarah R.; Seethaler, Pamela M.; Cirino, Paul T.; Fletcher, Jack M.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Zumeta, Rebecca O.

2009-01-01

The purposes of this study were to assess the efficacy of remedial tutoring for 3rd graders with mathematics difficulty, to investigate whether tutoring is differentially efficacious depending on students’ math difficulty status (mathematics difficulty alone vs. mathematics plus reading difficulty), to explore transfer from number combination (NC) remediation, and to examine the transportability of the tutoring protocols. At 2 sites, 133 students were stratified on mathematics difficulty status and site and then randomly assigned to 3 conditions: control (no tutoring), tutoring on automatic retrieval of NCs (i.e., Math Flash), or tutoring on word problems with attention to the foundational skills of NCs, procedural calculations, and algebra (i.e., Pirate Math). Tutoring occurred for 16 weeks, 3 sessions per week and 20–30 min per session. Math Flash enhanced fluency with NCs with transfer to procedural computation but without transfer to algebra or word problems. Pirate Math enhanced word problem skill as well as fluency with NCs, procedural computation, and algebra. Tutoring was not differentially efficacious as a function of students’ mathematics difficulty status. The tutoring protocols proved transportable across sites. PMID:19865600

Prospective Mathematics Teachers' Difficulties in Doing Proofs and Causes of Their Struggle with Proofs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doruk, Muhammet; Kaplan, Abdullah

2015-01-01

This research aims to expose prospective mathematics teachers' difficulties while proving, as well as the reasons behind such difficulties. The research includes 121 second year undergraduate prospective teachers studying at the primary mathematics teaching department of a state university in Turkey. The study has found that prospective teachers…

Internal Coordinate Molecular Dynamics: A Foundation for Multiscale Dynamics

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Internal coordinates such as bond lengths, bond angles, and torsion angles (BAT) are natural coordinates for describing a bonded molecular system. However, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods that are widely used for proteins, DNA, and polymers are based on Cartesian coordinates owing to the mathematical simplicity of the equations of motion. However, constraints are often needed with Cartesian MD simulations to enhance the conformational sampling. This makes the equations of motion in the Cartesian coordinates differential-algebraic, which adversely impacts the complexity and the robustness of the simulations. On the other hand, constraints can be easily placed in BAT coordinates by removing the degrees of freedom that need to be constrained. Thus, the internal coordinate MD (ICMD) offers an attractive alternative to Cartesian coordinate MD for developing multiscale MD method. The torsional MD method is a special adaptation of the ICMD method, where all the bond lengths and bond angles are kept rigid. The advantages of ICMD simulation methods are the longer time step size afforded by freezing high frequency degrees of freedom and performing a conformational search in the more important low frequency torsional degrees of freedom. However, the advancements in the ICMD simulations have been slow and stifled by long-standing mathematical bottlenecks. In this review, we summarize the recent mathematical advancements we have made based on spatial operator algebra, in developing a robust long time scale ICMD simulation toolkit useful for various applications. We also present the applications of ICMD simulations to study conformational changes in proteins and protein structure refinement. We review the advantages of the ICMD simulations over the Cartesian simulations when used with enhanced sampling methods and project the future use of ICMD simulations in protein dynamics. PMID:25517406

Effects of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Mathematics Interventions for Second Graders with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Minyi Shih

2015-01-01

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of Tier 2 and Tier 3 mathematics interventions on students with mathematics learning difficulties. In the first study, the work of Bryant et al. was replicated and expanded upon by documenting the sustained effects of a Tier 2 mathematics intervention on mathematics performance by second graders.…

The Dyslexic Student and Mathematics in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkin, Glynis; Croft, Tony

2007-01-01

Difficulties that are encountered by dyslexic undergraduates with their learning and understanding of mathematics are explored. Specific consideration is given to issues arising through mathematical content, its delivery, the procedures and processes of doing mathematics, and its assessment. Particular difficulties, which have emerged through…

Comparison of university students' understanding of graphs in different contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planinic, Maja; Ivanjek, Lana; Susac, Ana; Milin-Sipus, Zeljka

2013-12-01

This study investigates university students’ understanding of graphs in three different domains: mathematics, physics (kinematics), and contexts other than physics. Eight sets of parallel mathematics, physics, and other context questions about graphs were developed. A test consisting of these eight sets of questions (24 questions in all) was administered to 385 first year students at University of Zagreb who were either prospective physics or mathematics teachers or prospective physicists or mathematicians. Rasch analysis of data was conducted and linear measures for item difficulties were obtained. Average difficulties of items in three domains (mathematics, physics, and other contexts) and over two concepts (graph slope, area under the graph) were computed and compared. Analysis suggests that the variation of average difficulty among the three domains is much smaller for the concept of graph slope than for the concept of area under the graph. Most of the slope items are very close in difficulty, suggesting that students who have developed sufficient understanding of graph slope in mathematics are generally able to transfer it almost equally successfully to other contexts. A large difference was found between the difficulty of the concept of area under the graph in physics and other contexts on one side and mathematics on the other side. Comparison of average difficulty of the three domains suggests that mathematics without context is the easiest domain for students. Adding either physics or other context to mathematical items generally seems to increase item difficulty. No significant difference was found between the average item difficulty in physics and contexts other than physics, suggesting that physics (kinematics) remains a difficult context for most students despite the received instruction on kinematics in high school.

The Effect of Cognitive- and Metacognitive-Based Instruction on Problem Solving by Elementary Students with Mathematical Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grizzle-Martin, Tamieka

2014-01-01

Children who struggle in mathematics may also lack cognitive awareness in mathematical problem solving. The cognitively-driven program IMPROVE, a multidimensional method for teaching mathematics, has been shown to be helpful for students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD). Guided by cognitive theory, the purpose of this…

Difficulties First-Year University Mathematics Students Have in Reading Their Mathematics Textbook. Technical Report. No. 2009-1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Mary D.; Selden, Annie; Selden, John

2009-01-01

This exploratory study examined the experiences and difficulties certain first-year university students displayed in reading new passages from their mathematics textbooks. We interviewed eleven precalculus and calculus students who were considered to be good at mathematics, as indicated by high ACT mathematics scores. These students were also …

The Effects of a Tier 3 Intervention on the Mathematics Performance of Second Grade Students with Severe Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Brian R.; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Porterfield, Jennifer; Dennis, Minyi Shih; Falcomata, Terry; Valentine, Courtney; Brewer, Chelsea; Bell, Kathy

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a systematic, explicit, intensive Tier 3 (tertiary) intervention on the mathematics performance of students in second grade with severe mathematics difficulties. A multiple-baseline design across groups of participants showed improved mathematics performance on number and operations…

Influence of Student Beliefs about Nature of School Mathematics on Their Achievement at Secondary Level in Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, Kunnathodi Abdul; Sarabi, M. K.

2016-01-01

This study probes students' beliefs about nature of mathematics, difficulty in learning mathematics sourcing from these and their influence on achievement in mathematics. Questionnaire survey on 458, 9th standard students randomly selected from schools of Malappuram district elicited data on nature of school mathematics and difficulty arising out…

Role of cognitive theory in the study of learning disability in mathematics.

PubMed

Geary, David C

2005-01-01

Gersten, Jordan, and Flojo (in this issue) provide the beginnings of an essential bridge between basic research on mathematical disabilities (MD) in young children and the application of this research for the early identification and remediation of these forms of learning disability. As they acknowledge, the field of MD is in the early stages of development, and thus recommendations regarding identification measures and remedial techniques must be considered preliminary. I discuss the importance of maintaining a tight link between theoretical and empirical research on children's developing numerical, arithmetical, and mathematical competencies and future research on learning disabilities in mathematics. This link will provide the foundation for transforming experimental procedures into assessment measures, understanding the cognitive strengths and weaknesses of children with these forms of learning disability, and developing remedial approaches based on the pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses for individual children.

Transcoding abilities in typical and atypical mathematics achievers: the role of working memory and procedural and lexical competencies.

PubMed

Moura, Ricardo; Wood, Guilherme; Pinheiro-Chagas, Pedro; Lonnemann, Jan; Krinzinger, Helga; Willmes, Klaus; Haase, Vitor Geraldi

2013-11-01

Transcoding between numerical systems is one of the most basic abilities acquired by children during their early school years. One important topic that requires further exploration is how mathematics proficiency can affect number transcoding. The aim of the current study was to investigate transcoding abilities (i.e., reading Arabic numerals and writing dictation) in Brazilian children with and without mathematics difficulties, focusing on different school grades. We observed that children with learning difficulties in mathematics demonstrated lower achievement in number transcoding in both early and middle elementary school. In early elementary school, difficulties were observed in both the basic numerical lexicon and the management of numerical syntax. In middle elementary school, difficulties appeared mainly in the transcoding of more complex numbers. An error analysis revealed that the children with mathematics difficulties struggled mainly with the acquisition of transcoding rules. Although we confirmed the previous evidence on the impact of working memory capacity on number transcoding, we found that it did not fully account for the observed group differences. The results are discussed in the context of a maturational lag in number transcoding ability in children with mathematics difficulties. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Preschool Program for Preventing Learning Difficulties in Arithmetic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, William P.

Described are many concrete readiness activities within ten broad categories that are designed to provide children with a solid foundation for mathematics and that help prevent learning difficulties in mathematics. Preschool mathematical experiences form the foundation for all studies in mathematics. Without a sufficient number of appropriate…

The Impact of Instruction Incorporating Content Area Reading Strategies on Student Mathematical Achievement in a Community College Developmental Mathematics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Amber Heller

2011-01-01

When a student is not successful in mathematics, teachers frequently assume the difficulty lies within the student's mathematical ability or negative disposition towards mathematics, but the difficulty may lie with the student's reading comprehension (Draper, Smith, Hall, & Siebert, 2005; Kane, Byrne, & Hater, 1974). Many…

Mathematical Interventions for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities and Mathematics Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Lein, Amy E.; Im, Soo-hyun; Alghamdi, Ahmed A.; Hefte, Scott B.; Mouanoutoua, John

2018-01-01

This meta-analysis is the first to provide a quantitative synthesis of empirical evaluations of mathematical intervention programs implemented in secondary schools for students with learning disabilities and mathematics difficulties. Included studies used a treatment-control group design. A total of 19 experimental and quasi-experimental studies…

Observing and Analyzing Children's Mathematical Development, Based on Action Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunck, M. J. A.; Terlien, E.; van Groenestijn, M.; Toll, S. W. M.; Van Luit, J. E. H.

2017-01-01

Children who experience difficulties with learning mathematics should be taught by teachers who focus on the child's best way of learning. Analyses of the mathematical difficulties are necessary for fine-tuning mathematics education to the needs of these children. For this reason, an instrument for Observing and Analyzing children's Mathematical…

A Conceptual Metaphor Framework for the Teaching of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danesi, Marcel

2007-01-01

Word problems in mathematics seem to constantly pose learning difficulties for all kinds of students. Recent work in math education (for example, [Lakoff, G. & Nunez, R. E. (2000). "Where mathematics comes from: How the embodied mind brings mathematics into being." New York: Basic Books]) suggests that the difficulties stem from an…

Defective Number Module or Impaired Access? Numerical Magnitude Processing in First Graders with Mathematical Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Smedt, Bert; Gilmore, Camilla K.

2011-01-01

This study examined numerical magnitude processing in first graders with severe and mild forms of mathematical difficulties, children with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) and children with low achievement (LA) in mathematics, respectively. In total, 20 children with MLD, 21 children with LA, and 41 regular achievers completed a numerical…

Is Mathematical Representation of Problems an Evidence-Based Strategy for Students with Mathematics Difficulties?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Nelson, Gena; Pulles, Sandra M.; Kiss, Allyson J.; Houseworth, James

2016-01-01

The purpose of the present review was to evaluate the quality of the research and evidence base for representation of problems as a strategy to enhance the mathematical performance of students with learning disabilities and those at risk for mathematics difficulties. The authors evaluated 25 experimental and quasiexperimental studies according to…

Observations on Student Difficulties with Mathematics in Upper-Division Electricity and Magnetism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pepper, Rachel E.; Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Pollock, Steven J.; Perkins, Katherine K.

2012-01-01

We discuss common difficulties in upper-division electricity and magnetism (E&M) in the areas of Gauss's law, vector calculus, and electric potential using both quantitative and qualitative evidence. We also show that many of these topical difficulties may be tied to student difficulties with mathematics. At the junior level, some students…

Cognitive Risk Factors for Specific Learning Disorder: Processing Speed, Temporal Processing, and Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moll, Kristina; Göbel, Silke M.; Gooch, Debbie; Landerl, Karin; Snowling, Margaret J.

2016-01-01

High comorbidity rates between reading disorder (RD) and mathematics disorder (MD) indicate that, although the cognitive core deficits underlying these disorders are distinct, additional domain-general risk factors might be shared between the disorders. Three domain-general cognitive abilities were investigated in children with RD and MD:…

A mathematic model that describes modes of MdSGHV transmission within house fly populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper it is proposed that one potential component by which the Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus (MdSGHV) infects individual flies is through cuticular damage. Breaks in the cuticle allow entry of the virus into the hemocoel causing the infection. Male flies typically have a h...

Students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wati, S.; Fitriana, L.; Mardiyana

2018-03-01

A linear equation is an algebra material that exists in junior high school to university. It is a very important material for students in order to learn more advanced mathematics topics. Therefore, linear equation material is essential to be mastered. However, the result of 2016 national examination in Indonesia showed that students’ achievement in solving linear equation problem was low. This fact became a background to investigate students’ difficulties in solving linear equation problems. This study used qualitative descriptive method. An individual written test on linear equation tasks was administered, followed by interviews. Twenty-one sample students of grade VIII of SMPIT Insan Kamil Karanganyar did the written test, and 6 of them were interviewed afterward. The result showed that students with high mathematics achievement donot have difficulties, students with medium mathematics achievement have factual difficulties, and students with low mathematics achievement have factual, conceptual, operational, and principle difficulties. Based on the result there is a need of meaningfulness teaching strategy to help students to overcome difficulties in solving linear equation problems.

Mathematics Deficiencies in Children with Very Low Birth Weight or Very Preterm Birth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, H. Gerry; Espy, Kimberly Andrews; Anderson, Peter J.

2009-01-01

Children with very low birth weight (VLBW, less than 1500 g) or very preterm birth (VPTB, less than 32 weeks gestational age or GA) have more mathematics disabilities or deficiencies (MD) and higher rates of mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) than normal birth weight term-born children (NBW, greater than 2500 g and greater than 36 weeks GA).…

Learner and Teacher Perception on Difficulties in Learning and Teaching Mathematics: Some Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdul Gafoor, K.; Kurukkan, Abidha

2015-01-01

Mathematics holds a relevant and unique place in the school curriculum as it is important for a better living of the individual. But, it is known that most of the students are considering mathematics as difficult. This study examines the difficulties perceived by high school students and teachers in learning and teaching mathematics. Two hundred…

Teaching Mathematical Problem Solving to Students with Limited English Proficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Rochelle G.; Patino, Rodrigo A.

Many mainstreamed students with limited English proficiency continue to face the difficulty of learning English as a second language (ESL) while studying mathematics and other content areas framed in the language of native speakers. The difficulty these students often encounter in mathematics classes and their poor performance on subsequent…

Impact of Enhanced Anchored Instruction in Inclusive Math Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottge, Brian A.; Toland, Michael D.; Gassaway, Linda; Butler, Mark; Choo, Sam; Griffen, Ann Katherine; Ma, Xin

2015-01-01

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics will place more pressure on special education and math teachers to raise the skill levels of all students, especially those with disabilities in math (MD). The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) on students with and without MD in co-taught general…

Socioeconomic variation, number competence, and mathematics learning difficulties in young children.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Levine, Susan C

2009-01-01

As a group, children from disadvantaged, low-income families perform substantially worse in mathematics than their counterparts from higher-income families. Minority children are disproportionately represented in low-income populations, resulting in significant racial and social-class disparities in mathematics learning linked to diminished learning opportunities. The consequences of poor mathematics achievement are serious for daily functioning and for career advancement. This article provides an overview of children's mathematics difficulties in relation to socioeconomic status (SES). We review foundations for early mathematics learning and key characteristics of mathematics learning difficulties. A particular focus is the delays or deficiencies in number competencies exhibited by low-income children entering school. Weaknesses in number competence can be reliably identified in early childhood, and there is good evidence that most children have the capacity to develop number competence that lays the foundation for later learning.

Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties.

PubMed

Lai, Yinghui; Zhu, Xiaoshuang; Chen, Yinghe; Li, Yanjun

2015-01-01

Mathematics is one of the most objective, logical, and practical academic disciplines. Yet, in addition to cognitive skills, mathematical problem solving also involves affective factors. In the current study, we first investigated effects of mathematics anxiety (MA) and mathematical metacognition on word problem solving (WPS). We tested 224 children (116 boys, M = 10.15 years old, SD = 0.56) with the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children, the Chinese Revised-edition Questionnaire of Pupil's Metacognitive Ability in Mathematics, and WPS tasks. The results indicated that mathematical metacognition mediated the effect of MA on WPS after controlling for IQ. Second, we divided the children into four mathematics achievement groups including high achieving (HA), typical achieving (TA), low achieving (LA), and mathematical learning difficulty (MLD). Because mathematical metacognition and MA predicted mathematics achievement, we compared group differences in metacognition and MA with IQ partialled out. The results showed that children with MLD scored lower in self-image and higher in learning mathematics anxiety (LMA) than the TA and HA children, but not in mathematical evaluation anxiety (MEA). MLD children's LMA was also higher than that of their LA counterparts. These results provide insight into factors that may mediate poor WPS performance which emerges under pressure in mathematics. These results also suggest that the anxiety during learning mathematics should be taken into account in mathematical learning difficulty interventions.

Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties

PubMed Central

Lai, Yinghui; Zhu, Xiaoshuang; Chen, Yinghe; Li, Yanjun

2015-01-01

Mathematics is one of the most objective, logical, and practical academic disciplines. Yet, in addition to cognitive skills, mathematical problem solving also involves affective factors. In the current study, we first investigated effects of mathematics anxiety (MA) and mathematical metacognition on word problem solving (WPS). We tested 224 children (116 boys, M = 10.15 years old, SD = 0.56) with the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Children, the Chinese Revised-edition Questionnaire of Pupil’s Metacognitive Ability in Mathematics, and WPS tasks. The results indicated that mathematical metacognition mediated the effect of MA on WPS after controlling for IQ. Second, we divided the children into four mathematics achievement groups including high achieving (HA), typical achieving (TA), low achieving (LA), and mathematical learning difficulty (MLD). Because mathematical metacognition and MA predicted mathematics achievement, we compared group differences in metacognition and MA with IQ partialled out. The results showed that children with MLD scored lower in self-image and higher in learning mathematics anxiety (LMA) than the TA and HA children, but not in mathematical evaluation anxiety (MEA). MLD children’s LMA was also higher than that of their LA counterparts. These results provide insight into factors that may mediate poor WPS performance which emerges under pressure in mathematics. These results also suggest that the anxiety during learning mathematics should be taken into account in mathematical learning difficulty interventions. PMID:26090806

CAS-Induced Difficulties in Learning Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jankvist, Uffe Thomas; Misfeldt, Morten

2015-01-01

In recent years computer algebra systems (CAS) have become an integrated part of the upper secondary school mathematics program. Despite the many positive possibilities of CAS, there also seems to be a flip side of the coin in relation to actual difficulties in learning mathematics, not least because a strong dependence on CAS for mathematical…

The Mathematics of Fountain Design: A Multiple-Centres Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Marshall

2013-01-01

Teachers of mathematics recognize the difficulty of reaching every student when the range of student abilities puts a considerable strain on the classroom discussion and time. In a response to the problem, students are grouped so that those with greater mathematical aptitude help those who have difficulties. While this approach is to be…

Response to Specific Training for Students with Different Levels of Mathematical Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Re, Anna Maria; Pedron, Martina; Tressoldi, Patrizio Emanuele; Lucangeli, Daniela

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of specific, individualized training for students with different levels of mathematical difficulties. Fifty-four students, with either severe or mild math difficulties, were assigned to individualized training or to a control condition. Ten students with severe math difficulties…

A Review of Factors Associated with Young Children's Difficulties in Acquiring Age-Appropriate Mathematical Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Roy; Goodman, Kathy

1995-01-01

Analyzes the factors behind children's learning difficulties in mathematics from three kinds of characteristics: characteristics of the child, of the teacher/teaching method, and of the subject. Suggests that perceived underachievement comes mainly from poor self-image, learning style, poor language skills, dyslexic-type difficulties, lack of…

Initial Understandings of Fraction Concepts Evidenced by Students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities and Difficulties: A Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Jessica H.; Welch-Ptak, Jasmine J.; Silva, Juanita M.

2016-01-01

Documenting how students with learning disabilities (LD) initially conceive of fractional quantities, and how their understandings may align with or differ from students with mathematics difficulties, is necessary to guide development of assessments and interventions that attach to unique ways of thinking or inherent difficulties these students…

Difficulties in initial algebra learning in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jupri, Al; Drijvers, Paul; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja

2014-12-01

Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognized as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian students' achievement in the algebra domain was significantly below the average student performance in other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. This fact gave rise to this study which aims to investigate Indonesian students' difficulties in algebra. In order to do so, a literature study was carried out on students' difficulties in initial algebra. Next, an individual written test on algebra tasks was administered, followed by interviews. A sample of 51 grade VII Indonesian students worked the written test, and 37 of them were interviewed afterwards. Data analysis revealed that mathematization, i.e., the ability to translate back and forth between the world of the problem situation and the world of mathematics and to reorganize the mathematical system itself, constituted the most frequently observed difficulty in both the written test and the interview data. Other observed difficulties concerned understanding algebraic expressions, applying arithmetic operations in numerical and algebraic expressions, understanding the different meanings of the equal sign, and understanding variables. The consequences of these findings on both task design and further research in algebra education are discussed.

Computational Fluency Performance Profile of High School Students with Mathematics Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calhoon, Mary Beth; Emerson, Robert Wall; Flores, Margaret; Houchins, David E.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to develop a computational fluency performance profile of 224 high school (Grades 9-12) students with mathematics disabilities (MD). Computational fluency performance was examined by grade-level expectancy (Grades 2-6) and skill area (whole numbers: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division;…

Working Memory in Students with Mathematical Difficulties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur, I. R. D.; Herman, T.; Ningsih, S.

2018-04-01

Learning process is the activities that has important role because this process is one of the all factors that establish students success in learning. oftentimes we find so many students get the difficulties when they study mathematics. This condition is not only because of the outside factor but also it comes from the inside. The purpose of this research is to analyze and give the representation how students working memory happened in physical education students for basic statistics subjects which have mathematical difficulties. The subjects are 4 students which have a mathematical difficulties. The research method is case study and when the describe about students working memory are explanated deeply with naturalistic observation. Based on this research, it was founded that 4 students have a working memory deficit in three components. The components are phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, dan episodic buffer.

Children with mathematical learning disability fail in recruiting verbal and numerical brain regions when solving simple multiplication problems.

PubMed

Berteletti, Ilaria; Prado, Jérôme; Booth, James R

2014-08-01

Greater skill in solving single-digit multiplication problems requires a progressive shift from a reliance on numerical to verbal mechanisms over development. Children with mathematical learning disability (MD), however, are thought to suffer from a specific impairment in numerical mechanisms. Here we tested the hypothesis that this impairment might prevent MD children from transitioning toward verbal mechanisms when solving single-digit multiplication problems. Brain activations during multiplication problems were compared in MD and typically developing (TD) children (3rd to 7th graders) in numerical and verbal regions which were individuated by independent localizer tasks. We used small (e.g., 2 × 3) and large (e.g., 7 × 9) problems as these problems likely differ in their reliance on verbal versus numerical mechanisms. Results indicate that MD children have reduced activations in both the verbal (i.e., left inferior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal to superior temporal gyri) and the numerical (i.e., right superior parietal lobule including intra-parietal sulcus) regions suggesting that both mechanisms are impaired. Moreover, the only reliable activation observed for MD children was in the numerical region when solving small problems. This suggests that MD children could effectively engage numerical mechanisms only for the easier problems. Conversely, TD children showed a modulation of activation with problem size in the verbal regions. This suggests that TD children were effectively engaging verbal mechanisms for the easier problems. Moreover, TD children with better language skills were more effective at engaging verbal mechanisms. In conclusion, results suggest that the numerical- and language-related processes involved in solving multiplication problems are impaired in MD children. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Early Numeracy Intervention Program for First-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R.; Roberts, Greg; Vaughn, Sharon; Pfannenstiel, Kathleen Hughes; Porterfield, Jennifer; Gersten, Russell

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an early numeracy preventative Tier 2 intervention on the mathematics performance of first-grade students with mathematics difficulties. Researchers used a pretest-posttest control group design with randomized assignment of 139 students to the Tier 2 treatment condition and 65 students to…

Effects of Digital-Based Math Fluency Interventions on Learners with Math Difficulties: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cozad, Lauren E.; Riccomini, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Mathematical proficiency serves as a foundation for student success in the classroom and real world. One component of mathematical proficiency is fluency with basic facts. Frequently, students with mathematics difficulties struggle to become proficient and fluent in the four basic operations. Interventions are available to help develop and promote…

Mathematics Learning Difficulties in Primary Education: Teachers' Professional Knowledge and the Use of Commercially Available Learning Packages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Steenbrugge, H.; Valcke, M.; Desoete, A.

2010-01-01

The present study builds on teachers' professional knowledge about mathematics learning difficulties. Based on the input of 918 primary school teachers, an attempt is made to develop an overview of difficult curriculum topics in primary school mathematics. The research approach builds on new conceptions about the professional identity of teachers…

Investigating Simulated Driving Errors in Amnestic Single- and Multiple-Domain Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Hird, Megan A; Vesely, Kristin A; Fischer, Corinne E; Graham, Simon J; Naglie, Gary; Schweizer, Tom A

2017-01-01

The areas of driving impairment characteristic of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remain unclear. This study compared the simulated driving performance of 24 individuals with MCI, including amnestic single-domain (sd-MCI, n = 11) and amnestic multiple-domain MCI (md-MCI, n = 13), and 20 age-matched controls. Individuals with MCI committed over twice as many driving errors (20.0 versus 9.9), demonstrated difficulty with lane maintenance, and committed more errors during left turns with traffic compared to healthy controls. Specifically, individuals with md-MCI demonstrated greater driving difficulty compared to healthy controls, relative to those with sd-MCI. Differentiating between different subtypes of MCI may be important when evaluating driving safety.

Consequences, Characteristics, and Causes of Mathematical Learning Disabilities and Persistent Low Achievement in Mathematics

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.

2011-01-01

Objective The goals of the review are threefold; a) to highlight the educational and employment consequences of poorly developed mathematical competencies; b) overview the characteristics of the children with persistently low achievement in mathematics; and c) provide a primer on cognitive science research that is aimed at identifying the cognitive mechanisms underlying these learning disabilities and associated cognitive interventions. Method Literatures on the educational and economic consequences of poor mathematics achievement were reviewed and integrated with reviews of epidemiological, behavioral genetic, and cognitive science studies of poor mathematics achievement. Results Poor mathematical competencies are common among adults and result in employment difficulties and difficulties in many common day-to-day activities. Among students, about 7% of children and adolescents have a mathematical learning disability (MLD) and another 10% show persistent low achievement (LA) in mathematics despite average abilities in most other areas. Children with MLD and their LA peers have deficits in understanding and representing numerical magnitude, difficulties retrieving basic arithmetic facts from long-term memory, and delays in learning mathematical procedures. These deficits and delays cannot be attributed to intelligence, but are related to working memory deficits for children with MLD, but not LA children. Interventions that target these cognitive deficits are in development and preliminary results are promising. Conclusion Mathematical learning disabilities and learning difficulties associated with persistent low achievement in mathematics are common and not attributable to intelligence. These individuals have identifiable number and memory delays and deficits that appear to be specific to mathematics learning. The most promising interventions are those that target these specific deficits and, in addition, for children with MLD interventions that target their low working memory capacity. PMID:21285895

Preventive Support for Kindergarteners Most At-Risk for Mathematics Difficulties: Computer-Assisted Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salminen, Jonna; Koponen, Tuire; Räsänen, Pekka; Aro, Mikko

2015-01-01

Weaknesses in early number skills have been found to be a risk factor for later difficulties in mathematical performance. Nevertheless, only a few intervention studies with young children have been published. In this study, the responsiveness to early support in kindergarteners with most severe difficulties was examined with two different computer…

Numerical Magnitude Representation in Children with Mathematical Difficulties with or without Reading Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobia, Valentina; Fasola, Anna; Lupieri, Alice; Marzocchi, Gian Marco

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore the spatial numerical association of response codes (SNARC), the flanker, and the numerical distance effects in children with mathematical difficulties. From a sample of 720 third, fourth, and fifth graders, 60 children were selected and divided into the following three groups: typically developing children (TD; n =…

Cognitive Strategies, Working Memory, and Growth in Word Problem Solving in Children With Math Difficulties.

PubMed

Swanson, H Lee; Lussier, Catherine M; Orosco, Michael J

2015-01-01

This study investigated the role of strategy instruction and working memory capacity (WMC) on word problem solving accuracy in children with (n = 100) and without (n = 92) math difficulties (MD). Within classrooms, children in Grades 2 and 3 were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: verbal-only strategies (e.g., underlining question sentence), verbal + visual strategies, visual-only strategies (e.g., correctly placing numbers in diagrams), or untreated control. Strategy interventions included 20 sessions in both Year 1 and Year 2. The intent-to-treat as well as the "as-treated" analyses showed that treatment effects were significantly moderated by WMC. In general, treatment outcomes were higher when WMC was set to a high rather than low level. When set to a relatively high WMC level, children with MD performed significantly better under visual-only strategy conditions and children without MD performed better under verbal + visual conditions when compared to control conditions. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Parietal Hyper-Connectivity, Aberrant Brain Organization, and Circuit-Based Biomarkers in Children with Mathematical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolles, Dietsje; Ashkenazi, Sarit; Kochalka, John; Evans, Tanya; Richardson, Jennifer; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Zhao, Hui; Supekar, Kaustubh; Chen, Tianwen; Menon, Vinod

2016-01-01

Mathematical disabilities (MD) have a negative life-long impact on professional success, employment, and health outcomes. Yet little is known about the intrinsic functional brain organization that contributes to poor math skills in affected children. It is now increasingly recognized that math cognition requires coordinated interaction within a…

Middle school students' reading comprehension of mathematical texts and algebraic equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duru, Adem; Koklu, Onder

2011-06-01

In this study, middle school students' abilities to translate mathematical texts into algebraic representations and vice versa were investigated. In addition, students' difficulties in making such translations and the potential sources for these difficulties were also explored. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data for this study: questionnaire and clinical interviews. The questionnaire consisted of two general types of items: (1) selected-response (multiple-choice) items for which the respondent selects from multiple options and (2) open-ended items for which the respondent constructs a response. In order to further investigate the students' strategies while they were translating the given mathematical texts to algebraic equations and vice versa, five randomly chosen (n = 5) students were interviewed. Data were collected in the 2007-2008 school year from 185 middle-school students in five teachers' classrooms in three different schools in the city of Adıyaman, Turkey. After the analysis of data, it was found that students who participated in this study had difficulties in translating the mathematical texts into algebraic equations by using symbols. It was also observed that these students had difficulties in translating the symbolic representations into mathematical texts because of their weak reading comprehension. In addition, finding of this research revealed that students' difficulties in translating the given mathematical texts into symbolic representations or vice versa come from different sources.

Low performance on mathematical tasks in preschoolers: the importance of domain-general and domain-specific abilities.

PubMed

Costa, H M; Nicholson, B; Donlan, C; Van Herwegen, J

2018-04-01

Different domain-specific and domain-general cognitive precursors play a key role in the development of mathematical abilities. The contribution of these domains to mathematical ability changes during development. Primary school-aged children who show mathematical difficulties form a heterogeneous group, but it is not clear whether this also holds for preschool low achievers (LAs) and how domain-specific and domain-general abilities contribute to mathematical difficulties at a young age. The aim of this study was to explore the cognitive characteristics of a sample of preschool LAs and identify sub-types of LAs. 81 children were identified as LAs from 283 preschoolers aged 3 to 5 years old and were assessed on a number of domain-general and domain-specific tasks. Cluster analysis revealed four subgroups of LAs in mathematics: (1) a weak processing sub-type; (2) a general mathematical LAs sub-type; (3) a mixed abilities sub-type; and (4) a visuo-spatial deficit sub-type. Whilst two of the groups showed specific domain-general difficulties, none showed only domain-specific difficulties. Current findings suggest that preschool LAs constitute a heterogeneous group and stress the importance of domain-general factors for the development of mathematical abilities during the preschool years. © 2018 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Implications of Overlapping Difficulties in Mathematics and Reading on Self-Concept and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holopainen, Leena; Taipale, Airi; Savolainen, Hannu

2017-01-01

In this study, the relationship between adolescents' difficulty in mathematics and reading and the influence on academic self-concept and school grades was examined. The participants (N = 585; 299 girls, 286 boys) were one age group of ninth-graders whose mathematics and reading skills were assessed at the end of comprehensive school at age…

Is Mathematics to Blame? An Investigation into High School Students' Difficulty in Performing Calculations in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Fraser J.

2012-01-01

Mathematical ability is a major contributory factor to the success of a student in any science course. This paper aims to determine the source of the difficulty that students often find when performing calculations in chemistry. Through the design and analysis of a set of chemistry questions and analogous mathematics questions, set in a Standard…

Why Is Math So Hard for Some Children? The Nature and Origins of Mathematical Learning Difficulties and Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berch, Daniel B., Ed; Mazzocco, Michele M.M., Ed.

2007-01-01

In order for schools to help students with learning difficulties and disabilities improve their achievement in mathematics, educators, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers need a better understanding of the evidence based on what is behind these students' difficulties in learning math. That is just what they will get with this landmark…

An Examination of the Effectiveness of Instruction in Which Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers Use Technology to Overcome Student Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yenmez, Arzu Aydogan

2017-01-01

It is seen that students face certain difficulties when learning the concepts and the relationships between them in the mathematics education that aims at enabling students to learn on the highest level. Identifying and eliminating these difficulties, helping students in the learning process and guiding them are among teachers' tasks. Overcoming…

Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy in Chinese children.

PubMed

Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Au, Terry K; Tang, Joey

2013-05-01

Children struggle with mathematics for different reasons. Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy - two kinds of mathematical difficulties - may have their roots, respectively, in poor understanding of exact non-symbolic numerosities and of symbolic numerals. This study was the first to explore whether Chinese children, despite cultural and linguistic factors supporting their mathematical learning, also showed such mathematical difficulties and whether such difficulties have measurable impact on children's early school mathematical performance. First-graders, classified as dyscalculia, low numeracy, or normal achievement, were compared for their performance in various school mathematical tasks requiring a grasp of non-symbolic numerosities (i.e., non-symbolic tasks) or an understanding of symbolic numerals (i.e., symbolic tasks). Children with dyscalculia showed poorer performance than their peers in non-symbolic tasks but not symbolic ones, whereas those with low numeracy showed poorer performance in symbolic tasks but not non-symbolic ones. As hypothesized, these findings suggested that dyscalculia and low numeracy were distinct deficits and caused by deficits in non-symbolic and symbolic processing, respectively. These findings went beyond prior research that only documented generally low mathematical achievements for these two groups of children. Moreover, these deficits appeared to be persistent and could not be remedied simply through day-to-day school mathematical learning. The present findings highlighted the importance of tailoring early learning support for children with these distinct deficits, and pointed to future directions for the screening of such mathematical difficulties among Chinese children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intervention Effects for Students with Comorbid Forms of Learning Disability: Understanding the Needs of Nonresponders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.

2013-01-01

In this article, we considered evidence from our intervention research programs on whether students with learning disability (LD) in reading and mathematics (comorbid LD) respond differently to intervention, compared to students with reading LD alone (RD) or to students with mathematics LD alone (MD). The goal was to gain insight into whether…

Can Executive Functions Help to Understand Children with Mathematical Learning Disorders and to Improve Instruction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desoete, Annemie; De Weerdt, Frauke

2013-01-01

Working memory, inhibition and naming speed was assessed in 22 children with mathematical learning disorders (MD), 17 children with a reading learning disorder (RD), and 45 children without any learning problems between 8 and 12 years old. All subjects with learning disorders performed poorly on working memory tasks, providing evidence that they…

Investigating middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setiawati, S.; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-11-01

The background of this study is the lack of mathematical literacy skills of students. The proficiency of students’ mathematical literacy skills based on the results of the PISA 2015 study shows that Indonesian students at the proficiency level 1. This fact gave rise to this study which aims to investigate middle school students’ difficulties in mathematical literacy problems level 1 and 2. Qualitative research was used in this study. An individual written test on mathematical literacy problems was administered, followed by interviews. The subjects of the study were 61 students grade VII in Bandung and 26 of them were interviewed afterward. Data analysis revealed that students’ error in performing arithmetic most frequently observed. Other observed difficulties concerned understanding about algebra concept, applying arithmetic operation in algebraic expressions, and interpreting symbols to represent the unknown. In solving mathematical literacy problems, students use their prior knowledge, although sometimes not relevant to the questions. Based on the results, we suggest that mathematics learning in contextual learning and which invites students to participate in the processes of understanding the concepts.

Phonological awareness and mathematical difficulty: a longitudinal perspective.

PubMed

Jordan, Julie-Ann; Wylie, Judith; Mulhern, Gerry

2010-03-01

The present longitudinal study sought to investigate the impact of poor phonology on children's mathematical status. From a screening sample of 256 five-year-olds, 82 children were identified as either typically achieving (TA; N = 31), having comorbid poor phonology and mathematical difficulties (PDMD; N = 31), or having only poor phonology (phonological difficulty, PD; N = 20). Children were assessed on eight components of informal and formal mathematics achievement at ages 5-7 years. PD children were found to have significant impairments in some, mainly formal, components of mathematics by age 7 compared to TA children. Analysis also revealed that, by age 7, approximately half of the PD children met the criteria for PDMD, while the remainder exhibited less severe deficits in some components of formal mathematics. Children's mathematical performance at age 5, however, did not predict which PD children were more likely to become PDMD at age 7, nor did they differ in terms of phonological awareness at age 5. However, those PD children who later became PDMD had lower scores on verbal and non-verbal tests of general ability.

Visualizing an ultra-weak protein-protein interaction in phosphorylation signaling.

PubMed

Xing, Qiong; Huang, Peng; Yang, Ju; Sun, Jian-Qiang; Gong, Zhou; Dong, Xu; Guo, Da-Chuan; Chen, Shao-Min; Yang, Yu-Hong; Wang, Yan; Yang, Ming-Hui; Yi, Ming; Ding, Yi-Ming; Liu, Mai-Li; Zhang, Wei-Ping; Tang, Chun

2014-10-20

Proteins interact with each other to fulfill their functions. The importance of weak protein-protein interactions has been increasingly recognized. However, owing to technical difficulties, ultra-weak interactions remain to be characterized. Phosphorylation can take place via a K(D)≈25 mM interaction between two bacterial enzymes. Using paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy and with the introduction of a novel Gd(III)-based probe, we determined the structure of the resulting complex to atomic resolution. The structure accounts for the mechanism of phosphoryl transfer between the two enzymes and demonstrates the physical basis for their ultra-weak interaction. Further, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest that the complex has a lifetime in the micro- to millisecond regimen. Hence such interaction is termed a fleeting interaction. From mathematical modeling, we propose that an ultra-weak fleeting interaction enables rapid flux of phosphoryl signal, providing a high effective protein concentration. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Word-Problem-Solving Strategy for Minority Students at Risk for Math Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kong, Jennifer E.; Orosco, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Minority students at risk for math difficulties (MD) struggle with word problems for various reasons beyond procedural or calculation challenges. As a result, these students require support in reading and language development in addition to math. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a math comprehension strategy based on a…

Self-reported learning difficulties and dietary intake in Norwegian adolescents.

PubMed

Øverby, Nina Cecilie; Lüdemann, Eva; Høigaard, Rune

2013-11-01

The academic performance of children impacts future educational attainment which may increase socioeconomic status which again influences their health. One of several factors that might affect academic performance is the diet. The aim of this study was to investigate the cross sectional relation between diet and self-reported reading-, writing-, and mathematical difficulties in Norwegian adolescents. In total, 475 ninth- and tenth-grade students out of 625 eligible ones from four different secondary schools in three different municipalities in Vest-Agder County, Norway, participated, giving a participation rate of 77%. The students filled in a questionnaire with food frequency questions of selected healthy and unhealthy food items, questions of meal frequency and different learning difficulties. Regular breakfast was significantly associated with decreased odds of both writing and reading difficulties (OR: 0.44 (0.2-0.8), p = 0.01) and mathematical difficulties (OR: 0.33 (0.2-0.6), p ≤ 0.001). In addition, having lunch, dinner and supper regularly were associated with decreased odds of mathematical difficulties. Further, a high intake of foods representing a poor diet (sugar-sweetened soft drinks, sweets, chocolate, savory snacks, pizza and hot dogs) was significantly associated with increased odds of mathematical difficulties. Having a less-frequent intake of unhealthy foods and not skipping meals are associated with decreased odds of self-reported learning difficulties in Norwegian adolescents in this study. The results of this study support the need for a larger study with a more representative sample.

A Mathematic Model That Describes Modes of MdSGHV Transmission within House Fly Populations.

PubMed

Vallejo, Celeste R; Lee, Jo Ann; Keesling, James E; Geden, Christopher J; Lietze, Verena-Ulrike; Boucias, Drion G

2013-11-20

In this paper it is proposed that one potential component by which the Musca domestica salivary gland hypertrophy virus (MdSGHV) infects individual flies is through cuticular damage. Breaks in the cuticle allow entry of the virus into the hemocoel causing the infection. Male flies typically have a higher rate of infection and a higher rate of cuticular damage than females. A model for the transmission of MdSGHV was formulated assuming several potential and recognized means of transmission. The model yields results that are in agreement with field data that measured the infection rate in house flies on dairy farms in Florida. The results from this model indicate that MdSGHV will be maintained at a stable rate within house fly populations and support the future use of MdSGHV as a birth control agent in house fly management.

Metacognition Difficulty of Students with Visual-Spatial Intelligence during Solving Open-Ended Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rimbatmojo, S.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Riyadi, R.

2017-09-01

This study aims to find out students metacognition difficulty during solving open-ended problem in mathematics. It focuses on analysing the metacognition difficulty of students with visual-spatial intelligence in solving open-ended problem. A qualitative research with case study strategy is used in this study. Data in the form of visual-spatial intelligence test result and recorded interview during solving open-ended problems were analysed qualitatively. The results show that: (1) students with high visual-spatial intelligence have no difficulty on each metacognition aspects, (2) students with medium visual-spatial intelligence have difficulty on knowledge aspect on strategy and cognitive tasks, (3) students with low visual-spatial intelligence have difficulty on three metacognition aspects, namely knowledge on strategy, cognitive tasks and self-knowledge. Even though, several researches about metacognition process and metacognition literature recommended the steps to know the characteristics. It is still important to discuss that the difficulties of metacognitive is happened because of several factors, one of which on the characteristics of student’ visual-spatial intelligence. Therefore, it is really important for mathematics educators to consider and pay more attention toward students’ visual-spatial intelligence and metacognition difficulty in designing better mathematics learning.

Mathematics Intervention for First- and Second-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties: The Effects of Tier 2 Intervention Delivered as Booster Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R.; Gersten, Russell; Scammacca, Nancy; Chavez, Melissa M.

2008-01-01

This study sought to examine the effects of Tier 2 intervention in a multitiered model on the performance of first- and second-grade students who were identified as having mathematics difficulties. A regression discontinuity design was utilized. Participants included 126 (Tier 2, n = 26) first graders and 140 (Tier 2, n = 25) second graders. Tier…

Neural signatures of co-occurring reading and mathematical difficulties.

PubMed

Skeide, Michael A; Evans, Tanya M; Mei, Edward Z; Abrams, Daniel A; Menon, Vinod

2018-06-19

Impaired abilities in multiple domains is common in children with learning difficulties. Co-occurrence of low reading and mathematical abilities (LRLM) appears in almost every second child with learning difficulties. However, little is known regarding the neural bases of this combination. Leveraging a unique and tightly controlled sample including children with LRLM, isolated low reading ability (LR), and isolated low mathematical ability (LM), we uncover a distinct neural signature in children with co-occurring low reading and mathematical abilities differentiable from LR and LM. Specifically, we show that LRLM is neuroanatomically distinct from both LR and LM based on reduced cortical folding of the right parahippocampal gyrus, a medial temporal lobe region implicated in visual associative learning. LRLM children were further distinguished from LR and LM by patterns of intrinsic functional connectivity between parahippocampal gyrus and brain circuitry underlying reading and numerical quantity processing. Our results critically inform cognitive and neural models of LRLM by implicating aberrations in both domain-specific and domain-general brain regions involved in reading and mathematics. More generally, our results provide the first evidence for distinct multimodal neural signatures associated with LRLM, and suggest that this population displays an independent phenotype of learning difficulty that cannot be explained simply as a combination of isolated low reading and mathematical abilities. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How Common are WM Deficits in Children with Difficulties in Reading and Mathematics?

PubMed

Gathercole, Susan E; Woolgar, Francesca; Kievit, Rogier A; Astle, Duncan; Manly, Tom; Holmes, Joni

2016-12-01

The extent to which deficits in working memory (WM) are characteristic of children with reading and mathematics difficulties was investigated in a large sample aged 5-15 years reported to have problems in attention, learning and memory. WM performance was highly correlated with reading and mathematics scores. Although deficits in individual tests of short-term memory (STM) and WM occurred in less than half of the children with detected learning difficulties, three-quarters of the children with low reading and mathematics scores obtained one or more WM scores in the deficit range. These findings are consistent with proposals that WM or the broader cognitive dimensions it taps impede school-based learning, and point to the importance of managing WM loads in the classroom.

Reading, Mathematics, and Behavioral Difficulties Interrelate: Evidence from a Cross-lagged Panel Design and Population-based Sample

PubMed Central

Lin, Yu-Chu; Morgan, Paul L.; Farkas, George; Hillemeier, Marianne; Cook, Michael

2015-01-01

We examined three questions. First, do reading difficulties increase children’s risk of behavior difficulties? Second, do behavioral difficulties increase children’s risk of reading difficulties? Third, do mathematics difficulties increase children’s risk of reading or behavioral difficulties? We investigated these questions using a sample of 9,324 children followed from third to fifth grade as they participated in a nationally representative dataset, conducting multilevel logistic regression modeling and including statistical control for many potential confounds. Results indicated that poor readers in third grade were significantly more likely to display poor task management, poor self-control, poor interpersonal skills, internalizing behavior problems, and externalizing behavior problems in fifth grade (odds ratio [OR] range = 1.30 – 1.57). Statistically controlling for a prior history of reading difficulties, children with poor mathematics skills in third grade were also significantly more likely to display poor task management, poor interpersonal skills, internalizing behavior problems, and reading difficulties in fifth grade (OR range = 1.38 – 5.14). In contrast, only those children exhibiting poor task management, but not other types of problem behaviors, in third grade were more likely to be poor readers in fifth grade (OR = 1.49). PMID:26097274

Reading Stories to Learn Math: Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction for Children with Early Numeracy Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Jordan, Nancy C.; Dyson, Nancy

2015-01-01

The present study involved examining whether a storybook reading intervention targeting mathematics vocabulary, such as "equal," "more," and "less," and associated number concepts would increase at-risk children's vocabulary knowledge and number competencies. Children with early numeracy difficulties (N = 124) were…

Difficulties in Initial Algebra Learning in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jupri, Al; Drijvers, Paul; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja

2014-01-01

Within mathematics curricula, algebra has been widely recognized as one of the most difficult topics, which leads to learning difficulties worldwide. In Indonesia, algebra performance is an important issue. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007, Indonesian students' achievement in the algebra domain was…

Mathematical Difficulties and ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucangeli, Daniela; Cabrele, Silvia

2006-01-01

Most of the research on academics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has focused on reading disorders in children with ADHD rather than difficulties in mathematics. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of studies focusing on students with attention deficit disorders with or without hyperactivity and 1 area of…

Introductory Physics Students' Physics and Mathematics Epistemologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scanlon, Erin M.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this three study dissertation is to investigate why students are enrolled in introductory physics courses experience difficulties in being successful; one possible source of their difficulties is related to their epistemology. In order to investigate students' epistemologies about mathematics and physics, students were observed…

Indicators of Multiplicative Reasoning among Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrier, James A.

2010-01-01

Many students encounter difficulty in their transition to advanced mathematical thinking. Such difficulty may be explained by a lack of understanding of many concepts taught in early school years, especially multiplicative reasoning. Advanced mathematical thinking depends on the development of multiplicative reasoning. The purpose of this study…

An Interpolation Procedure to Patch Holes in a Ground and Flight Test Data Base (MARS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

FAIRFAX VA 22030 DR N RAO CHAGANTY 1 DEPT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY HAMPTON BLVD NORFOLK VA 23529 DR SAID E SAID 1 DEPT OF...DR EDWARD R SCHEINERMAN 1 DEPT OF MATHEMATICS JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY 104 WHITEHEAD HALL BALTIMORE MD 21218 DR BENJAMIN KADEM 1 DEPT OF MATHEMATICS ... ACTUARIAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA 241 SCHAEFFER HALL IOWA CITY IA 52242-1409 DR JOHN E BOYER 1 DEPT OF STATISTICS KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY DICKENS HALL

Comorbidity between reading disability and math disability: concurrent psychopathology, functional impairment, and neuropsychological functioning.

PubMed

Willcutt, Erik G; Petrill, Stephen A; Wu, Sarah; Boada, Richard; Defries, John C; Olson, Richard K; Pennington, Bruce F

2013-01-01

Reading disability (RD) and math disability (MD) frequently co-occur, but the etiology of this comorbidity is not well understood. Groups with RD only (N = 241), MD only (N = 183), and RD + MD (N = 188) and a control group with neither disorder (N = 411) completed a battery of measures of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, social and academic functioning, and 10 neuropsychological processes. Groups with RD only, MD only, and RD + MD were significantly impaired versus the control group on nearly all measures, and the group with RD + MD was more impaired than the groups with MD and RD alone on measures of internalizing psychopathology, academic functioning, and 7 of 10 neuropsychological constructs. Multiple regression analyses of the neuropsychological measures indicated that deficits in reading and math were associated with shared weaknesses in working memory, processing speed, and verbal comprehension. In contrast, reading difficulties were uniquely associated with weaknesses in phoneme awareness and naming speed, and math deficits were uniquely associated with weaknesses in set shifting. These results support multiple-deficit neuropsychological models of RD and MD and suggest that RD and MD are distinct but related disorders that co-occur because of shared neuropsychological weaknesses in working memory, processing speed, and verbal comprehension.

What Are the Treatments for Muscular Dystrophy?

MedlinePlus

... physical activity and stretching exercises may be recommended. Respiratory Therapy Many people with MD do not realize they have little respiratory strength until they have difficulty coughing or an ...

The Particle/Wave-in-a-Box Model in Dutch Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoekzema, Dick; van den Berg, Ed; Schooten, Gert; van Dijk, Leo

2007-01-01

The combination of mathematical and conceptual difficulties makes teaching quantum physics at secondary schools a precarious undertaking. With many of the conceptual difficulties being unavoidable, simplifying the mathematics becomes top priority. The particle/wave-in-a-box provides a teaching model which includes many aspects of serious …

Mathematics Difficulties: Does One Approach Fit All?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gifford, Sue; Rockliffe, Freda

2012-01-01

This article reviews the nature of learning difficulties in mathematics and, in particular, the nature and prevalence of dyscalculia, a condition that affects the acquisition of arithmetical skills. The evidence reviewed suggests that younger children (under the age of 10) often display a combination of problems, including minor physical…

The Problems of Diagnosis and Remediation of Dyscalculia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Price, Nigel; Youe, Simon

2000-01-01

Focuses on the problems of diagnosis and remediation of dyscalculia. Explores whether there is justification for believing that specific difficulty with mathematics arises jointly with a specific language problem, or whether a specific difficulty with mathematics can arise independently of problems with language. Uses a case study to illuminate…

Beyond Epistemological Deficits: Dynamic Explanations of Engineering Students' Difficulties with Mathematical Sense-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Ayush; Elby, Andrew

2011-01-01

Researchers have argued against deficit-based explanations of students' difficulties with mathematical sense-making, pointing instead to factors such as epistemology. Students' beliefs about knowledge and learning can hinder the activation and integration of productive knowledge they have. Such explanations, however, risk falling into a…

Control Engineering, System Theory and Mathematics: The Teacher's Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zenger, K.

2007-01-01

The principles, difficulties and challenges in control education are discussed and compared to the similar problems in the teaching of mathematics and systems science in general. The difficulties of today's students to appreciate the classical teaching of engineering disciplines, which are based on rigorous and scientifically sound grounds, are…

Mathematics Interventions for Students with High Functioning Autism/Asperger's Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Jeffrey B.; Zager, Dianne

2010-01-01

Teachers are often at a loss when considering how to address mathematics difficulties for students with high functioning autism/Asperger's syndrome (HFA/AS). Students may show difficulty remembering operations throughout an equation, organizing information on the page, and comprehending the language in instructions of word problems. These…

The Influence of English-Korean Bilingualism in Solving Mathematics Word Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whang, Woo-Hyung

1996-01-01

Purposeful sampling was used to select six English-Korean bilingual students to investigate language difficulties and cognitive processes in solving mathematics word problems. These six case studies revealed distinct patterns of difficulties in solving problems written in English and Korean, especially for students in transition stage. (Author/KMC)

Preactivation of Inhibitory Control Mechanisms Hinders Intuitive Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babai, Reuven; Eidelman, Rachel Rosanne; Stavy, Ruth

2012-01-01

Many students encounter difficulties in science and mathematics. Earlier research suggested that although intuitions are often needed to gain new ideas and concepts and to solve problems in science and mathematics, some of students' difficulties could stem from the interference of intuitive reasoning. The literature suggests that overcoming…

A Spectrum of Pedagogical Awareness for Undergraduate Mathematics: From "Tricks" to "Techniques"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nardi, Elena; Jaworski, Barbara; Hegedus, Stephen

2005-01-01

We describe a four-level spectrum of pedagogical awareness (SPA) that emerged from the analysis of six undergraduate mathematics tutors' (1) conceptualizations of their first-year students' difficulties; (2) descriptive accounts of their strategies for facilitating the overcoming of these difficulties; and (3) self-reflective accounts regarding…

An Ethnomathematics Approach to Teaching Language Minority Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davison, David M.

An ethnomathematics approach to the curriculum is advocated as a means of addressing the problems faced by limited English proficient (LEP) students who experience difficulties in learning mathematics. It is noted that the problems may have little to do with difficulties in processing mathematical ideas. When LEP students are from different…

Strategic development in exact calculation: group and individual differences in four achievement subtypes.

PubMed

Wylie, Judith; Jordan, Julie-Ann; Mulhern, Gerry

2012-09-01

This longitudinal study sought to identify developmental changes in strategy use between 5 and 7 years of age when solving exact calculation problems. Four mathematics and reading achievement subtypes were examined at four time points. Five strategies were considered: finger counting, verbal counting, delayed retrieval, automatic retrieval, and derived fact retrieval. Results provided unique insights into children's strategic development in exact calculation at this early stage. Group analysis revealed relationships between mathematical and/or reading difficulties and strategy choice, shift, and adaptiveness. Use of derived fact retrieval by 7 years of age distinguished children with mathematical difficulties from other achievement subtypes. Analysis of individual differences revealed marked heterogeneity within all subtypes, suggesting (inter alia) no marked qualitative distinction between our two mathematical difficulty subtypes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Self-Assessment in Foundation of Mathematics Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masriyah

2018-01-01

This research is motivated by the low performance of students who took Foundations of Mathematics course. This study was aimed to describe (1) the learning outcomes of students who learned Mathematics Foundation after learning axiomatic applying self-assessment; (2) the difficulty of students and the alternative solutions; and (3) the response of students toward Foundation of Mathematics learning taught by applying self-assessment. This research was a descriptive research. The subjects were 25 mathematics students who studied Foundation of Mathematics in odd semester of the 2015/2016 academic year. Data collection was done using questionnaires, and testing methods. Based on the results of data analysis, it can be concluded that the learning outcomes of students were categorized as “good.” Student responses were positive; the difficulties lied in the sub material: Classification of Axiom Systems and the requirements, Theorem and how the formation, and finite geometry. The alternatives deal with these difficulties are to give emphasis and explanation as needed on these materials, as well as provide some more exercises to reinforce their understanding.

Who is At Risk for Persistent Mathematics Difficulties in the U.S?

PubMed Central

Morgan, Paul L.; Farkas, George; Hillemeier, Marianne M.; Maczuga, Steve

2015-01-01

We analyzed two nationally representative, longitudinal datasets of U.S. children to identify risk factors for persistent mathematics difficulties (PMD). Results indicated that children from low socioeconomic households were at elevated risk of PMD at 48 and 60 months of age, as were children with cognitive delays, identified developmental delays or disabilities, or those with vocabulary difficulties. In contrast, children attending preschool either in Head Start or non-Head Start classrooms are at initially lower risk of PMD. Kindergarten-aged children experiencing either low socioeconomic status or mathematics difficulties are at greatest risk for PMD across 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade. Also at risk for PMD between 3rd–8th grade are children displaying reading difficulties or inattention and other learning-related behaviors problems, children with identified disabilities, and those who are retained. Educationally relevant and potentially malleable factors for decreasing young children’s risk for PMD may include increasing children’s access to preschool, decreasing their risk of experiencing vocabulary or reading difficulties, and avoiding use of grade retention. PMID:25331758

Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning: Implications for Helping Children With Mathematics Difficulties.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Resnick, Ilyse; Rodrigues, Jessica; Hansen, Nicole; Dyson, Nancy

The goal of the present article is to synthesize findings to date from the Delaware Longitudinal Study of Fraction Learning. The study followed a large cohort of children ( N = 536) between Grades 3 and 6. The findings showed that many students, especially those with diagnosed learning disabilities, made minimal growth in fraction knowledge and that some showed only a basic grasp of the meaning of a fraction even after several years of instruction. Children with low growth in fraction knowledge during the intermediate grades were much more likely to fail to meet state standards on a broad mathematics measure at the end of Grade 6. Although a range of general and mathematics-specific competencies predicted fraction outcomes, the ability to estimate numerical magnitudes on a number line was a uniquely important marker of fraction success. Many children with mathematics difficulties have deep-seated problems related to whole number magnitude representations that are complicated by the introduction of fractions into the curriculum. Implications for helping students with mathematics difficulties are discussed.

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of the Mathematics Courses Included in the Primary School Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serin, Mehmet Koray; Incikabi, Semahat

2017-01-01

Mathematics educators have reported on many issues regarding students' mathematical education, particularly students who received mathematics education at different departments such as engineering, science or primary school, including their difficulties with mathematical concepts, their understanding of and preferences for mathematical concepts.…

The Relation Between Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive Behaviors and Early Mathematics Skills.

PubMed

Sims, Darcey M; Purpura, David J; Lonigan, Christopher J

2016-08-01

Despite strong evidence that inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors are associated with mathematical difficulties in school-age children, little research has been conducted to examine the link between these constructs before the start of formal education. The purpose of this study was to examine how different manifestations of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors, as measured by different assessment tools, are related to early mathematics skills in preschoolers. Eighty-two preschool children completed a measure of early mathematics and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Teachers rated children's behaviors using the Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-15 Item. Sixty-five of these children completed mathematics assessments 1 year later. Teacher ratings of inattention were uniquely related to concurrent early mathematics skills, whereas CPT errors were uniquely predictive of early mathematics skills 1 year later. Findings have implications for the understanding and assessment of behavior problems that are associated with early mathematics difficulties. © The Author(s) 2012.

Strategy Choices in Simple and Complex Addition: Contributions of Working Memory and Counting Knowledge for Children with Mathematical Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geary, David C.; Hoard, Mary K.; Byrd-Craven, Jennifer; DeSoto, M. Catherine

2004-01-01

Groups of first-grade (mean age = 82 months), third-grade (mean age = 107 months), and fifth-grade (mean age = 131 months) children with a learning disability in mathematics (MD, n=58) and their normally achieving peers (n = 91) were administered tasks that assessed their knowledge of counting principles, working memory, and the strategies used to…

Opportunity-to-Learn Context-Based Tasks Provided by Mathematics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wijaya, Ariyadi; van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja; Doorman, Michiel

2015-01-01

Based on the findings of an error analysis revealing that Indonesian ninth- and tenth-graders had difficulties in solving context-based tasks, we investigated the opportunity-to-learn offered by Indonesian textbooks for solving context-based mathematics tasks and the relation of this opportunity-to-learn to students' difficulties in solving these…

CATO--A Guided User Interface for Different CAS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janetzko, Hans-Dieter

2017-01-01

CATO is a new user interface, written in Java and developed by the author as a response to the significant difficulties faced by students who only sporadically use computer algebra systems (CAS). The usage of CAS in mathematical lectures should be an integral part of mathematical instruction. However, difficulties arise for those students who have…

Cognitive Risk Factors for Specific Learning Disorder: Processing Speed, Temporal Processing, and Working Memory.

PubMed

Moll, Kristina; Göbel, Silke M; Gooch, Debbie; Landerl, Karin; Snowling, Margaret J

2016-01-01

High comorbidity rates between reading disorder (RD) and mathematics disorder (MD) indicate that, although the cognitive core deficits underlying these disorders are distinct, additional domain-general risk factors might be shared between the disorders. Three domain-general cognitive abilities were investigated in children with RD and MD: processing speed, temporal processing, and working memory. Since attention problems frequently co-occur with learning disorders, the study examined whether these three factors, which are known to be associated with attention problems, account for the comorbidity between these disorders. The sample comprised 99 primary school children in four groups: children with RD, children with MD, children with both disorders (RD+MD), and typically developing children (TD controls). Measures of processing speed, temporal processing, and memory were analyzed in a series of ANCOVAs including attention ratings as covariate. All three risk factors were associated with poor attention. After controlling for attention, associations with RD and MD differed: Although deficits in verbal memory were associated with both RD and MD, reduced processing speed was related to RD, but not MD; and the association with RD was restricted to processing speed for familiar nameable symbols. In contrast, impairments in temporal processing and visuospatial memory were associated with MD, but not RD. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Identifying potential dropouts from college physics classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollman, Warren; Lawrenz, Frances

Hudson and Rottman (1981) established that mathematics ability is probably a secondary factor influencing dropout from college physics courses. Other factors remain to be found for predicting who will drop out or at least have difficulty with the course. When mathematics ability is coupled with general indicators of performance (total GPA and ACT natural science), prediction of performance for those who complete the course is substantially improved. Moreover, discriminant analyses reveal who will have at least some difficulty, but not who will drop out. The problem of isolating specific weaknesses of students who have difficulty persists. Physics achievement appears to depend on mathematics ability only to the extent that students possess the ability to utilize mathematics knowledge for solving physics problems. Identification of the specific aspects of this ability as well as the specific deficiencies leading to dropout should be the object of future research. For the present, interviews might be more revealing than group testing methods.

The Influence of Symbols and Equations on Understanding Mathematical Equivalence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.

2015-01-01

Students with mathematics difficulty demonstrate lower mathematics performance than typical-performing peers. One contributing factor to lower mathematics performance may be misunderstanding of mathematics symbols. In several studies related to the equal sign (=), students who received explicit instruction on the relational definition (i.e.,…

A Multiple Intelligence Pedagogical Approach in Fifth Grade Mathematics: A Mixed Method Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Claudine Davillier

2012-01-01

The need for mathematics intervention has increased tremendously over the years, particularly after the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.Students who lack basic mathematics skills and students who experience mathematics difficulties greatly benefit from mathematics interventions. This study examined mathematics intervention through the use of the…

Preliminary Findings from a Multi-Year Scale-Up Effectiveness Trial of Everyday Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaden-Kiernan, Michael; Borman, Geoffrey; Caverly, Sarah; Bell, Nance; Ruiz de Castilla, Veronica; Sullivan, Kate

2015-01-01

Given the importance of early mathematics instruction and curricula for preventing mathematics difficulties in later grades, it is necessary to identify effective mathematics curricula and instruction to ensure that children become proficient in early mathematics content and procedures. Everyday Mathematics (EM), was reviewed by the What Works…

Probing when Japanese junior high school students begin to feel difficulty in learning mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishikawa, Tomoko; Izuta, Giido

2017-05-01

It is thought that the increasing number of Japanese students avoiding mathematics has become a serious problem in the last decades. Japanese junior high school students are learning the basic understanding and skills of mathematics during the years of mandatory education. To our knowledge, there are few reports about the time when Japanese junior high school students begin to feel difficulty in mathematics learning. The aim of this work is to examine this case. To accomplish this purpose, a typical public junior high school in a country city with 616 students (182 first-year, 212 second-year, 222 third-year) in all was chosen to be the field of investigation. Likert scale type questionnaires to assess their feelings were conducted, and the respondents who answered `difficulty' and `a little difficulty' were extracted. The number of respondents were 89 first-year (26 males, 63 females), 76 second-year (27 males, 49 females), and 112 third-year (45 males, 67 females) students. The beginning time was divided into school years when it was in elementary school, and semesters when it was in junior high school. Ordinary statistical processings for each grade and gender were performed to analyze them. It was found that the time when they began to have difficulty learning mathematics was different in gender. Male students tended to start from higher-grade of elementary school whereas female students from middle-grade of elementary school. In other words, these results showed differences in gender and time. Finally, these examinations suggest that teachers need to provide appropriate support for students at a suitable time in the elementary school. Also these results are useful in mathematics education of elementary school.

Child-Level Predictors of Responsiveness to Evidence-Based Mathematics Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.; Cirino, Paul T.; Malone, Amelia S.

2017-01-01

We identified child-level predictors of responsiveness to 2 types of mathematics intervention (calculation and word problem) among second-grade children with mathematics difficulty. Participants were 250 children in 107 classrooms in 23 schools pretested on mathematics and general cognitive measures and posttested on mathematics measures. We…

Symbolic and Nonsymbolic Equivalence Tasks: The Influence of Symbols on Students with Mathematics Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driver, Melissa K.; Powell, Sarah R.

2015-01-01

Students often experience difficulty with attaching meaning to mathematics symbols. Many students react to symbols, such as the equal sign, as a command to "do something" or "write an answer" without reflecting upon the proper relational meaning of the equal sign. One method for assessing equal-sign understanding is through…

Using a Brief Preschool Early Numeracy Skills Screener to Identify Young Children with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purpura, David J.; Reid, Erin E.; Eiland, Michael D.; Baroody, Arthur J.

2015-01-01

A critical component in enhancing academic success is identifying children at risk of later academic difficulties. Although significant efforts have been devoted to design effective assessment processes in elementary school, fewer efforts (particularly for mathematics) have been made for preschool. The focus of this study was to design and…

Considerations of Numbers Used in Tasks for Promoting Multiplicative Reasoning in Students with Learning Difficulties in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Risley, Rachael Ann

2016-01-01

This study explored the impact of numbers used in instructional tasks on the construction and generalization of multiplicative reasoning by fourth grade students designated as having learning difficulties or disabilities in mathematics (SLDs). In particular, this study addressed the following research questions: (1) In what ways do SLDs'…

Mathematical Learning Disability in Girls with Turner Syndrome: A Challenge to Defining MLD and Its Subtypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2009-01-01

Turner syndrome is a common disorder with a prevalence of 1:2,500 live female births. Although not associated with mental retardation, there is an increased risk of learning difficulties in this population. In particular, mathematical learning difficulties among girls with Turner syndrome are prevalent, significant, and persistent. As such, the…

Survey of Adult Students with Mathematical Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarlskog, Linda

2016-01-01

This paper relates to one of the test procedures being used in Sweden, used to establish if students need a more thorough investigation of their mathematical difficulties. This paper mainly describes the test process and the results from 10 test subjects. The paper also refers to parts of the research forming the basis for the test process. The…

From "five" to 5 for 5 minutes: Arabic number transcoding as a short, specific, and sensitive screening tool for mathematics learning difficulties.

PubMed

Moura, Ricardo; Lopes-Silva, Júlia Beatriz; Vieira, Laura Rodrigues; Paiva, Giulia Moreira; Prado, Ana Carolina de Almeida; Wood, Guilherme; Haase, Vitor Geraldi

2015-02-01

Number transcoding (e.g., writing 29 when hearing "twenty-nine") is one of the most basic numerical abilities required in daily life and is paramount for mathematics achievement. The aim of this study is to investigate psychometric properties of an Arabic number-writing task and its capacity to identify children with mathematics difficulties. We assessed 786 children (55% girls) from first to fourth grades, who were classified as children with mathematics difficulties (n = 103) or controls (n = 683). Although error rates were low, the task presented adequate internal consistency (0.91). Analyses revealed effective diagnostic accuracy in first and second school grades (specificity equals to 0.67 and 0.76 respectively, and sensitivity equals to 0.70 and 0.88 respectively). Moreover, items tapping the understanding of place-value syntax were the most sensitive to mathematics achievement. Overall, we propose that number transcoding is a useful tool for the assessment of mathematics abilities in early elementary school. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Learning about Biomolecular Solvation from Water in Protein Crystals.

PubMed

Altan, Irem; Fusco, Diana; Afonine, Pavel V; Charbonneau, Patrick

2018-03-08

Water occupies typically 50% of a protein crystal and thus significantly contributes to the diffraction signal in crystallography experiments. Separating its contribution from that of the protein is, however, challenging because most water molecules are not localized and are thus difficult to assign to specific density peaks. The intricateness of the protein-water interface compounds this difficulty. This information has, therefore, not often been used to study biomolecular solvation. Here, we develop a methodology to surmount in part this difficulty. More specifically, we compare the solvent structure obtained from diffraction data for which experimental phasing is available to that obtained from constrained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The resulting spatial density maps show that commonly used MD water models are only partially successful at reproducing the structural features of biomolecular solvation. The radial distribution of water is captured with only slightly higher accuracy than its angular distribution, and only a fraction of the water molecules assigned with high reliability to the crystal structure is recovered. These differences are likely due to shortcomings of both the water models and the protein force fields. Despite these limitations, we manage to infer protonation states of some of the side chains utilizing MD-derived densities.

Self Insuring against Asbestos Removal Risks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slutzky, Lorence H.

1987-01-01

Asbestos removal is costly and many contractors have difficulty in obtaining insurance coverage. Presents a case for self insuring if contractors perform the removal work in compliance with state and federal regulations. Includes a reference list. (MD)

The Relationship between Working Memory and Mathematical Problem Solving in Children at Risk and Not at Risk for Serious Math Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee; Beebe-Frankenberger, Margaret

2004-01-01

This study identified cognitive processes that underlie individual differences in working memory (WM) and mathematical problem-solution accuracy in elementary school children at risk and not at risk for serious math difficulties (SMD). A battery of tests was administered that assessed problem solving, achievement, and cognitive processing in…

Why Are the Mathematics National Examination Items Difficult and What Is Teachers' Strategy to Overcome It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Retnawati, Heri; Kartowagiran, Badrun; Arlinwibowo, Janu; Sulistyaningsih, Eny

2017-01-01

The quality of national examination items plays an enormous role in identifying students' competencies mastery and their difficulties. This study aims to identify the difficult items in the Junior High School Mathematics National Examination, to find the factors that cause students' difficulty and to reveal the strategies that the teachers and the…

Visual Working Memory and Number Sense: Testing the Double Deficit Hypothesis in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

2016-01-01

Background: 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. Aims: The aim of this study was to test the DD…

Effect of Self-Instruction Strategy on the Achievement in Algebra of Students with Learning Difficulty in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adani, Anthony; Eskay, Michael; Onu, Victoria

2012-01-01

This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of self-instruction strategy on the achievement in algebra of students with learning difficulty in mathematics. Two research questions and one null hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The study adopted a non-randomized pre-test and post-test control group design with one experimental…

Examining Primary Pre-Service Teachers' Difficulties of Mathematics Teaching with the Micro-Teaching Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savas Basturk; Tastepe, Mehtap

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine primary pre-service teachers' difficulties of the teaching of mathematics with micro-teaching method. The participants of the study were 15 third grade pre-service teachers from the department of primary education in the faculty of education. In this grade which includes four sections, there were…

A Window into Mathematical Support: How Parents' Perceptions Change Following Observations of Mathematics Tutoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westenskow, Arla; Boyer-Thurgood, Jennifer; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.

2015-01-01

This research study examined the perceptions of 24 parents of rising 5th-grade students with mathematics learning difficulties as part of a 10-week summer mathematics tutoring experience. During the summer tutoring program, parents observed their children participating in mathematics learning experiences during one-to-one tutoring sessions. At the…

Effects of a Mathematics Fluency Program on Mathematics Performance of Students with Challenging Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitney, Todd; Hirn, Regina G.; Lingo, Amy S.

2016-01-01

In the present study, we examined the effects of a fluency-building mathematics program called Great Leaps Math on fluency of basic addition mathematics facts zero to nine and word problem solving using a multiple probe design across participants. Three elementary students with challenging behaviors and mathematics difficulty participated in the…

Mathematics ability and related skills in preschoolers born very preterm.

PubMed

Hasler, Holly M; Akshoomoff, Natacha

2017-12-12

Children born very preterm (VPT) are at risk for academic, behavioral, and/or emotional problems. Mathematics is a particular weakness and better understanding of the relationship between preterm birth and early mathematics ability is needed, particularly as early as possible to aid in early intervention. Preschoolers born VPT (n = 58) and those born full term (FT; n = 29) were administered a large battery of measures within 6 months of beginning kindergarten. A multiple-mediation model was utilized to characterize the difference in skills underlying mathematics ability between groups. Children born VPT performed significantly worse than FT-born children on a measure of mathematics ability as well as full-scale IQ, verbal skills, visual-motor integration, phonological awareness, phonological working memory, motor skills, and executive functioning. Mathematics was significantly correlated with verbal skills, visual-motor integration, phonological processing, and motor skills across both groups. When entered into the mediation model, verbal skills, visual-motor integration, and phonological awareness were significant mediators of the group differences. This analysis provides insights into the pre-academic skills that are weak in preschoolers born VPT and their relationship to mathematics. It is important to identify children who will have difficulties as early as possible, particularly for VPT children who are at higher risk for academic difficulties. Therefore, this model may be used in evaluating VPT children for emerging difficulties as well as an indicator that if other weaknesses are found, an assessment of mathematics should be conducted.

Towards Understanding the Origins of Children's Difficulties in Mathematics Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Joanne

2011-01-01

Contemporary research from a psychology of mathematics education perspective has turned increasing attention to the structural development of mathematics as an explanation for the wide differences in mathematical competence shown upon school entry and in the early school years. Patterning, multiplicative reasoning and spatial structuring are three…

Pose and Solve Varignon Converse Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Contreras, José N.

2014-01-01

The activity of posing and solving problems can enrich learners' mathematical experiences because it fosters a spirit of inquisitiveness, cultivates their mathematical curiosity, and deepens their views of what it means to do mathematics. To achieve these goals, a mathematical problem needs to be at the appropriate level of difficulty,…

Automatic Semantic Generation and Arabic Translation of Mathematical Expressions on the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doush, Iyad Abu; Al-Bdarneh, Sondos

2013-01-01

Automatic processing of mathematical information on the web imposes some difficulties. This paper presents a novel technique for automatic generation of mathematical equations semantic and Arabic translation on the web. The proposed system facilitates unambiguous representation of mathematical equations by correlating equations to their known…

Mathematical Difficulty: Does Early Intervention Enhance Mathematical Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Jennifer

2008-01-01

The need to ask educators about their opinions on the subject to what extent early intervention methods enhance mathematical performance is long overdue. The purpose of this quantitative research is to examine the extent to which teachers agree that early intervention methods enhance the mathematical performance of students with mathematical…

Inssues for Consideration by Mathematics Educators: Selected Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denmark, Tom, Ed.

This set of papers, selected from presentations at the Fourth and Fifth Annual Conferences of the Research Council for Diagnostic and Prescriptive Mathematics, are of primary interest to mathematics educators. In the first paper, Romberg describes a model for diagnosing mathematical learning difficulties which extends the diagnostic process beyond…

The Effects of Tier 2 Intervention on the Mathematics Performance of First-Grade Students Who Are at Risk for Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R.; Gersten, Russell M.; Scammacca, Nancy N.; Funk, Catherine; Winter, Amanda; Shih, Minyi; Pool, Cathy

2008-01-01

Responsiveness to Intervention (RtI) is recommended both as an essential step before identifying learning disabilities (LD) and as a mechanism for preventing learning difficulties. The use of evidence-based multi-tiered interventions is of critical importance when implementing RtI. This article presents the results of a study that examined the…

The Deficit Profile of Working Memory, Inhibition, and Updating in Chinese Children with Reading Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Peng; Sha, Tao; Li, Beilei

2013-01-01

This study investigated executive function deficits among Chinese children with reading difficulties. Verbal and numerical measures of working memory, inhibition, updating, and processing speed were examined among children with only reading difficulties (RD), children with reading and mathematics difficulties (RDMD), and typically developing peers…

From Efficacy Trial to Large Scale Effectiveness Trial: A Tier 2 Mathematics Intervention for First Graders with Difficulties in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rolfhus, Eric; Clarke, Ben; Decker, Lauren E.; Williams, Chuck; Dimino, Joseph

2013-01-01

Large scale longitudinal research (Morgan, Farkas, & Wu, 2009) and a meta-analysis (Duncan et al., 2007) have found that early mathematics achievement is a strong predictor of later mathematics achievement. In fact, end of Kindergarten and end of grade 1 mathematics achievement on ECLS-K and similar mathematics proficiency measures tends to be…

Preparation of Students Completing a Core-Plus or Commercially Developed High School Mathematics Curriculum for Intense College Mathematics Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harwell, Michael R.; Medhanie, Amanuel; Post, Thomas R.; Norman, Ke; Dupuis, Danielle N.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the college mathematics achievement and course-taking of students at a large public research university who completed a commercially developed or standards-based (Core-Plus) high school mathematics curriculum, and who subsequently completed at least 2 college mathematics courses of difficulty level at or…

Influence of Difficulty with Language of Mathematics on Perceived Self-Efficacy in Learning Mathematics among Upper Primary Students of Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarabi, M. K.; Gafoor, K. Abdul

2017-01-01

There is increasing realization that mathematics-related self-efficacy expectations are a strong predictor of an array of significant mathematics outcomes. It is also evident that the curricular practice in schools largely neglects development of a student understanding in the unique language of mathematics. Consequently, this study probes how…

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs): Treatments

MedlinePlus

... out by mental health providers with specialized training. Math Interactive Learning Experience (MILE) program to help with mathematics difficulty 3 Deficits in mathematical functioning have been ...

Understanding the Difficulties Faced by Engineering Undergraduates in Learning Mathematical Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soon, Wanmei; Lioe, Luis Tirtasanjaya; McInnes, Brett

2011-01-01

The teaching of mathematics in Singapore continues, in most cases, to follow a traditional model. While this traditional approach has many advantages, it does not always adequately prepare students for University-level mathematics, especially applied mathematics. In particular, it does not cultivate the ability to deal with "non-routine…

Mathematics Undergraduates' Responses to Semantic Abbreviations, 'Geometric' Images and Multi-Level Abstractions in Group Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nardi, Elena

2000-01-01

Identifies and explores the difficulties in the novice mathematician's encounter with mathematical abstraction. Observes 20 first-year mathematics undergraduates and extracts sets of episodes from the transcripts of the tutorials and interviews within five topics in pure mathematics. Discusses issues related to the learning of one mathematical…

An Introduction to Equilibrium Thermodynamics: A Rational Approach to Its Teaching. Part 1: Notation and Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Donald F.; Glasser, David

1991-01-01

Introduces and develops mathematical notation to assist undergraduate students in overcoming conceptual difficulties involving the underlying mathematics of state functions, which tend to be different from functions encountered by students in previous mathematical courses, because of the need to manipulate special types of partial derivatives and…

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…

The Music of Mathematics: Toward a New Problem Typology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quarfoot, David

Halmos (1980) once described problems and their solutions as "the heart of mathematics". Following this line of thinking, one might naturally ask: "What, then, is the heart of problems?". In this work, I attempt to answer this question using techniques from statistics, information visualization, and machine learning. I begin the journey by cataloging the features of problems delineated by the mathematics and mathematics education communities. These dimensions are explored in a large data set of students working thousands of problems at the Art of Problem Solving, an online company that provides adaptive mathematical training for students around the world. This analysis is able to concretely show how the fabric of mathematical problems changes across different subjects, difficulty levels, and students. Furthermore, it locates problems that stand out in the crowd -- those that synergize cognitive engagement, learning, and difficulty. This quantitatively-heavy side of the dissertation is partnered with a qualitatively-inspired portion that involves human scoring of 105 problems and their solutions. In this setting, I am able to capture elusive features of mathematical problems and derive a fuller picture of the space of mathematical problems. Using correlation matrices, principal components analysis, and clustering techniques, I explore the relationships among those features frequently discussed in mathematics problems (e.g., difficulty, creativity, novelty, affective engagement, authenticity). Along the way, I define a new set of uncorrelated features in problems and use these as the basis for a New Mathematical Problem Typology (NMPT). Grounded in the terminology of classical music, the NMPT works to quickly convey the essence and value of a problem, just as terms like "etude" and "mazurka" do for musicians. Taken together, these quantitative and qualitative analyses seek to terraform the landscape of mathematical problems and, concomitantly, the current thinking about that world. Most importantly, this work highlights and names the panoply of problems that exist, expanding the myopic vision of contemporary mathematical problem solving.

Preschool Executive Functioning Abilities Predict Early Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Caron A. C.; Pritchard, Verena E.; Woodward, Lianne J.

2010-01-01

Impairments in executive function have been documented in school-age children with mathematical learning difficulties. However, the utility and specificity of preschool executive function abilities in predicting later mathematical achievement are poorly understood. This study examined linkages between children's developing executive function…

Students’ difficulties in probabilistic problem-solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arum, D. P.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-03-01

There are many errors can be identified when students solving mathematics problems, particularly in solving the probabilistic problem. This present study aims to investigate students’ difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It focuses on analyzing and describing students errors during solving the problem. This research used the qualitative method with case study strategy. The subjects in this research involve ten students of 9th grade that were selected by purposive sampling. Data in this research involve students’ probabilistic problem-solving result and recorded interview regarding students’ difficulties in solving the problem. Those data were analyzed descriptively using Miles and Huberman steps. The results show that students have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem and can be divided into three categories. First difficulties relate to students’ difficulties in understanding the probabilistic problem. Second, students’ difficulties in choosing and using appropriate strategies for solving the problem. Third, students’ difficulties with the computational process in solving the problem. Based on the result seems that students still have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It means that students have not able to use their knowledge and ability for responding probabilistic problem yet. Therefore, it is important for mathematics teachers to plan probabilistic learning which could optimize students probabilistic thinking ability.

Reading Stories to Learn Math: Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction for Children with Early Numeracy Difficulties.

PubMed

Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Jordan, Nancy C; Dyson, Nancy

2015-12-01

The present study involved examining whether a storybook reading intervention targeting mathematics vocabulary, such as "equal," "more," and "less," and associated number concepts would increase at-risk children's vocabulary knowledge and number competencies. Children with early numeracy difficulties (N = 124) were recruited from kindergarten classes in four schools. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a storybook number competencies (SNC) intervention, a number sense intervention, or a business-as-usual control. Interventions were carried out in groups of four children over 8 weeks (24 thirty-minute sessions). Findings demonstrated that the SNC intervention group outperformed the other groups on measures of mathematics vocabulary, both in terms of words that were closely aligned to the intervention and those that were not. There was no effect of the SNC intervention, however, on general mathematics measures, suggesting a need to provide the mathematics vocabulary work along with more intensive instruction in number concepts.

Commognitive analysis of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioannou, Marios

2018-06-01

This study analyses learning aspects of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test, using the commognitive theoretical framework. It focuses on students' difficulties as these are related to the object-level and metalevel mathematical learning in group theory, and, when possible, highlights any commognitive conflicts. In the data analysis, one can identify three types of difficulties, relevant to object-level learning: namely regarding the frequently observed confusion between groups and sets, the object-level rules of visual mediators, and the object-level rules of contextual notions, such as permutations, exponentials, sets and matrices. In addition, data analysis suggests two types of difficulties, relevant to metalevel learning. The first refers to the actual proof that the three conditions of subgroup test hold, and the second is related to syntactic inaccuracies, incomplete argumentation and problematic use of visual mediators. Finally, this study suggests that there are clear links between object-level and metalevel learning, mainly due to the fact that objectification of the various relevant mathematical notions influences the endorsement of the governing metarules.

AN ATTEMPT TO FIND AN A PRIORI MEASURE OF STEP SIZE. COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF PRINCIPLES FOR PROGRAMMING MATHEMATICS IN AUTOMATED INSTRUCTION, TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ROSEN, ELLEN F.; STOLUROW, LAWRENCE M.

IN ORDER TO FIND A GOOD PREDICTOR OF EMPIRICAL DIFFICULTY, AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF STEP SIZE, TEN PROGRAMER-JUDGES RATED CHANGE IN COMPLEXITY IN TWO VERSIONS OF A MATHEMATICS PROGRAM, AND THESE RATINGS WERE THEN COMPARED WITH MEASURES OF EMPIRICAL DIFFICULTY OBTAINED FROM STUDENT RESPONSE DATA. THE TWO VERSIONS, A 54 FRAME BOOKLET AND A 35…

Variations of Reasoning in Equal Sharing of Children Who Experience Low Achievement in Mathematics: Competence in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Jessica; Westenskow, Arla; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.

2017-01-01

For children with persistent mathematics difficulties, research and practice espouses that an altered kind of mathematics instruction is necessary due to sustained performance differences. Yet, a critical issue in mathematics education rests in the question of why research locates the problem within these children. In this paper, we challenge a…

Applying a Universal Design for Learning Framework to Mediate the Language Demands of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Cathy Newman; Van Garderen, Delinda; Scheuermann, Amy; Lee, Eun Ju

2015-01-01

This article provides information about the relationship between mathematics, language, and literacy and describes the difficulties faced by students with disabilities with math content based on the language demands of mathematics. We conceptualize mathematics language as a mode of discourse for math learning that can be thought of as receptive…

Preventing Early Mathematics Difficulties: The Feasibility of a Rigorous Kindergarten Mathematics Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chard, David J.; Baker, Scott K.; Clarke, Ben; Jungjohann, Kathleen; Davis, Karen; Smolkowski, Keith

2008-01-01

Concern about poor mathematics achievement in U.S. schools has increased in recent years. In part, poor achievement may be attributed to a lack of attention to early instruction and missed opportunities to build on young children's early understanding of mathematics. This study examined the development and feasibility testing of a kindergarten…

What We Are Learning about Mathematics Interventions and Conducting Research on Mathematics Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell

2016-01-01

In this commentary, the author reflects on four studies that have greatly expanded the knowledge base on effective interventions in mathematics, and he provides four rigorous experimental studies of approaches for students likely to experience difficulties learning mathematics over a large grade-level span (pre-K to 4th grade). All of the…

Low Performance on Mathematical Tasks in Preschoolers: The Importance of Domain-General and Domain-Specific Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, H. M.; Nicholson, B.; Donlan, C.; Van Herwegen, J.

2018-01-01

Background: Different domain-specific and domain-general cognitive precursors play a key role in the development of mathematical abilities. The contribution of these domains to mathematical ability changes during development. Primary school-aged children who show mathematical difficulties form a heterogeneous group, but it is not clear whether…

Teachers' Beliefs about Improving Transfer of Algebraic Skills from Mathematics into Physics in Senior Pre-University Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tursucu, Süleyman; Spandaw, Jeroen; Flipse, Steven; de Vries, Marc J.

2017-01-01

Students in senior pre-university education encounter difficulties in the application of mathematics into physics. This paper presents the outcome of an explorative qualitative study of teachers' beliefs about improving the transfer of algebraic skills from mathematics into physics. We interviewed 10 mathematics and 10 physics teachers using a…

What Mathematical Images Are in a Typical Mathematics Textbook? Implications for Students with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerson, Robert Wall; Anderson, Dawn

2018-01-01

Introduction: Visually impaired students (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) have difficulty accessing curricular material in mathematical textbooks because many mathematics texts have visual images that contain important content information that are not transcribed or described in digital versions of the texts. However, little is…

Influence of Linguistic Challenges on Attitude towards Mathematics Learning among Upper Primary Students of Kerala

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarabi, M. K.; Gafoor, K. Abdul

2017-01-01

Aspects that influences mathematics learning is widely studied and language factors have been identified as a key backer to difficulties in learning Mathematics. It is evidenced that not only cognitive factors but also affective factors have vital role in learning mathematics. Such affective beliefs sources from various aspects of mathematics…

Electromagnetic Concepts in Mathematical Representation of Physics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albe, Virginie; Venturini, Patrice; Lascours, Jean

2001-01-01

Addresses the use of mathematics when studying the physics of electromagnetism. Focuses on common electromagnetic concepts and their associated mathematical representation and arithmetical tools. Concludes that most students do not understand the significant aspects of physical situations and have difficulty using relationships and models specific…

Assessing College-Level Learning Difficulties and "At Riskness" for Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Development and Validation of the Learning Difficulties Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Steven T.; Walker, John H.; Schmidt, George R.

2011-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the "Learning Difficulties Assessment" (LDA), a normed and web-based survey that assesses perceived difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. The LDA is designed to…

The Contexts of mathematics tasks and the context of the classroom: Are we including all students?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Peter; Zevenbergen, Robyn; Mousley, Judith

2003-09-01

Mathematics teachers are encouraged to use realistic contexts in order to make mathematics more meaningful and accessible for all students. However, the focus group research reported in this article shows that decisions on the suitability of contexts are complex and multidimensional. Similarly, the way the task contexts are presented, and the way the tasks are incorporated into classroom routines have potential to alienate some groups of students. We suggest that teachers and researchers should be sensitive to difficulties that students might experience as a result of both the task and classroom contexts, and take specific steps to avoid or overcome the difficulties.

Family context in muscular dystrophies: psychosocial aspects and social integration.

PubMed

Magliano, Lorenza; Politano, Luisa

2016-10-01

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are degenerative diseases which may led to marked functional impairment and reduced life expectancy. Being caregivers of a loved one with MD may be both a rewarding and a demanding experience that may have relevant impact on the quality of life of the whole family. In this short review we summarize the main findings of the first survey on family context in MD in Italy. The study was carried out on 502 key-relatives of patients suffering from Duchenne, Becker, or Limb-Girdle MD, aged between 4 and 25 years, and attending one of 8 participating Centers, all over 2012. The results revealed that practical difficulties were mainly related to relatives' involvement in helping the patient in moving and in relative's constraints of leisure activities. Furthermore, feelings of loss and perception of patient's condition as having negative effects on the family life were the psychological consequences more frequently complained. However, despite the difficulties, 88% of the key-relatives acknowledged the caregiving as a positive experience. In fact 94% of the respondents stated they could rely on friends in case of own physical illness, and 88% in case of psychological stress. Burden was found higher among relatives of patients with lower functional autonomy and longer duration of illness, and among relatives with lower professional and social support. Conversely, the positive aspects of the caregiving were more frequently acknowledged by those who received higher level of professional help and psychological social support. These results reveal that the caregiving experience has a positive impact on key-relatives quality of life despite the practical demands, and that the support of professionals is essential to help families in identifying the benefits of this experience without denying its difficulties.

Heuristic and algorithmic processing in English, mathematics, and science education.

PubMed

Sharps, Matthew J; Hess, Adam B; Price-Sharps, Jana L; Teh, Jane

2008-01-01

Many college students experience difficulties in basic academic skills. Recent research suggests that much of this difficulty may lie in heuristic competency--the ability to use and successfully manage general cognitive strategies. In the present study, the authors evaluated this possibility. They compared participants' performance on a practice California Basic Educational Skills Test and on a series of questions in the natural sciences with heuristic and algorithmic performance on a series of mathematics and reading comprehension exercises. Heuristic competency in mathematics was associated with better scores in science and mathematics. Verbal and algorithmic skills were associated with better reading comprehension. These results indicate the importance of including heuristic training in educational contexts and highlight the importance of a relatively domain-specific approach to questions of cognition in higher education.

Specific learning disability in mathematics: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Soares, Neelkamal; Evans, Teresa; Patel, Dilip R

2018-01-01

Math skills are necessary for success in the childhood educational and future adult work environment. This article reviews the changing terminology for specific learning disabilities (SLD) in math and describes the emerging genetics and neuroimaging studies that relate to individuals with math disability (MD). It is important to maintain a developmental perspective on MD, as presentation changes with age, instruction, and the different models (educational and medical) of identification. Intervention requires a systematic approach to screening and remediation that has evolved with more evidence-based literature. Newer directions in behavioral, educational and novel interventions are described.

Specific learning disability in mathematics: a comprehensive review

PubMed Central

Evans, Teresa; Patel, Dilip R.

2018-01-01

Math skills are necessary for success in the childhood educational and future adult work environment. This article reviews the changing terminology for specific learning disabilities (SLD) in math and describes the emerging genetics and neuroimaging studies that relate to individuals with math disability (MD). It is important to maintain a developmental perspective on MD, as presentation changes with age, instruction, and the different models (educational and medical) of identification. Intervention requires a systematic approach to screening and remediation that has evolved with more evidence-based literature. Newer directions in behavioral, educational and novel interventions are described. PMID:29441282

Socioeconomic Variation, Number Competence, and Mathematics Learning Difficulties in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Nancy C.; Levine, Susan C.

2009-01-01

As a group, children from disadvantaged, low-income families perform substantially worse in mathematics than their counterparts from higher-income families. Minority children are disproportionately represented in low-income populations, resulting in significant racial and social-class disparities in mathematics learning linked to diminished…

Components of Place Value Understanding: Targeting Mathematical Difficulties When Providing Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Beth L.; Westenskow, Arla; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.; Child, Barbara

2018-01-01

Place value understanding requires the same activity that students use when developing fractional and algebraic reasoning, making this understanding foundational to mathematics learning. However, many students engage successfully in mathematics classrooms without having a conceptual understanding of place value, preventing them from accessing…

Modelling and Optimizing Mathematics Learning in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Käser, Tanja; Busetto, Alberto Giovanni; Solenthaler, Barbara; Baschera, Gian-Marco; Kohn, Juliane; Kucian, Karin; von Aster, Michael; Gross, Markus

2013-01-01

This study introduces a student model and control algorithm, optimizing mathematics learning in children. The adaptive system is integrated into a computer-based training system for enhancing numerical cognition aimed at children with developmental dyscalculia or difficulties in learning mathematics. The student model consists of a dynamic…

ETHANOL: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND RESEARCH (ROCKY GAP, MD)

EPA Science Inventory

Based on mathematical modeling, ethanol present in gasoline when gasoline is spilled to ground water is expected to cause the plume of benzene and other BTEX compounds to be longer than they would be other wise. Microbial metabolism of ethanol consumes sulfate, nitrate, and oxyg...

ETHANOL: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND RESEARCH (ROCKY GAP, MD*)

EPA Science Inventory

Based on mathematical modeling, ethanol present in gasoline when gasoline is spilled to ground water is expected to cause the plume of benzene and other BTEX compounds to be longer than they would be otherwise. Microbial metabolism of ethanol consumes sulfate, nitrate, and oxyge...

A Five-Year Follow-Up on the Role of Educational Support in Preventing Dropout From Upper Secondary Education in Finland.

PubMed

Hakkarainen, Airi M; Holopainen, Leena K; Savolainen, Hannu K

2015-01-01

In this longitudinal study, we investigated the role of word reading and mathematical difficulties measured in 9th grade as factors for receiving educational support for learning in upper secondary education in Grades 10 to 12 (from ages 16 to 19) and furthermore as predictors of dropout from upper secondary education within 5 years after compulsory education. In addition, we studied the role of school achievement in Grades 9 and 11 in this prediction. The participants of this study were members of one age group of 16-year-old ninth graders (N = 595, females 302, males 293) in a midsized Finnish city, who were followed for 5 years after completing compulsory education. The path model results, where the effects of gender, educational track, and SES were controlled, showed, first, that students with academic learning difficulties received educational support for learning particularly in the 11th grade. Second, academic learning difficulties directly affected school achievement in the 9th grade, but no longer in the 11th grade. Third, mathematical difficulties directly predicted dropout from upper secondary education, and difficulties in both word reading and mathematics had an indirect effect through school achievement in Grades 9 and 11 on dropout. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Teachers' Views of Mathematics Textbook Series in Flanders: Does it (Not) Matter Which Mathematics Textbook Series Schools Choose?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Steenbrugge, H.; Valcke, M.; Desoete, A.

2013-01-01

The debate on the differential effects of mathematics textbook series is a recurrent topic in the research literature. Research results remain inconclusive, pointing to a lack of evidence to decide on the relevance of the selection by schools of a mathematics textbook series. Studies also point to difficulties in comparing textbooks. Recently, in…

The State of Proof in Finnish and Swedish Mathematics Textbooks--Capturing Differences in Approaches to Upper-Secondary Integral Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergwall, Andreas; Hemmi, Kirsti

2017-01-01

Students' difficulties with proof, scholars' calls for proof to be a consistent part of K-12 mathematics, and the extensive use of textbooks in mathematics classrooms motivate investigations on how proof-related items are addressed in mathematics textbooks. We contribute to textbook research by focusing on opportunities to learn proof-related…

Framing the Structural Role of Mathematics in Physics Lectures: A Case Study on Electromagnetism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karam, Ricardo

2014-01-01

Physics education research has shown that students tend to struggle when trying to use mathematics in a meaningful way in physics (e.g., mathematizing a physical situation or making sense of equations). Concerning the possible reasons for these difficulties, little attention has been paid to the way mathematics is treated in physics instruction.…

Historical Objections against the Number Line

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heeffer, Albrecht

2011-01-01

Historical studies on the development of mathematical concepts will help mathematics teachers to relate their students' difficulties in understanding to conceptual problems in the history of mathematics. We argue that one popular tool for teaching about numbers, the number line, may not be fit for early teaching of operations involving negative…

Helping Students with Mathematics Difficulties Understand Ratios and Proportions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Barbara; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R.; Shin, Mikyung

2016-01-01

Ratios and proportions are foundational to student understanding across multiple topics in mathematics and science. In mathematics, they are central to developing concepts and skills related to slope, constant rate of change, and similar figures, which are all fundamental to algebraic concepts and skills. This article examines the importance of…

Technology, Active Learning, and Retention in General Education Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levi, Inessa; Chahine, Iman; Garrett, Lauretta; Wang, Haifeng

2016-01-01

Difficulties in general education mathematics courses may be attributed to many factors, primarily low proficiency in symbol manipulation, a perception that mathematics is an area which eludes mastery, a lack of engagement and effective practice. Educational technology can be a powerful aid in overcoming these factors. This work describes the…

Perceived Mathematical Ability under Challenge: A Longitudinal Perspective on Sex Segregation among STEM Degree Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nix, Samantha; Perez-Felkner, Lara; Thomas, Kirby

2015-01-01

Students' perceptions of their mathematics ability vary by gender and seem to influence science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree choice. Related, students' perceptions during academic difficulty are increasingly studied in educational psychology, suggesting a link between such perceptions and task persistence. Despite…

The WWW, Preservice Teachers and Their Mathematics Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halpin, Pat; Kossegi, Joanne D.

The use of modern technologies has become common in mathematics education and is considered necessary for good mathematics instruction. To effectively integrate technology into the curriculum, teachers must learn new behaviors and practices and discover that the changes result in positive student outcomes. The inherent difficulties involved with…

Case Studies in Applied Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathematical Association of America, Washington, DC.

This collection of nine case studies in applied mathematics was written primarily for the use of the instructor by a Conference sponsored by the Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM). Each chapter contains exercises of varying degrees of difficulty and several include student projects. The materials were used on a trial…

Concept Map as an Assessment Tool in Secondary School Mathematics: An Analysis of Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutodi, Paul; Chigonga, Benard

2016-01-01

This paper reports on teachers' views on concept mapping: its applicability; reliability; advantages and; difficulties. A close-ended questionnaire was administered to 50 purposefully selected secondary school mathematics teachers from Sekhukhune District, Limpopo, South Africa. The findings indicate that mathematics teachers generally perceive…

An Intelligent Tutor-Assisted Mathematics Intervention Program for Students with Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xin, Yan Ping; Tzur, Ron; Hord, Casey; Liu, Jia; Park, Joo Young; Si, Luo

2017-01-01

The Common Core Mathematics Standards have raised expectations for schools and students in the United States. These standards demand much deeper content knowledge from teachers of mathematics and their students. Given the increasingly diverse student population in today's classrooms and shortage of qualified special education teachers,…

Some Reflections on the Teaching of Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwick, Jon

2007-01-01

This paper offers some reflections on the difficulties of teaching mathematical modeling to students taking higher education courses in which modeling plays a significant role. In the author's experience, other aspects of the model development process often cause problems rather than the use of mathematics. Since these other aspects involve…

Commognitive Analysis of Undergraduate Mathematics Students' First Encounter with the Subgroup Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ioannou, Marios

2018-01-01

This study analyses learning aspects of undergraduate mathematics students' first encounter with the subgroup test, using the commognitive theoretical framework. It focuses on students' difficulties as these are related to the object-level and metalevel mathematical learning in group theory, and, when possible, highlights any commognitive…

University Students' Reading of Their First-Year Mathematics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Mary D.; Selden, Annie; Selden, John

2012-01-01

This article reports the observed behaviors and difficulties that 11 precalculus and calculus students exhibited in reading new passages from their mathematics textbooks. To gauge the "effectiveness" of these students' reading, we asked them to attempt straightforward mathematical tasks, based directly on what they had just read. The…

Impact of Proof Validation on Proof Writing in Abstract Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Robert A.; Craviotto, Cathleen; Grassl, Richard M.

2010-01-01

Many undergraduate students have difficulty writing mathematical proofs even though this skill is important for the development of future teachers and those who may be involved in instruction or training as a graduate student or supervisor. In addition, research indicates that mathematics majors and secondary education mathematics majors possess…

Virtual Manipulatives: Tools for Teaching Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Mikyung; Bryant, Diane P.; Bryant, Brian R.; McKenna, John W.; Hou, Fangjuan; Ok, Min Wook

2017-01-01

Many students with learning disabilities demonstrate difficulty in developing a conceptual understanding of mathematical topics. Researchers recommend using visual models to support student learning of the concepts and skills necessary to complete abstract and symbolic mathematical problems. Virtual manipulatives (i.e., interactive visual models)…

Pre-Service Physics Teachers' Comprehension of Quantum Mechanical Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Didis, Nilufer; Eryilmaz, Ali; Erkoc, Sakir

2010-01-01

When quantum theory caused a paradigm shift in physics, it introduced difficulties in both learning and teaching of physics. Because of its abstract, counter-intuitive and mathematical structure, students have difficulty in learning this theory, and instructors have difficulty in teaching the concepts of the theory. This case study investigates…

The Mathematics of High School Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanderakis, Nikos

2016-10-01

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, mathematicians and physical philosophers managed to study, via mathematics, various physical systems of the sublunar world through idealized and simplified models of these systems, constructed with the help of geometry. By analyzing these models, they were able to formulate new concepts, laws and theories of physics and then through models again, to apply these concepts and theories to new physical phenomena and check the results by means of experiment. Students' difficulties with the mathematics of high school physics are well known. Science education research attributes them to inadequately deep understanding of mathematics and mainly to inadequate understanding of the meaning of symbolic mathematical expressions. There seem to be, however, more causes of these difficulties. One of them, not independent from the previous ones, is the complex meaning of the algebraic concepts used in school physics (e.g. variables, parameters, functions), as well as the complexities added by physics itself (e.g. that equations' symbols represent magnitudes with empirical meaning and units instead of pure numbers). Another source of difficulties is that the theories and laws of physics are often applied, via mathematics, to simplified, and idealized physical models of the world and not to the world itself. This concerns not only the applications of basic theories but also all authentic end-of-the-chapter problems. Hence, students have to understand and participate in a complex interplay between physics concepts and theories, physical and mathematical models, and the real world, often without being aware that they are working with models and not directly with the real world.

Graph Theory and the High School Student.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chartrand, Gary; Wall, Curtiss E.

1980-01-01

Graph theory is presented as a tool to instruct high school mathematics students. A variety of real world problems can be modeled which help students recognize the importance and difficulty of applying mathematics. (MP)

Gender differences in developmental dyscalculia depend on diagnostic criteria.

PubMed

Devine, Amy; Soltész, Fruzsina; Nobes, Alison; Goswami, Usha; Szűcs, Dénes

2013-10-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a learning difficulty specific to mathematics learning. The prevalence of DD may be equivalent to that of dyslexia, posing an important challenge for effective educational provision. Nevertheless, there is no agreed definition of DD and there are controversies surrounding cutoff decisions, specificity and gender differences. In the current study, 1004 British primary school children completed mathematics and reading assessments. The prevalence of DD and gender ratio were estimated in this sample using different criteria. When using absolute thresholds, the prevalence of DD was the same for both genders regardless of the cutoff criteria applied, however gender differences emerged when using a mathematics-reading discrepancy definition. Correlations between mathematics performance and the control measures selected to identify a specific learning difficulty affect both prevalence estimates and whether a gender difference is in fact identified. Educational implications are discussed.

[The comorbidity of learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms in primary-school-age children].

PubMed

Schuchardt, Kirsten; Fischbach, Anne; Balke-Melcher, Christina; Mähler, Claudia

2015-05-01

Children having difficulties in acquiring early literacy and mathematical skills often show an increased rate of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This study provides data on the comorbidity rates of specific learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms. We analyzed the data of 273 children with learning difficulties despite an at least average IQ, 57 children with low IQ, and 270 children without learning difficulties and average IQ (comparison group). We assessed children’s IQ and school achievement using standardized achievement tests. ADHD symptoms were assessed via parents’ ratings. Our results showed that only 5 % of both the control group and the group with solely mathematical difficulties fulfilled the criteria of an ADHD subtype according to the DSM-IV based on parents’ ratings. In contrast, this was the case in even 20 % of the children with difficulties in reading/writing and of those with low IQ. Compared to girls, boys in the control group had a 150% higher risk for matching the criteria of one of the ADHD subtypes in parents’ ratings, whereas boys with learning difficulties and those with low IQ had an even 200% to 600% higher risk for it. The relationship between learning difficulties and ADHD symptoms can be found predominantly in the inattentive type. Possible reasons for the results are discussed.

Analysis of difficulties in mathematics learning on students with guardian personality type in problem-solving HOTS geometry test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimah, R. K. N.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-04-01

Learning in the current 2013 curriculum is based on contextual issues based on questions that can encourage students to think broadly. HOTS is a real-life based assessment of everyday life, but in practice, the students are having trouble completing the HOTS issue. Learning difficulty is also influenced by personality type Based on the fact that the real difference one can see from a person is behavior. Kersey classifies the personality into 4 types, namely Idealist, Rational, Artisan, and Guardian. The researcher focuses on the type of guardian personality that is the type of personality that does not like the picture. This study aims to describe the difficulty of learning mathematics in students with a type of guardian personality in the completion of Geometry materials especially in solving HOTS. This research type is descriptive qualitative research. Instruments used in this study were the researchers themselves, personality class test sheets, learning difficulty test sheets in the form of HOTS Geometry test, and interview guides. The results showed that students with guardian personality it was found that a total of 3.37 % difficulties of number fact skill, 4.49 % difficulties of arithmetics skill, 37.08 % difficulties of information skill, 31.46% difficulties of language skill, 23.60 % difficulties of visual-spatial skill.

Severity of Visual Field Loss and Health Related Quality of Life

PubMed Central

McKean-Cowdin, Roberta; Varma, Rohit; Wu, Joanne; Hays, Ron D.; Azen, Stanley P.

2009-01-01

Purpose To examine the association between severity of visual field loss (VFL) and self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a population-based sample. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Methods Participants in the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination including visual field testing using the Humphrey Automated Field Analyzer II (SITA Standard 24-2). Mean Deviation (MD) scores were used to determine severity of VFL both as a continuous variable and stratified by severity: no VFL (MD≥ − 2 decibels [dB]), mild VFL (6dB

[Dyscalculia].

PubMed

Räsänen, Pekka

2012-01-01

The information society has raised the value of numeracy. This is a challenge to schools and societies, because individual differences are large already in basic number sense and calculation skills. Approximately 5-7 % of school children have extensive difficulties to keep with the speed of curricular demands, i.e. one child in every classroom. These children often have difficulties in other areas of learning too, but disorders in learning can also manifest only in mathematics. Undiagnosed and untreated mathematical disorders become a lifelong handicap creating a barrier to vocational education. They also hinder independent management of mathematical activities of daily living. Low numeracy is a measurable social problem. Intensive and early special education or neuropsychological rehabilitation can diminish the negative effects of the disorders.

Children's construction task performance and spatial ability: controlling task complexity and predicting mathematics performance.

PubMed

Richardson, Miles; Hunt, Thomas E; Richardson, Cassandra

2014-12-01

This paper presents a methodology to control construction task complexity and examined the relationships between construction performance and spatial and mathematical abilities in children. The study included three groups of children (N = 96); ages 7-8, 10-11, and 13-14 years. Each group constructed seven pre-specified objects. The study replicated and extended previous findings that indicated that the extent of component symmetry and variety, and the number of components for each object and available for selection, significantly predicted construction task difficulty. Results showed that this methodology is a valid and reliable technique for assessing and predicting construction play task difficulty. Furthermore, construction play performance predicted mathematical attainment independently of spatial ability.

Mathematics Dynamic Assessment: Informal Assessment that Responds to the Needs of Struggling Learners in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allsopp, David H.; Kyger, Maggie M.; Lovin, LouAnn; Gerretson, Helen; Carson, Katie L.; Ray, Sharon

2008-01-01

Ms. Carlisi teaches middle school mathematics for students who were retained at least 1 year and who were identified as at risk of failure in mathematics. About half of her class of 14 students has identified learning disabilities and/or emotional and behavioral difficulties. Ms. Carlisi worries constantly that she is not going to be able to help…

The Role of Cooperative Learning Type Team Assisted Individualization to Improve the Students' Mathematics Communication Ability in the Subject of Probability Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinungki, Georgina Maria

2015-01-01

The importance of learning mathematics can not be separated from its role in all aspects of life. Communicating ideas by using mathematics language is even more practical, systematic, and efficient. In order to overcome the difficulties of students who have insufficient understanding of mathematics material, good communications should be built in…

How Young Children View Mathematical Representations: A Study Using Eye-Tracking Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolden, David; Barmby, Patrick; Raine, Stephanie; Gardner, Matthew

2015-01-01

Background: It has been shown that mathematical representations can aid children's understanding of mathematical concepts but that children can sometimes have difficulty in interpreting them correctly. New advances in eye-tracking technology can help in this respect because it allows data to be gathered concerning children's focus of attention and…

Taking the Guesswork out of Locating Evidence-Based Mathematics Practices for Diverse Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Elizabeth M.; Powell, Sarah R.; Lembke, Erica S.; Riley-Tillman, T. Chris

2016-01-01

Approximately 5 to 7% of school-age students have a learning disability related to mathematics (Shalev, Auerbach, Manor, & Gross-Tsur, 2000), but the percentage of students who experience mathematics difficulty is much greater. For example, results from the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; National Center for Education…

More Good Questions: Great Ways to Differentiate Secondary Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Marian; Lin, Amy

2010-01-01

Teachers know that Differentiated Instruction (DI) helps all students to learn. Yet DI challenges teachers, and nowhere more than in mathematics. In this new book, written specifically for secondary mathematics teachers, the authors cut through the difficulties with two powerful and universal strategies that teachers can use across all math…

Promoting the Understanding of Mathematics in Physics at Secondary Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Alaric

2016-01-01

This article explores some of the common mathematical difficulties that 11- to 16-year-old students experience with respect to their learning of physics. The definition of "understanding" expressed in the article is in the sense of transferability of mathematical skills from topic to topic within physics as well as between the separate…

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brendefur, Jonathan L.; Johnson, Evelyn S.; Thiede, Keith W.; Strother, Sam; Severson, Herb H.

2018-01-01

There is a critical need to identify primary level students experiencing difficulties in mathematics to provide immediate and targeted instruction that remediates their deficits. However, most early math screening instruments focus only on the concept of number, resulting in inadequate and incomplete information for teachers to design intervention…

Metacognition and Meta-Affect in Young Students: Does It Make a Difference in Mathematical Problem Solving?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tzohar-Rozen, Meirav; Kramarski, Bracha

2017-01-01

Mathematical problem solving is one of the most valuable aspects of mathematics education and the most difficult for elementary school students. Cognitive and metacognitive difficulties in this area cause students to develop negative attitudes and emotions as affective reactions, hampering their efforts and achievements. These metacognitive and…

Metacognition, Motivation, and Emotions: Contribution of Self-Regulated Learning to Solving Mathematical Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tzohar-Rozen, Meirav; Kramarski, Bracha

2014-01-01

Mathematical problem solving is one of the most valuable aspects of mathematics education. It is also the most difficult for elementary-school students (Verschaffel, Greer, & De Corte, 2000). Students experience cognitive and metacognitive difficulties in this area and develop negative emotions and poor motivation, which hamper their efforts…

Contradictions between and within School and University Activity Systems Helping to Explain Students' Difficulty with Advanced Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jooganah, Kamila; Williams, Julian S.

2016-01-01

This article explores how contradictions, as framed by activity theory (Engeström, 1987), can explain first-year undergraduate students' experiences of learning advanced mathematics. Analysing qualitative interview and observational data of students and lecturers based in one university mathematics department, we argue that contradictions between…

Perceptual Preferences of Mathematically Deficient Elementary Students: Implications for Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCoy, Leah P.

Two groups of elementary school students were tested and compared on learning style perceptual preference. One group was comprised of 11 students identified as being in need of remedial instruction in mathematics. The other group consisted of eight average/above average students experiencing slight or no difficulties in mathematics. Grade levels…

An Exploration of Metacognition and Its Effect on Mathematical Performance in Differential Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mary Jarratt

2013-01-01

Research suggests that students in certain contexts who are "metacognitively aware learners" demonstrate better academic performance (Shraw & Dennison, 1994; Md. Yunus & Ali, 2008). In this research, the metacognitive levels for two classes of differential equations students were studied. Students completed a survey adapted from…

Reading Stories to Learn Math: Mathematics Vocabulary Instruction for Children with Early Numeracy Difficulties

PubMed Central

Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Jordan, Nancy C.; Dyson, Nancy

2015-01-01

The present study involved examining whether a storybook reading intervention targeting mathematics vocabulary, such as “equal,” “more,” and “less,” and associated number concepts would increase at-risk children’s vocabulary knowledge and number competencies. Children with early numeracy difficulties (N = 124) were recruited from kindergarten classes in four schools. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a storybook number competencies (SNC) intervention, a number sense intervention, or a business-as-usual control. Interventions were carried out in groups of four children over 8 weeks (24 thirty-minute sessions). Findings demonstrated that the SNC intervention group outperformed the other groups on measures of mathematics vocabulary, both in terms of words that were closely aligned to the intervention and those that were not. There was no effect of the SNC intervention, however, on general mathematics measures, suggesting a need to provide the mathematics vocabulary work along with more intensive instruction in number concepts. PMID:26726261

Conservation Abilities, Visuospatial Skills, and Numerosity Processing Speed: Association With Math Achievement and Math Difficulties in Elementary School Children.

PubMed

Lambert, Katharina; Spinath, Birgit

The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between elementary school children's mathematical achievement and their conservation abilities, visuospatial skills, and numerosity processing speed. We also assessed differences in these abilities between children with different types of learning problems. In Study 1 ( N = 229), we investigated second to fourth graders and in Study 2 ( N = 120), third and fourth graders. Analyses revealed significant contributions of numerosity processing speed and visuospatial skills to math achievement beyond IQ. Conservation abilities were predictive in Study 1 only. Children with math difficulties showed lower visuospatial skills and conservation abilities than children with typical achievement levels and children with reading and/or spelling difficulties, whereas children with combined difficulties explicitly showed low conservation abilities. These findings provide further evidence for the relations between children's math skills and their visuospatial skills, conservation abilities, and processing speed and contribute to the understanding of deficits that are specific to mathematical difficulties.

Building Knowledge Structures by Testing Helps Children With Mathematical Learning Difficulty.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiyun; Zhou, Xinlin

2016-01-01

Mathematical learning difficulty (MLD) is prevalent in the development of mathematical abilities. Previous interventions for children with MLD have focused on number sense or basic mathematical skills. This study investigated whether mathematical performance of fifth grade children with MLD could be improved by developing knowledge structures by testing using a web-based curriculum learning system. A total of 142 children with MLD were recruited; half of the children were in the experimental group (using the system), and the other half were in the control group (not using the system). The children were encouraged to use the web-based learning system at home for at least a 15-min session, at least once a week, for one and a half months. The mean accumulated time of testing on the system for children in the experimental group was 56.2 min. Children in the experimental group had significantly higher scores on their final mathematical examination compared to the control group. The results suggest that web-based curriculum learning through testing that promotes the building of knowledge structures for a mathematical course was helpful for children with MLD. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Teacher’s Knowledge of Students in Learning Mathematics on Limit of Function Subject

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma'rufi; Ketut Budayasa, I.; Juniati, Dwi

2018-01-01

This research aims at describing the profile of high school teacher’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge in learning mathematics from the perspective of teaching experience. Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) covers teacher’s knowledge of subject matter, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of students. The subject of this research was two high school mathematics teachers who have different teaching experience. The data were obtained through interview and observation then analyzed qualitatively. The focus of this research is the novice teacher’s PCK deals with knowledge of students. Knowledge of Student is defined as teacher’s knowledge about the students’ conception and misconception on limit of function material and teacher’s ability to cope with students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception. The result of this research shows that novice teacher’s ability in analyzing the cause of students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception was limited. Novice teacher tended to overcome the students’ difficulty, mistake, and misconception by re-explaining the procedure of question completion which is not understood by the students.

KSC-98pc505

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system.

KSC-98PC501

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

Framed by native Floridian foliage, the Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98dc496

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc506

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia lifts off from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc499

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc516

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc502

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

Framed by native Floridian foliage, the Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc498

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98dc497

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

The Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

Evaluation of the Effect of Mathematical Routines on the Development of Skills in Mathematical Problem Solving and School Motivation of Primary School Students in Abitibi-Témiscamingue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajotte, Thomas; Marcotte, Christine; Bureau-Levasseur, Lisa

2016-01-01

In recent decades, the dropout rate in Abitibi-Témiscamingue is a worrying phenomenon. An analysis of ministerial examination results identifies that students in Abitibi-Témiscamingue have specific difficulties with mathematical problem solving tasks. Among the activities that develop those skills, the daily routines in mathematics seem to be a…

The Co-Construction of Learning Difficulties in Mathematics--Teacher-Student Interactions and Their Role in the Development of a Disabled Mathematical Identity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyd-Metzuyanim, Einat

2013-01-01

Leaning on a communicational framework for studying social, affective, and cognitive aspects of learning, the present study offers a new look at the construction of an identity of failure in mathematics as it occurs through teaching-learning interactions. Using the case of Dana, an extremely low-achieving student in 7th grade mathematics, I…

The relationship between mathematics and language: academic implications for children with specific language impairment and English language learners.

PubMed

Alt, Mary; Arizmendi, Genesis D; Beal, Carole R

2014-07-01

The present study examined the relationship between mathematics and language to better understand the nature of the deficit and the academic implications associated with specific language impairment (SLI) and academic implications for English language learners (ELLs). School-age children (N = 61; 20 SLI, 20 ELL, 21 native monolingual English [NE]) were assessed using a norm-referenced mathematics instrument and 3 experimental computer-based mathematics games that varied in language demands. Group means were compared with analyses of variance. The ELL group was less accurate than the NE group only when tasks were language heavy. In contrast, the group with SLI was less accurate than the groups with NE and ELLs on language-heavy tasks and some language-light tasks. Specifically, the group with SLI was less accurate on tasks that involved comparing numerical symbols and using visual working memory for patterns. However, there were no group differences between children with SLI and peers without SLI on language-light mathematics tasks that involved visual working memory for numerical symbols. Mathematical difficulties of children who are ELLs appear to be related to the language demands of mathematics tasks. In contrast, children with SLI appear to have difficulty with mathematics tasks because of linguistic as well as nonlinguistic processing constraints.

Gender differences in developmental dyscalculia depend on diagnostic criteria

PubMed Central

Devine, Amy; Soltész, Fruzsina; Nobes, Alison; Goswami, Usha; Szűcs, Dénes

2013-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a learning difficulty specific to mathematics learning. The prevalence of DD may be equivalent to that of dyslexia, posing an important challenge for effective educational provision. Nevertheless, there is no agreed definition of DD and there are controversies surrounding cutoff decisions, specificity and gender differences. In the current study, 1004 British primary school children completed mathematics and reading assessments. The prevalence of DD and gender ratio were estimated in this sample using different criteria. When using absolute thresholds, the prevalence of DD was the same for both genders regardless of the cutoff criteria applied, however gender differences emerged when using a mathematics-reading discrepancy definition. Correlations between mathematics performance and the control measures selected to identify a specific learning difficulty affect both prevalence estimates and whether a gender difference is in fact identified. Educational implications are discussed. PMID:27667904

Design and evaluation of the computer-based training program Calcularis for enhancing numerical cognition

PubMed Central

Käser, Tanja; Baschera, Gian-Marco; Kohn, Juliane; Kucian, Karin; Richtmann, Verena; Grond, Ursina; Gross, Markus; von Aster, Michael

2013-01-01

This article presents the design and a first pilot evaluation of the computer-based training program Calcularis for children with developmental dyscalculia (DD) or difficulties in learning mathematics. The program has been designed according to insights on the typical and atypical development of mathematical abilities. The learning process is supported through multimodal cues, which encode different properties of numbers. To offer optimal learning conditions, a user model completes the program and allows flexible adaptation to a child's individual learning and knowledge profile. Thirty-two children with difficulties in learning mathematics completed the 6–12-weeks computer training. The children played the game for 20 min per day for 5 days a week. The training effects were evaluated using neuropsychological tests. Generally, children benefited significantly from the training regarding number representation and arithmetic operations. Furthermore, children liked to play with the program and reported that the training improved their mathematical abilities. PMID:23935586

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

Problematic topics in first-year mathematics: lecturer and student views

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ní Shé, Caitríona; Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán; Ní Fhloinn, Eabhnat; O'Shea, Ann

2017-07-01

In this paper we report on the outcomes of two surveys carried out in higher education institutions of Ireland; one of students attending first-year undergraduate non-specialist mathematics modules and another of their lecturers. The surveys aimed to identify the topics that these students found difficult, whether they had most difficulty with the concepts or procedures involved in the topics, and the resources they used to overcome these difficulties. In this paper we focus on the mathematical concepts and procedures that students found most difficult. While there was agreement between students and lecturers on certain problematic topics, this was not uniform across all topics, and students rated their conceptual understanding higher than their ability to do questions, in contrast to lecturers' opinions.

Inhibiting Factors in Generating Examples by Mathematics Teachers and Student Teachers: The Case of Binary Operation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaslavsky, Orit; Peled, Irit

1996-01-01

Inservice (n=36) and preservice (n=67) mathematics teachers were asked for a commutative, nonassociative binary operation. Responses were analyzed for correctness, productiveness, mathematical content, and underlying difficulties. Both groups exhibited a weak concept by failing to produce an example and using a limited content search space.…

Integrating Social Justice with Mathematics and Science: An Analysis of Student Teacher Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garii, Barbara; Rule, Audrey C.

2009-01-01

Student teachers have difficulty planning lessons that fully integrate social justice with mathematics/science content. This study was a content analysis of 26 poster presentations of mathematics or science lessons incorporating social justice issues made by student teachers (20F, 6M) at a mid-sized college in central New York State. The presented…

Possible Reasons for Students' Ineffective Reading of Their First-Year University Mathematics Textbooks. Technical Report. No. 2011-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Mary D.; Selden, Annie; Selden, John

2011-01-01

This paper reports the observed behaviors and difficulties that eleven precalculus and calculus students exhibited in reading new passages from their mathematics textbooks. To gauge the effectiveness of these students' reading, we asked them to attempt straightforward mathematical tasks, based directly on what they had just read. These …

Teaching Mathematical Word Problem Solving: The Quality of Evidence for Strategy Instruction Priming the Problem Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Petersen-Brown, Shawna; Lein, Amy E.; Zaslofsky, Anne F.; Kunkel, Amy K.; Jung, Pyung-Gang; Egan, Andrea M.

2015-01-01

This study examined the quality of the research base related to strategy instruction priming the underlying mathematical problem structure for students with learning disabilities and those at risk for mathematics difficulties. We evaluated the quality of methodological rigor of 18 group research studies using the criteria proposed by Gersten et…

Math Anxiety--Contributing School and Individual Level Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radišic, Jelena; Videnovic, Marina; Baucal, Aleksander

2015-01-01

PISA 2003 survey data indicate high levels of mathematics anxiety among students in Serbia. More than a half of Serbian students are concerned with whether they will have difficulties in a mathematics class or earn poor marks. At the same time, the achievement on the mathematical literacy scale is very poor. Building on control-value theory, the…

The Impact of Tier 2 Mathematics Instruction on Second Graders with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Minyi Shih; Bryant, Brian R.; Drogan, Robin

2015-01-01

Although research on Tier 2 interventions for early mathematics is accumulating, such efforts remain far behind those for reading, especially regarding specific features such as the ideal time to begin an intervention. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a Tier 2 intervention using a single subject multiple baseline, across-groups…

Student Teacher and Cooperating Teacher Tensions in a High School Mathematics Teacher Internship: The Case of Luis and Sheri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhoads, Kathryn; Samkoff, Aron; Weber, Keith

2013-01-01

We investigate interpersonal difficulties that student teachers and cooperating teachers may experience during the teaching internship by exploring the tension between one high school mathematics student teacher and his cooperating teacher. We identified seven causes of this tension, which included different ideas about what mathematics should be…

Improving of Junior High School Visual Thinking Representation Ability in Mathematical Problem Solving by CTL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Surya, Edy; Sabandar, Jozua; Kusumah, Yaya S.; Darhim

2013-01-01

The students' difficulty which was found is in the problem of understanding, drawing diagrams, reading the charts correctly, conceptual formal mathematical understanding, and mathematical problem solving. The appropriate problem representation is the basic way in order to understand the problem itself and make a plan to solve it. This research was…

Fostering Modeling Competencies: Benefits of Worked Examples, Problems to Be Solved, and Fading Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Große, Cornelia S.

2015-01-01

The application of mathematics to real-world problems is moving more and more in the focus of attention of mathematics education; however, many learners experience huge difficulties in relating "pure" mathematics to everyday contents. In order to solve "modeling problems", it is first necessary to find a transition from a…

Mathematics Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities or Difficulty Learning Mathematics: A Synthesis of the Intervention Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell; Chard, David J.; Jayanthi, Madhavi; Baker, Scott K.; Morphy, Paul; Flojo, Jonathan

2008-01-01

This meta-analysis synthesizes experimental and quasi-experimental research on instruction that enhances the mathematics performance of K-12 students with learning disabilities. It reports the findings from this synthesis, discusses the implications for practice, and suggests next steps for research and professional development efforts in this…

Interactions between Language and Mathematics with Deaf Students: Defining the "Language-Mathematics" Equation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillegeist, Eleanor; Epstein, Kenneth

The study examined the relationship between language and mathematics with 11 classes of deaf students taking Algebra 1 or Algebra 2 at the Gallaudet University School of Preparatory Studies. Specifically, the study attempted to predict the difficulty of a variety of relatively simple algebra problems based on the abstractness of the math and the…

Private Speech Use in Arithmetical Calculation: Contributory Role of Phonological Awareness in Children with and without Mathematical Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostad, Snorre A.

2013-01-01

The majority of recent studies conclude that children's private speech development (private speech internalization) is related to and important for mathematical development and disabilities. It is far from clear, however, whether private speech internalization itself plays any causal role in the development of mathematical competence. The main…

Mathematical Habits of Mind: Promoting Students' Thoughtful Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Marshall

2011-01-01

Colleges in the US are being compelled to rethink what the First Year Experience or Seminar ought to be for students who have difficulty with mathematics, and what ought to be the mathematics education of teachers, K-12, given the minimal success most students are experiencing. It will be argued here that toward ensuring a more successful…

Bias Factors in Mathematics Achievement Tests among Israeli Students from the Former Soviet Union

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levi-Keren, Michal

2016-01-01

This study explains mathematical difficulties of students who immigrated from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) vis-à-vis Israeli students, by identifying the existing bias factors in achievement tests. These factors are irrelevant to the mathematical knowledge being measured, and therefore threaten the test results. The bias factors were identified…

Overcoming Challenges of Being an In-Field Mathematics Teacher in Indigenous Secondary School Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandhu, Satwant; Kidman, Gillian; Cooper, Tom

2013-01-01

Queensland rural and remote schools have difficulty in attracting experienced, in-field mathematics teachers. Thus, when such teachers arrive, much is expected of them to increase the mathematics knowledge of students. This paper looks at one such teacher who, against the high expectations placed upon him as an in-field teacher, experienced…

Mathematical Knowledge of Technology and Design Student Teachers: Diagnosis and Remediation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Irene Teresa; Gibson, Ken

2009-01-01

This research examines how e-assessment and e-resources were used to assess and support the mathematics of Technology and Design students undertaking a B.Ed. (post-primary) teacher education course. The students participated in two similar tests in order to ascertain if their mathematical difficulties were in the underlying concepts of the…

Modelling Difficulties and Their Overcoming Strategies in the Solution of a Modelling Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dede, Ayse Tekin

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study is to reveal the elementary mathematics student teachers' difficulties encountered in the solution of a modelling problem, the strategies to overcome those difficulties and whether the strategies worked or not. Nineteen student teachers solved the modelling problem in their four or five-person groups, and the video records…

Identifying College Students at Risk for Learning Disabilities: Evidence for Use of the Learning Difficulties Assessment in Postsecondary Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kane, Steven T.; Roy, Soma; Medina, Steffanie

2013-01-01

This article describes research supporting the use of the Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA), a normed and no-cost, web-based survey that assesses difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. Previous research has supported…

Diagnosing the problem: using a tool to identify pre-registration nursing students' mathematical ability.

PubMed

Harvey, Sharon; Murphy, Fiona; Lake, Richard; Jenkins, Lynne; Cavanna, Annlouise; Tait, Mike

2010-05-01

Mathematical ability is a skill nurses need to safely administer medicines and fluids to patients (Elliott, M., Joyce, J., 2005. Mapping drug calculation skills in an undergraduate nursing curriculum. Nurse Education in Practice 5, 225-229). However some nurses and nursing students lack mathematical proficiency (Hilton, D.E., 1999. Considering academic qualification in mathematics as an entry requirement for a diploma in nursing programme. Nurse Education Today 19, 543-547). A tool was devised to assess the mathematical abilities of nursing students. This was administered to 304 nursing students in one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Wales, United Kingdom (UK) on entry to a pre-registration undergraduate nursing course. The students completed a diagnostic mathematics test comprising of 25 non-clinical General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level multiple choice questions with a pass mark set at 72%. The key findings were that only 19% (n=53) of students passed the test. Students appeared to have difficulties with questions involving decimals, SI units, formulae and fractions. The key demographic variable that influenced test scores was previous mathematical qualifications on entry to the course. The tool proved useful in two ways. First, in identifying those students who needed extra tutorial support in mathematics. Second, in identifying those areas of mathematics that presented difficulties for students. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computer Simulations: Inelegant Mathematics and Worse Social Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alker, Hayward R., Jr.

1974-01-01

Achievements, limitations, and difficulties of social science simulation efforts are discussed with particular reference to three examples. The pedagogical use of complementary developmental, philosophical, mathematical, and scientific approaches is advocated to minimize potential abuses of social simulation research. (LS)

Intensive Intervention in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2015-01-01

Students who demonstrate persistent mathematics difficulties and whose performance is severely below grade level require "intensive intervention". Intensive intervention is an individualized approach to instruction that is more demanding and concentrated than Tier 2 intervention efforts. We present the elements of intensive intervention…

Applying for Noyce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Gay; Prival, Joan

2012-02-01

The NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented STEM majors and STEM professionals to become mathematics and science teachers. The program also supports the development of Master Teachers in science and mathematics. There are key features in managing a Noyce program that often present difficulty and are vital to successful, sustainable, teacher preparation programs: mentoring, advising and recruiting, and working with school partners. In this workshop, we will help participants consider ways to alleviate existing difficulties or how to set up a program to reduce them. A sample proposal will be available for a mock review.

TEDS-M 2008 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 4: TEDS-M Released Mathematics and Mathematics Pedagogy Knowledge Assessment Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brese, Falk, Ed.

2012-01-01

The goal for selecting the released set of test items was to have approximately 25% of each of the full item sets for mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge (MPCK) that would represent the full range of difficulty, content, and item format used in the TEDS-M study. The initial step in the selection was to…

The Shaped Charge Concept. Part 2. The History of Shaped Charges

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

research of Evans. Ubbel•ode. LAmurd-Jones, Devonihire, and An&ew. 1hW U.K. Mufied cadmium liners (which probably produce molten jets) msd steel liners...34 Mathematical Jet Theory of Lined Hollow Charges." BRL Report No. 370, U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory. Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 18 June

The role of difficulty and gender in numbers, algebra, geometry and mathematics achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabab'h, Belal Sadiq Hamed; Veloo, Arsaythamby; Perumal, Selvan

2015-05-01

This study aims to identify the role of difficulty and gender in numbers, algebra, geometry and mathematics achievement among secondary schools students in Jordan. The respondent of the study were 337 students from eight public secondary school in Alkoura district by using stratified random sampling. The study comprised of 179 (53%) males and 158 (47%) females students. The mathematics test comprises of 30 items which has eight items for numbers, 14 items for algebra and eight items for geometry. Based on difficulties among male and female students, the findings showed that item 4 (fractions - 0.34) was most difficult for male students and item 6 (square roots - 0.39) for females in numbers. For the algebra, item 11 (inequality - 0.23) was most difficult for male students and item 6 (algebraic expressions - 0.35) for female students. In geometry, item 3 (reflection - 0.34) was most difficult for male students and item 8 (volume - 0.33) for female students. Based on gender differences, female students showed higher achievement in numbers and algebra compare to male students. On the other hand, there was no differences between male and female students achievement in geometry test. This study suggest that teachers need to give more attention on numbers and algebra when teaching mathematics.

Mathematics and Information Retrieval.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salton, Gerald

1979-01-01

Examines the main mathematical approaches to information retrieval, including both algebraic and probabilistic models, and describes difficulties which impede formalization of information retrieval processes. A number of developments are covered where new theoretical understandings have directly led to improved retrieval techniques and operations.…

Brief report: Response inhibition and processing speed in children with motor difficulties and developmental coordination disorder.

PubMed

Bernardi, Marialivia; Leonard, Hayley C; Hill, Elisabeth L; Henry, Lucy A

2016-01-01

A previous study reported that children with poor motor skills, classified as having motor difficulties (MD) or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), produced more errors in a motor response inhibition task compared to typically developing (TD) children but did not differ in verbal inhibition errors. The present study investigated whether these groups differed in the length of time they took to respond in order to achieve these levels of accuracy, and whether any differences in response speed could be explained by generally slow information processing in children with poor motor skills. Timing data from the Verbal Inhibition Motor Inhibition test were analyzed to identify differences in performance between the groups on verbal and motor inhibition, as well as on processing speed measures from standardized batteries. Although children with MD and DCD produced more errors in the motor inhibition task than TD children, the current analyses found that they did not take longer to complete the task. Children with DCD were slower at inhibiting verbal responses than TD children, while the MD group seemed to perform at an intermediate level between the other groups in terms of verbal inhibition speed. Slow processing speed did not account for these group differences. Results extended previous research into response inhibition in children with poor motor skills by explicitly comparing motor and verbal responses, and suggesting that slow performance, even when accurate, may be attributable to an inefficient way of inhibiting responses, rather than slow information processing speed per se.

The road not taken: life experiences in monozygotic twin pairs discordant for major depression

PubMed Central

Kendler, KS; Halberstadt, LJ

2012-01-01

In an effort to understand how environmental experiences contribute to risk for major depression (MD), we conducted joint autobiographical interviews with 14 pairs of monozygotic twins (mean age 51.2) rigorously discordant for a lifetime history of MD. Twelve of the pairs could be sorted into four broad categories. In two pairs, discordance was associated with a single traumatic event occurring to the affected twin. In seven pairs, the well twin had one stable, long-term, successful romantic relationship, whereas the affected co-twin had romantic reversals one or more of which precipitated depressive episodes. These pairs varied in the degree to which the romantic problems seemed to arise from bad luck or poor choices. In one pair, occupational difficulties were strongly related to discordance in experiences with MD. In two pairs, several mechanisms seemed to be at work. Discordance in the quality of intimate love relationships was the most common etiological factor revealed by interview in these discordant pairs, with single dramatic events and occupational problems being considerably rarer. Even in this best of natural experiments, the causal interrelationship between personality, environment and depressive episodes was not always clear. Many pairs illustrated the protective effects of planfulness and the malignant effect of cumulative continuity where early difficulties in relationships shaped the subsequent life course. These results speak both to the importance of environmental influences on human well-being and psychopathology, and the complexity of the causal paths underlying their effects. PMID:22641178

Adapting Evidence-Based Practices to Meet the Needs of English Learners with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doabler, Christian T.; Nelson, Nancy J.; Clarke, Ben

2016-01-01

Convincing evidence suggests that a considerable number of U.S. students struggle to develop mathematics proficiency. One subgroup of students who have a high probability of mathematical failure is English learners (ELs), who now represent 10% of the U.S. student population; 70% of these students speak Spanish at home (Fry & Passel, 2009). ELs…

Digital Educational Games and Mathematics. Results of a Case Study in Primary School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fokides, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

The study presents the results of a project in which a series of digital games were used for teaching Mathematics to first, fourth, and sixth-grade primary school students (ages 6-7, 8-9, and 11-12). Mathematics was selected as the teaching subject because of the difficulties students face in understanding basic math concepts. Although digital…

In Pursuit of a Connected Way of Knowing: The Case of One Mathematics Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agudelo-Valderrama, Cecilia; Martínez, Diana

2016-01-01

In this paper, we offer illustrations of a mathematics teacher's difficulties with content knowledge when trying to find connections between school mathematics and science; we do so by describing the development of this teacher's thinking and learning in her pursuit of connections between the concepts of slope of a line and density of matter. The…

Toward a mathematical formalism of performance, task difficulty, and activation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samaras, George M.

1988-01-01

The rudiments of a mathematical formalism for handling operational, physiological, and psychological concepts are developed for use by the man-machine system design engineer. The formalism provides a framework for developing a structured, systematic approach to the interface design problem, using existing mathematical tools, and simplifying the problem of telling a machine how to measure and use performance.

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…

Quality of life in age-related macular degeneration: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Jan; Bradley, Clare

2006-01-01

Background The Age-related Macular Degeneration Alliance International commissioned a review of the literature on quality of life (QoL) in macular degeneration (MD) with a view to increasing awareness of MD, reducing its impact and improving services for people with MD worldwide. Method A systematic review was conducted using electronic databases, conference proceedings and key journal hand search checks. The resulting 'White Paper' was posted on the AMD Alliance website and is reproduced here. Review MD is a chronic, largely untreatable eye condition which leads to loss of central vision needed for tasks such as reading, watching TV, driving, recognising faces. It is the most common cause of blindness in the Western world. Shock of diagnosis, coupled with lack of information and support are a common experience. Incidence of depression is twice that found in the community-dwelling elderly, fuelled by functional decline and loss of leisure activities. Some people feel suicidal. MD threatens independence, especially when comorbidity exacerbates functional limitations. Rehabilitation, including low vision aid (LVA) provision and training, peer support and education, can improve functional and psychological outcomes but many people do not receive services likely to benefit them. Medical treatments, suitable for only a small minority of people with MD, can improve vision but most limit progress of MD, at least for a time, rather than cure. The White Paper considers difficulties associated with inappropriate use of health status measures and misinterpretation of utility values as QoL measures: evidence suggests they have poor validity in MD. Conclusion There is considerable evidence for the major damage done to QoL by MD which is underestimated by health status and utility measures. Medical treatments are limited to a small proportion of people. However, much can be done to improve QoL by early diagnosis of MD with good communication of prognosis and continuing support. Support could include provision of LVAs, peer support, education and effective help in adjusting to MD. It is vital that appropriate measures of visual function and QoL be used in building a sound evidence base for the effectiveness of rehabilitation and treatment. PMID:17184527

The Effects of a Tier 3 Intervention on the Mathematics Performance of Second Grade Students With Severe Mathematics Difficulties.

PubMed

Bryant, Brian R; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Porterfield, Jennifer; Dennis, Minyi Shih; Falcomata, Terry; Valentine, Courtney; Brewer, Chelsea; Bell, Kathy

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a systematic, explicit, intensive Tier 3 (tertiary) intervention on the mathematics performance of students in second grade with severe mathematics difficulties. A multiple-baseline design across groups of participants showed improved mathematics performance on number and operations concepts and procedures, which are the foundation for later mathematics success. In the previous year, 12 participants had experienced two doses (first and second semesters) of a Tier 2 intervention. In second grade, the participants continued to demonstrate low performance, falling below the 10th percentile on a researcher-designed universal screener and below the 16th percentile on a distal measure, thus qualifying for the intensive intervention. A project interventionist, who met with the students 5 days a week for 10 weeks (9 weeks for one group), conducted the intensive intervention. The intervention employed more intensive instructional design features than the previous Tier 2 secondary instruction, and also included weekly games to reinforce concepts and skills from the lessons. Spring results showed significantly improved mathematics performance (scoring at or above the 25th percentile) for most of the students, thus making them eligible to exit the Tier 3 intervention. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

A cumulative risk factor model for early identification of academic difficulties in premature and low birth weight infants.

PubMed

Roberts, G; Bellinger, D; McCormick, M C

2007-03-01

Premature and low birth weight children have a high prevalence of academic difficulties. This study examines a model comprised of cumulative risk factors that allows early identification of these difficulties. This is a secondary analysis of data from a large cohort of premature (<37 weeks gestation) and LBW (<2500 g) children. The study subjects were 8 years of age and 494 had data available for reading achievement and 469 for mathematics. Potential predictor variables were categorized into 4 domains: sociodemographic, neonatal, maternal mental health and early childhood (ages 3 and 5). Regression analysis was used to create a model to predict reading and mathematics scores. Variables from all domains were significant in the model, predicting low achievement scores in reading (R (2) of 0.49, model p-value < .0001) and mathematics (R (2) of 0.44, model p-value < .0001). Significant risk factors for lower reading scores, were: lower maternal education and income, and Black or Hispanic race (sociodemographic); lower birth weight and male gender (neonatal); lower maternal responsivity (maternal mental health); lower intelligence, visual-motor skill and higher behavioral disturbance scores (early childhood). Lower mathematics scores were predicted by lower maternal education, income and age and Black or Hispanic race (sociodemographic); lower birth weight and higher head circumference (neonatal); lower maternal responsivity (maternal mental health); lower intelligence, visual-motor skill and higher behavioral disturbance scores (early childhood). Sequential early childhood risk factors in premature and LBW children lead to a cumulative risk for academic difficulties and can be used for early identification.

Developing Mathematical Resilience of Prospective Math Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariyanto, L.; Herman, T.; Sumarmo, U.; Suryadi, D.

2017-09-01

Prospective math teachers need to develop positive adaptive attitudes toward mathematics that will enable them to continue learning despite having to deal with obstacles and difficulties. This research focuses on the resilience improvement of the prospective mathematic teachers after being treated using problem-based learning based on their basic knowledge on mathematic and their overall knowledge on math. This research used only one group for pre-test and post-test. The result of this research shows that there is improvement on prospective teachers’ resilience after they were given treatment using problem-based learning. One of the factors causing the resilience improvement of the prospective mathematic teachers is the instructions on students’ work sheet. In the instructions, stud ents were asked to write difficulties in solving math problems as well as write down the solution they take to overcome them. This research can be used as a reference for other researchers who want to do the same research related on students’ resiliency o n math and or math lecturers to improve the resilience of prospective teachers to be resilient teachers on math in the future.

A Strategy for Improving US Middle School Student Mathematics Word Problem Solving Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Valerie L.

2004-01-01

U.S. middle school students have difficulty understanding and solving mathematics word problems. Their mathematics performance on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) is far below their international peers, and minority students are less likely than high socioeconomic status (SES) White/Asian students to be exposed to higher-level mathematics concepts. Research literature also indicates that when students use both In-School and Out-of-School knowledge and experiences to create authentic mathematics word problems, student achievement improves. This researcher developed a Strategy for improving mathematics problem solving performance and a Professional Development Model (PDM) to effectively implement the Strategy.

Non Locality Proofs in Quantum Mechanics Analyzed by Ordinary Mathematical Logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, Giuseppe

2014-10-01

The so-called non-locality theorems aim to show that Quantum Mechanics is not consistent with the Locality Principle. Their proofs require, besides the standard postulates of Quantum Theory, further conditions, as for instance the Criterion of Reality, which cannot be formulated in the language of Standard Quantum Theory; this difficulty makes the proofs not verifiable according to usual logico-mathematical methods, and therefore it is a source of the controversial debate about the real implications of these theorems. The present work addresses this difficulty for Bell-type and Stapp's arguments of non-locality. We supplement the formalism of Quantum Mechanics with formal statements inferred from the further conditions in the two different cases. Then an analysis of the two arguments is performed according to ordinary mathematical logic.

[Executive functioning and motivation in preschool children at risk for learning difficulties in mathematics].

PubMed

Presentación-Herrero, M Jesús; Mercader-Ruiz, Jessica; Siegenthaler-Hierro, Rebeca; Fernández-Andrés, Inmaculada; Miranda-Casas, Ana

2015-02-25

Early identification of the factors involved in the development of learning difficulties in mathematics is essential to be able to understand their origin and implement successful interventions. This study analyses the capacity of executive functioning and of variables from the motivational belief system to differentiate and classify preschool children with and without risk of having difficulties in mathematics. A total of 146 subjects from the third year of preschool education took part in the study, divided into risk/no risk according to the score obtained on the operations subtest of the TEDI-MATH test. Working memory (verbal and visuospatial) and inhibition (with auditory and visual stimuli) neuropsychological tasks were applied. Teachers filled in a questionnaire on the children's motivation with regard to learning. Significant differences were found between the two groups on the working memory and inhibition-auditory factors, as well as on all the motivation variables. The results also show a similar power of classification, with percentages above 80%, for both groups of variables. The implications of these findings for educational practice are discussed.

Mathematical calculation skills required for drug administration in undergraduate nursing students to ensure patient safety: A descriptive study: Drug calculation skills in nursing students.

PubMed

Bagnasco, Annamaria; Galaverna, Lucia; Aleo, Giuseppe; Grugnetti, Anna Maria; Rosa, Francesca; Sasso, Loredana

2016-01-01

In the literature we found many studies that confirmed our concerns about nursing students' poor maths skills that directly impact on their ability to correctly calculate drug dosages with very serious consequences for patient safety. The aim of our study was to explore where students had most difficulty and identify appropriate educational interventions to bridge their mathematical knowledge gaps. This was a quali-quantitative descriptive study that included a sample of 726 undergraduate nursing students. We identified exactly where students had most difficulty and identified appropriate educational interventions to bridge their mathematical knowledge gaps. We found that the undergraduate nursing students mainly had difficulty with basic maths principles. Specific learning interventions are needed to improve their basic maths skills and their dosage calculation skills. For this purpose, we identified safeMedicate and eDose (Authentic World Ltd.), only that they are only available in English. In the near future we hope to set up a partnership to work together on the Italian version of these tools. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KSC-98pc504

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Framed by native Floridian foliage, the Space Shuttle Columbia soars from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members are Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

KSC-98pc503

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Columbia surges skyward from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EDT Apr. 17 to begin the nearly 17-day STS-90 Neurolab mission. The launch was delayed 24 hours due to difficulty with a network signal processor, which was replaced Apr. 16, on the orbiter. The crew members on-board include Commander Richard Searfoss, Pilot Scott Altman, Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D. Investigations during the Neurolab mission will focus on the effects of microgravity on the nervous system

Challenges in Implementing Strategies for Gender-Aware Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Melissa C.; Gilbert, Lucia Albino

2002-01-01

Discusses the negative consequences of gender stereotyping in the mathematics classroom, especially for girls. Addresses possible challenges associated with creating a safe learning environment and combating gender stereotypes. Describes difficulties in various settings in the mathematics classroom and explores challenges associated with…

Generalization across Domains: The Relating-Forming-Extending Generalization Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellis, Amy; Tillema, Erik; Lockwood, Elise; Moore, Kevin

2017-01-01

Generalization is a critical aspect of doing mathematics, with policy makers recommending that it be a central component of mathematics instruction at all levels. This recommendation poses serious challenges, however, given researchers consistently identifying students' difficulties in creating and expressing normative mathematical…

Are there any upticks in federally employed women and minorities in STEM at the leading U.S. science agencies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, A. H.; Carlis, D. L.; Melendez Alvira, D. J.

2017-12-01

Management Directive 715 (MD-715) requires each federal agency or bureau to report annually on the status of activities undertaken pursuant to its equal employment opportunity program under Title VII and the Rehabilitation Act. Each bureau's report must include a plan to identify steps it will take in the future to correct deficiencies or barriers identified in the preparation of their MD-715 report. This study evaluates MD-715 data for 2004-2016 from federal science agencies (NASA, NOAA, NIH, NSF, and DOE) to outline and assess any growth or declines in federally employed women and minorities working in the reported major occupation job series that center on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The study group is statistically compared to federally employed white male populations and likewise groups within the civilian labor force. The goal of this evaluation is to determine what (if any) factors and/or policies have led to upticks in the employment and advancements of women and minorities in STEM at each bureau and to highlight the details of the MD-715 reports that may have contributed to these successes.

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…

Nonlinear Waves in a Rod. Results for Incompressible Elastic Materials.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

C4- 0 0 *0 0 4) ’ 4 CAO tn- Ccd I coN ------------------------------------------ ’ - )4j REFERENCES 1. Antman , S. S., "The Theory of Rods," Handbuch...of Mathematics Department of Physics ATTN: Prof. S. Antman ATTN: Dr. R. Fowles College Park, MD 20740 Dr. G. Duvall Pullman, WA 99163 University of

Effectiveness of Small-Group Tutoring Interventions for Improving the Mathematical Problem-Solving Performance of Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulties: A Randomized Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jitendra, Asha K.; Dupuis, Danielle N.; Rodriguez, Michael C.

2012-01-01

The present research assessed the efficacy of two tutoring protocols for improving the mathematics outcomes of at-risk third-grade students. Results indicated that students in the schema-based instruction (SBI) group outperformed students in the control group on word problem solving performance after 30 hours of problem-solving experience, but the…

The role of mathematical models in understanding pattern formation in developmental biology.

PubMed

Umulis, David M; Othmer, Hans G

2015-05-01

In a Wall Street Journal article published on April 5, 2013, E. O. Wilson attempted to make the case that biologists do not really need to learn any mathematics-whenever they run into difficulty with numerical issues, they can find a technician (aka mathematician) to help them out of their difficulty. He formalizes this in Wilsons Principle No. 1: "It is far easier for scientists to acquire needed collaboration from mathematicians and statisticians than it is for mathematicians and statisticians to find scientists able to make use of their equations." This reflects a complete misunderstanding of the role of mathematics in all sciences throughout history. To Wilson, mathematics is mere number crunching, but as Galileo said long ago, "The laws of Nature are written in the language of mathematics[Formula: see text] the symbols are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a single word." Mathematics has moved beyond the geometry-based model of Galileo's time, and in a rebuttal to Wilson, E. Frenkel has pointed out the role of mathematics in synthesizing the general principles in science (Both point and counter-point are available in Wilson and Frenkel in Notices Am Math Soc 60(7):837-838, 2013). We will take this a step further and show how mathematics has been used to make new and experimentally verified discoveries in developmental biology and how mathematics is essential for understanding a problem that has puzzled experimentalists for decades-that of how organisms can scale in size. Mathematical analysis alone cannot "solve" these problems since the validation lies at the molecular level, but conversely, a growing number of questions in biology cannot be solved without mathematical analysis and modeling. Herein, we discuss a few examples of the productive intercourse between mathematics and biology.

Using Computation Curriculum-Based Measurement Probes for Error Pattern Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dennis, Minyi Shih; Calhoon, Mary Beth; Olson, Christopher L.; Williams, Cara

2014-01-01

This article describes how "curriculum-based measurement--computation" (CBM-C) mathematics probes can be used in combination with "error pattern analysis" (EPA) to pinpoint difficulties in basic computation skills for students who struggle with learning mathematics. Both assessment procedures provide ongoing assessment data…

Student Reasoning about Graphs in Different Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivanjek, Lana; Susac, Ana; Planinic, Maja; Andrasevic, Aneta; Milin-Sipus, Zeljka

2016-01-01

This study investigates university students' graph interpretation strategies and difficulties in mathematics, physics (kinematics), and contexts other than physics. Eight sets of parallel (isomorphic) mathematics, physics, and other context questions about graphs, which were developed by us, were administered to 385 first-year students at the…

Translations among Mathematical Representations: Teacher Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosse, Michael J.; Adu-Gyamfi, Kwaku; Cheetham, Meredith

2011-01-01

Student ability, teacher expectations, respective degrees of difficulty, and curriculum and instructional practices all work together to provide students experiences leading to differing levels of success in respect to mathematical translations. Herein, we discuss teacher beliefs and instructional practices, investigate why some translations seem…

Investigating Trigonometric Representations in the Transition to College Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byers, Patricia

2010-01-01

This Ontario-based qualitative study examined secondary school and college textbooks' treatment of trigonometric representations in order to identify potential sources of student difficulties in the transition from secondary school to college mathematics. Analysis of networks, comprised of trigonometric representations, identified numerous issues…

The Use of Open-Ended Questions with Giving Feedback (OEQGF) for Effective Mathematic Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabilah, I.; Manoy, J. T.

2018-01-01

Feedback deals with giving information to students related to their task which is done through score of their achievement, reaction, and comments. Considering its hierarchy, task difficulty level consists of low, middle and high levels. The difficulty level of open-ended questions is middle to high. Open-ended question is a good way to train students’ knowledge. This research is a descriptive research which aims at describing teacher’s learning management, students’ activities, students’ learning achievement, and students’ responses in mathematic learning using OEQGF. The subject was a teacher of mathematics who teaches eighth graders, and students themselves. The research design used is one shot case study. The result shows that: management learning has been very well implemented by the teacher; every students’ activity has been carried out by students; the students’ learning achievement have reached the criteria of completeness, and the students’ responses can be considered as positive. Therefore, it can be concluded that mathematic learning using OEQGF is effective.

Causal attribution for success and failure in mathematics among MDAB pre-diploma students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maidinsah, Hamidah; Embong, Rokiah; Wahab, Zubaidah Abd

2014-07-01

The Program Mengubah Destini Anak Bangsa (MDAB) is a pre-diploma programme catering to SPM school leavers who do not meet the minimum requirement to enter any of UiTM diploma programmes. The study aims to evaluate the perceptions of MDAB students toward the main causal attribution factors underlying students' success and failure in mathematics. Research sample comprised of 482 students from five UiTM branch campuses. Research instrument used was a set of GALUS questionnaire consisting of 36 items based on the Weiner Attribution Theory. Four causal attributions factors for success and failures evaluated are ability, effort, question difficulty and environment. GALUS reliability index was 0.93. The research found that effort appears to be the main causal attribution factor in students' success and failure in mathematics, followed by environment, question difficulty and ability. High achiever students strongly agree that the ability factor influenced their success while low achiever students strongly agree that all attributing factors influenced their failures in mathematics.

Interventions for Primary School Children With Difficulties in Mathematics.

PubMed

Dowker, Ann

2017-01-01

Difficulty with arithmetic is a common problem for children and adults, though there has been some work on the topic for a surprisingly long time. This chapter will review some of the research that has been done over the years on interventions with primary school children. Interventions can be of various levels of intensiveness, ranging from whole-class approaches that take account of individual differences through small-group and limited-time individual interventions to extended-time individual interventions. Interventions discussed here include those involving peer tuition and group collaboration; those involving board and computer games; and those that involve assessing children's strengths and weaknesses in different components of mathematics; and targeting remedial activities to the assessed weaknesses. Most of the interventions discussed in this chapter specifically involve mathematics (usually mainly arithmetic), but there is also some discussion of attempts to improve mathematics by training children in domain-general skills, including Piagetian operations, metacognition, and executive functions. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flexibility in Mathematics Problem Solving Based on Adversity Quotient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dina, N. A.; Amin, S. M.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

Flexibility is an ability which is needed in problem solving. One of the ways in problem solving is influenced by Adversity Quotient (AQ). AQ is the power of facing difficulties. There are three categories of AQ namely climber, camper, and quitter. This research is a descriptive research using qualitative approach. The aim of this research is to describe flexibility in mathematics problem solving based on Adversity Quotient. The subjects of this research are climber student, camper student, and quitter student. This research was started by giving Adversity Response Profile (ARP) questioner continued by giving problem solving task and interviews. The validity of data measurement was using time triangulation. The results of this research shows that climber student uses two strategies in solving problem and doesn’t have difficulty. The camper student uses two strategies in solving problem but has difficulty to finish the second strategies. The quitter student uses one strategy in solving problem and has difficulty to finish it.

Nursing mathematics: the importance of application.

PubMed

Hutton, B M

This study explores the effectiveness of a revision programme in nursing mathematics for student nurses. Students who took the revision programme achieved a marked improvement in test results, although some still scored low in written tests. When interviewed, the students reported that they had difficulty applying written work in the classroom to actual calculations in the workplace. They found that only by 'doing' mathematics did the theory make sense. The author recommends that students should be encouraged to maximise the opportunities to practise mathematics in the clinical setting.

Comparison of the performance of first-grade and mentally retarded students on the Peabody Mathematics Readiness Test.

PubMed

Richardson, L I; Thurman, R L; Bassler, O C

1978-07-01

The Peabody Mathematics Readiness Test was developed to assess mathematics readiness and identify children who would encounter difficulty in first-grade mathematics. In the present study, we compared performances of mentally retarded subjects and first-grade subjects on this test. Retarded subjects' mean scores were significantly lower than those of the nonretarded subjects on the drawing test; however, there were no significant differences between the mean scores of the groups on the other five subscales.

Rate Kinetics and Molecular Dynamics of the Structural Transitions in Amyloidogenic Proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steckmann, Timothy M.

Amyloid fibril aggregation is associated with several horrific diseases such as Alzheimer's, Creutzfeld-Jacob, diabetes, Parkinson's and others. The process of amyloid aggregation involves forming myriad different metastable intermediate aggregates. Amyloid fibrils are composed of proteins that originate in an innocuous alpha-helix or random-coil structure. The alpha-helices convert their structure to beta-strands that aggregate into beta-sheets, and then into protofibrils, and ultimately into fully formed amyloid fibrils. On the basis of experimental data, I have developed a mathematical model for the kinetics of the reaction pathways and determined rate parameters for peptide secondary structural conversion and aggregation during the entire fibrillogenesis process from random coil to fibrils, including the molecular species that accelerate the conversions. The specific steps of the model and the rate constants that are determined by fitting to experimental data provide insight on the molecular species involved in the fibril formation process. To better understand the molecular basis of the protein structural transitions and aggregation, I report on molecular dynamics (MD) computational studies on the formation of amyloid protofibrillar structures in the small model protein ccbeta, which undergoes many of the structural transitions of the larger, naturally occurring amyloid forming proteins. Two different structural transition processes involving hydrogen bonds are observed for aggregation into fibrils: the breaking of intrachain hydrogen bonds to allow beta-hairpin proteins to straighten, and the subsequent formation of interchain hydrogen bonds during aggregation into amyloid fibrils. For my MD simulations, I found that the temperature dependence of these two different structural transition processes results in the existence of a temperature window that the ccbeta protein experiences during the process of forming protofibrillar structures. Both the mathematical modeling of the kinetics and the MD simulations show that molecular structural heterogeneity is a major factor in the process. The MD simulations also show that intrachain and interchain hydrogen bonds breaking and forming is strongly correlated to the process of amyloid formation.

Structured water in polyelectrolyte dendrimers: Understanding small angle neutron scattering results through atomistic simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Bin; Kerkeni, Boutheïna; Egami, Takeshi; Do, Changwoo; Liu, Yun; Wang, Yongmei; Porcar, Lionel; Hong, Kunlun; Smith, Sean C.; Liu, Emily L.; Smith, Gregory S.; Chen, Wei-Ren

2012-04-01

Based on atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the small angle neutron scattering (SANS) intensity behavior of a single generation-4 polyelectrolyte polyamidoamine starburst dendrimer is investigated at different levels of molecular protonation. The SANS form factor, P(Q), and Debye autocorrelation function, γ(r), are calculated from the equilibrium MD trajectory based on a mathematical approach proposed in this work. The consistency found in comparison against previously published experimental findings (W.-R. Chen, L. Porcar, Y. Liu, P. D. Butler, and L. J. Magid, Macromolecules 40, 5887 (2007)) leads to a link between the neutron scattering experiment and MD computation, and fresh perspectives. The simulations enable scattering calculations of not only the hydrocarbons but also the contribution from the scattering length density fluctuations caused by structured, confined water within the dendrimer. Based on our computational results, we explore the validity of using radius of gyration RG for microstructure characterization of a polyelectrolyte dendrimer from the scattering perspective.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations with Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics and Adaptive Neural Networks.

PubMed

Shen, Lin; Yang, Weitao

2018-03-13

Direct molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with ab initio quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods is very powerful for studying the mechanism of chemical reactions in a complex environment but also very time-consuming. The computational cost of QM/MM calculations during MD simulations can be reduced significantly using semiempirical QM/MM methods with lower accuracy. To achieve higher accuracy at the ab initio QM/MM level, a correction on the existing semiempirical QM/MM model is an attractive idea. Recently, we reported a neural network (NN) method as QM/MM-NN to predict the potential energy difference between semiempirical and ab initio QM/MM approaches. The high-level results can be obtained using neural network based on semiempirical QM/MM MD simulations, but the lack of direct MD samplings at the ab initio QM/MM level is still a deficiency that limits the applications of QM/MM-NN. In the present paper, we developed a dynamic scheme of QM/MM-NN for direct MD simulations on the NN-predicted potential energy surface to approximate ab initio QM/MM MD. Since some configurations excluded from the database for NN training were encountered during simulations, which may cause some difficulties on MD samplings, an adaptive procedure inspired by the selection scheme reported by Behler [ Behler Int. J. Quantum Chem. 2015 , 115 , 1032 ; Behler Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2017 , 56 , 12828 ] was employed with some adaptions to update NN and carry out MD iteratively. We further applied the adaptive QM/MM-NN MD method to the free energy calculation and transition path optimization on chemical reactions in water. The results at the ab initio QM/MM level can be well reproduced using this method after 2-4 iteration cycles. The saving in computational cost is about 2 orders of magnitude. It demonstrates that the QM/MM-NN with direct MD simulations has great potentials not only for the calculation of thermodynamic properties but also for the characterization of reaction dynamics, which provides a useful tool to study chemical or biochemical systems in solution or enzymes.

Developmental Dyscalculia and Low Numeracy in Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Au, Terry K.; Tang, Joey

2013-01-01

Children struggle with mathematics for different reasons. Developmental dyscalculia and low numeracy--two kinds of mathematical difficulties--may have their roots, respectively, in poor understanding of exact non-symbolic numerosities and of symbolic numerals. This study was the first to explore whether Chinese children, despite cultural and…

Science, Mathematics, and the Mimi.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doblmeier, Joyce; Fields, Barbara

1996-01-01

Students with difficulty in maintaining grade-level performance at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (Washington, DC) are learning mathematics and science skills using "The Voyage of the Mimi," a 13-segment video series and associated educational materials that detail a scientific expedition which is studying humpback whales. Team…

Introductory Physics Students' Physics and Mathematics Epistemologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, Erin M.

The purpose of this three study dissertation is to investigate why students are enrolled in introductory physics courses experience difficulties in being successful; one possible source of their difficulties is related to their epistemology. In order to investigate students' epistemologies about mathematics and physics, students were observed solving physics problems in groups during a laboratory course (study 1) and while solving physics and mathematics problems individually during office-hour sessions (study 2). The Epistemological Resources theoretical framework was employed (Hammer & Elby, 2002). Using emergent and a priori epistemological resource operationalizations (Jones, 2015), 25 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 1. Differences in physics epistemological resource usage between students of varying academic background (as measured by their number of previously completed mathematics and science classes were identified. By employing an external (Jones, 2015) and internal (Scanlon, 2016) a priori epistemological resource coding scheme, a total of 17 distinct epistemological resources were identified in study 2. The data were sampled to compare the mathematics and physics epistemological resource usage of participants with consistent and inconsistent sign usage in an energy conservation physics problem in order to provide a meaningful context for discussion. Participants of the same sign usage group employed epistemological resources similarly. Conversely, participants in different groups had significantly different physics epistemological resource usage patterns. Finally, student epistemological resource usage patterns from the first two studies were compared to course outcomes in order to determine implications for practice (study 3). Educators must be aware of and address the epistemological underpinnings of students' difficulties in introductory physics courses.

Limited knowledge of fraction representations differentiates middle school students with mathematics learning disability (dyscalculia) vs. low mathematics achievement

PubMed Central

Mazzocco, Michèle M. M.; Myers, Gwen F.; Lewis, Katherine E.; Hanich, Laurie B.; Murphy, Melissa M.

2014-01-01

Fractions pose significant challenges for many children, but for some children those challenges persist into high school. Here we administered a fractions magnitude comparison test to 122 children, from Grades 4 to 8, to test whether their knowledge of fractions typically learned early in the sequence of formal math instruction (e.g., fractions equivalent to “one-half,” and fraction pairs with common denominators) differentiates those with mathematical learning disability (MLD) versus low achievement (LA) or typical achievement (TA) in mathematics, and whether long term learning trajectories of this knowledge also differentiate these groups. We confirmed that although 4th graders with LA (n = 18) or TA (n = 93) are more accurate evaluating one-half vs. non-half fractions (until they reach ceiling performance levels on both types of fractions), children with MLD (n=11) do not show a one-half advantage until Grade 7 and do not reach ceiling performance even by Grade 8. Both the MLD and LA groups have early difficulties with fractions, but by Grade 5 the LA group approaches performance levels of the TA group and deviates from the MLD group. All groups showed a visual model advantage over Arabic number representation of fractions, but this advantage was short lived for the TA group (because ceiling level was achieved across formats), slightly more persistent for the LA group, and persisted through Grade 8 for children with MLD. Thus, difficulties with fractions persist through Grade 8 for many students, but the nature and trajectories of those difficulties varies across children with math difficulties (MLD or LA). PMID:23587941

Limited knowledge of fraction representations differentiates middle school students with mathematics learning disability (dyscalculia) versus low mathematics achievement.

PubMed

Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Myers, Gwen F; Lewis, Katherine E; Hanich, Laurie B; Murphy, Melissa M

2013-06-01

Fractions pose significant challenges for many children, but for some children those challenges persist into high school. Here we administered a fractions magnitude comparison test to 122 children, from Grades 4 to 8, to test whether their knowledge of fractions typically learned early in the sequence of formal math instruction (e.g., fractions equivalent to one-half, fraction pairs with common denominators) differentiates those with mathematics learning disability (MLD) versus low achievement (LA) or typical achievement (TA) in mathematics and whether long-term learning trajectories of this knowledge also differentiate these groups. We confirmed that although fourth graders with TA (n=93) were more accurate in evaluating "one-half" fractions than in evaluating "non-half" fractions (until they reached ceiling performance levels on both types of fractions), children with MLD (n=11) did not show a one-half advantage until Grade 7 and did not reach ceiling performance even by Grade 8. Both the MLD and LA groups had early difficulties with fractions, but by Grade 5 the LA group approached performance levels of the TA group and deviated from the MLD group. All groups showed a visual model advantage over Arabic number representation of fractions, but this advantage was short-lived for the TA group (because ceiling level was achieved across formats), whereas it was slightly more persistent for the LA group and persisted through Grade 8 for children with MLD. Thus, difficulties with fractions persist through Grade 8 for many students, but the nature and trajectories of those difficulties vary across children with math difficulties (MLD or LA). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Symbolic magnitude processing in elementary school children: A group administered paper-and-pencil measure (SYMP Test).

PubMed

Brankaer, Carmen; Ghesquière, Pol; De Smedt, Bert

2017-08-01

The ability to compare symbolic numerical magnitudes correlates with children's concurrent and future mathematics achievement. We developed and evaluated a quick timed paper-and-pencil measure that can easily be used, for example in large-scale research, in which children have to cross out the numerically larger of two Arabic one- and two-digit numbers (SYMP Test). We investigated performance on this test in 1,588 primary school children (Grades 1-6) and examined in each grade its associations with mathematics achievement. The SYMP Test had satisfactory test-retest reliability. The SYMP Test showed significant and stable correlations with mathematics achievement for both one-digit and two-digit comparison, across all grades. This replicates the previously observed association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and mathematics achievement, but extends it by showing that the association is observed in all grades in primary education and occurs for single- as well as multi-digit processing. Children with mathematical learning difficulties performed significantly lower on one-digit comparison and two-digit comparison in all grades. This all suggests satisfactory construct and criterion-related validity of the SYMP Test, which can be used in research, when performing large-scale (intervention) studies, and by practitioners, as screening measure to identify children at risk for mathematical difficulties or dyscalculia.

The Impact of Learning Difficulties and Socioemotional and Behavioural Problems on Transition to Postsecondary Education or Work Life in Finland: A Five-Year Follow-Up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakkarainen, Airi M.; Holopainen, Leena K.; Savolainen, Hannu K.

2016-01-01

Learning difficulties have been found to dilute the possibilities that young adults have in their educational careers. However, during the last few decades, education has become increasingly important for employment and overall life satisfaction. In the present study, we were interested in the effects of mathematical and reading difficulties and…

Mathematical intelligence developed in math learning with classical backsound music of the classical era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlimah

2018-05-01

This study examines the application of classical music backsound in mathematics learning. The method used is quasi experimental design nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group in elementary school students in Tasikmalaya city, Indonesia. The results showed that classical music contributed significantly to the mathematical intelligence of elementary school students. The mathematical intelligence shown is in the cognitive ability ranging from the level of knowledge to evaluation. High level mathematical intelligence is shown by students in reading and writing integers with words and numbers. The low level of mathematical intelligence exists in projecting the story into a mathematical problem. The implication of this research is the use of classical music backsound on learning mathematics should pay attention to the level of difficulty of mathematics material being studied.

Good Questions: Great Ways to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Marian

2009-01-01

Using differentiated instruction in the classroom can be a challenge, especially when teaching mathematics. This book cuts through the difficulties with two powerful and universal strategies that teachers can use across all math content: Open Questions and Parallel Tasks. Specific strategies and examples for grades Kindergarten - 8 are organized…

Beyond Error Patterns: A Sociocultural View of Fraction Comparison Errors in Students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Katherine E.

2016-01-01

Although many students struggle with fractions, students with mathematical learning disabilities (MLDs) experience pervasive difficulties because of neurological differences in how they process numerical information. These students make errors that are qualitatively different than their typically achieving and low-achieving peers. This study…

Children Learn Spurious Associations in Their Math Textbooks: Examples from Fraction Arithmetic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braithwaite, David W.; Siegler, Robert S.

2018-01-01

Fraction arithmetic is among the most important and difficult topics children encounter in elementary and middle school mathematics. Braithwaite, Pyke, and Siegler (2017) hypothesized that difficulties learning fraction arithmetic often reflect reliance on associative knowledge--rather than understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures--to…

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…

Oral Storytelling and Teaching Mathematics: Pedagogical and Multicultural Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiro, Michael Stephen

2004-01-01

This book contains two case studies of teachers telling epic oral stories to teach math to elementary and middle school students. The book also includes theoretical discussions of essential elements of oral storytelling, multicultural education, how oral storytelling can help children who have difficulty learning mathematics, and mathematical…

Upper-Division Student Difficulties with the Dirac Delta Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Bethany R.; Pollock, Steven J.

2015-01-01

The Dirac delta function is a standard mathematical tool that appears repeatedly in the undergraduate physics curriculum in multiple topical areas including electrostatics, and quantum mechanics. While Dirac delta functions are often introduced in order to simplify a problem mathematically, students still struggle to manipulate and interpret them.…

Towards a Framework for Developing Students' Fraction Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Tsung-Lung; Li, Hui-Chuan

2017-01-01

The importance of the knowledge of fractions in mathematical learning, coupled with the difficulties students have with them, has prompted researchers to focus on this particular area of mathematics. The term "fraction proficiency" used in this article refers to a person's conceptual comprehension, procedural skills and the ability to…

Understanding the Problems of Learning Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semilla-Dube, Lilia

1983-01-01

A model is being developed to categorize problems in teaching and learning mathematics. Categories include problems due to language difficulties, lack of prerequisite knowledge, and those related to the affective domain. This paper calls on individuals to share teaching and learning episodes; those submitted will then be compiled and categorized.…

Improving Numeracy Education in Rural Schools: A Professional Development Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goos, Merrilyn; Dole, Shelley; Geiger, Vince

2011-01-01

In Australia, concerns about the quality of mathematics education that students experience are particularly salient in rural schools. These schools typically report great difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified teachers of mathematics. Teachers in non-metropolitan locations may also experience professional isolation if they have limited…

Cleared for Takeoff: Paper Airplanes in Flight

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeder, Stacy L.

2012-01-01

As middle school mathematics becomes more abstract, it is imperative for teachers to introduce concepts in ways that are interesting and meaningful to students. Since her students struggled at times to stay engaged in mathematics and seemed to have difficulty developing conceptual understanding, the author looked for ways to create learning…

Students' and Lecturers' Views on Mathematics Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ní Shé, Caitríona; Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán; Ní Fhloinn, Eabhnat; O'Shea, Ann

2017-01-01

There is a general agreement that many students struggle with the transition from secondary to higher education, particularly in the context of mathematics modules. Lecturers often suggest or supply supplemental resources to give students the opportunity to overcome their difficulties. In addition, students often seek out resources independently,…

Dr. David Blackwell Memorial Conference on Mathematics, Probability and Statistics

DTIC Science & Technology

first black scholar to be admitted to the National Academy of Sciences passed away on July 8, 2010 at the age of 91. Even though he encountered the many...difficulties that African Americans experienced in society , and in particular, the mathematical community, he prevailed to become the greatest

The Coverage Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshinobu, Stan; Jones, Matthew G.

2012-01-01

A significant issue mathematics instructors face is how to cover all the material. Mathematics teachers of all levels have some external and internal pressures to "get through" all the required material. The authors define "the coverage issue" to be the set of difficulties that arise in attempting to cover a lengthy list of topics. Principal among…

Investigating Students' Mathematical Difficulties with Quadratic Equations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Bronwyn Reid; Norton, Stephen

2016-01-01

This paper examines the factors that hinder students' success in working with and understanding the mathematics of quadratic equations using a case study analysis of student error patterns. Twenty-five Year 11 students were administered a written test to examine their understanding of concepts and procedures associated with this topic. The…

Using Virtual Manipulatives with Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers to Create Representational Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Thomas E.

2012-01-01

In mathematics education, physical manipulatives such as algebra tiles, pattern blocks, and two-colour counters are commonly used to provide concrete models of abstract concepts. With these traditional manipulatives, people can communicate with the tools only in one another's presence. This limitation poses difficulties concerning assessment and…

Student Difficulties Regarding Symbolic and Graphical Representations of Vector Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bollen, Laurens; van Kampen, Paul; Baily, Charles; Kelly, Mossy; De Cock, Mieke

2017-01-01

The ability to switch between various representations is an invaluable problem-solving skill in physics. In addition, research has shown that using multiple representations can greatly enhance a person's understanding of mathematical and physical concepts. This paper describes a study of student difficulties regarding interpreting, constructing,…

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…

Comparative fiber property and transcriptome analyses reveal key genes potentially related to high fiber strength in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) line MD52ne

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Individual fiber strength is an important quality attribute that greatly influences the strength of the yarn spun from cotton fibers. Fiber strength is usually measured from bundles of fibers due to the difficulty of reliably measuring strength from individual cotton fibers. However, bun...

The first international workshop on the role and impact of mathematics in medicine: A collective account

PubMed Central

Artzrouni, Marc; Begg, Colin; Chabiniok, Radomir; Clairambault, Jean; Foss, AJE; Hargrove, John; Lee, Eva K; Siggers, Jennifer H; Tindall, Marcus

2011-01-01

The First International Workshop on The Role and Impact of Mathematics in Medicine (RIMM) convened in Paris in June 2010. A broad range of researchers discussed the difficulties, challenges and opportunities faced by those wishing to see mathematical methods contribute to improved medical outcomes. Finding mechanisms for interdisciplinary meetings, developing a common language, staying focused on the medical problem at hand, deriving realistic mathematical solutions, obtaining high quality data and seeing things through “by the bedside” are some of the issues discussed by the participants.

Patient-reported vision-related quality of life differences between superior and inferior hemifield visual field defects in primary open-angle glaucoma.

PubMed

Cheng, Hui-Chen; Guo, Chao-Yu; Chen, Mei-Ju; Ko, Yu-Chieh; Huang, Nicole; Liu, Catherine Jui-ling

2015-03-01

Previous studies have found that glaucoma is associated with impaired patient-reported vision-related quality of life (pVRQOL) but few, to our knowledge, have assessed how the visual field (VF) defect location impacts the pVRQOL. To investigate the associations of VF defects in the superior vs inferior hemifields with pVRQOL outcomes in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Prospective cross-sectional study at a tertiary referral center from March 1, 2012, to January 1, 2013, including patients with primary open-angle glaucoma who had a best-corrected visual acuity in the better eye equal to or better than 20/60 and reliable VF tests. The pVRQOL was assessed by a validated Taiwanese version of the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire. Reliable VF tests obtained within 3 months of enrollment were transformed to binocular integrated VF (IVF). The IVF was further stratified by VF location (superior vs inferior hemifield). The association between each domain of the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire and superior or inferior hemifield IVF was determined using multivariable linear regression analysis. The analysis included 186 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma with a mean age of 59.1 years (range, 19-86 years) and IVF mean deviation (MD) of -4.84 dB (range, -27.56 to 2.17 dB). In the multivariable linear regression analysis, the MD of the full-field IVF showed positive associations with near activities (β = 0.05; R2 = 0.20; P < .001), vision-specific role difficulties (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.19; P = .01), vision-specific dependency (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.20; P < .001), driving (β = 0.05; R2 = 0.24; P < .001), peripheral vision (β = 0.03; R2 = 0.18; P = .02), and composite scores (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.27; P = .005). Subsequent analysis showed that the MD of the superior hemifield IVF was associated only with near activities (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.21; P < .001) while the MD of the inferior hemifield IVF was associated with general vision (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.12; P = .01), vision-specific role difficulties (β = 0.04; R2 = 0.20; P = .01), and peripheral vision (β = 0.03; R2 = 0.17; P = .03). Superior hemifield IVF was strongly associated with difficulty with near activities. Inferior hemifield IVF impacted vision-specific role difficulties and general and peripheral vision. The impact of a VF defect on a patient's pVRQOL may depend not only on its severity, but also on its hemifield location.

Contribution of Equal-Sign Instruction beyond Word-Problem Tutoring for Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Sarah R.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2010-01-01

Elementary school students often misinterpret the equal sign (=) as an operational rather than a relational symbol. Such misunderstanding is problematic because solving equations with missing numbers may be important for the development of higher order mathematics skills, including solving word problems. Research indicates equal-sign instruction…

Teachers' Temporary Support and Worked-Out Examples as Elements of Scaffolding in Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tropper, Natalie; Leiss, Dominik; Hänze, Martin

2015-01-01

Empirical findings show that students have manifold difficulties when dealing with mathematical modeling problems. Accordingly, approaches for supporting students in modeling-based learning environments have to be investigated. In the research presented here, we adopted a scaffolding perspective on teaching modeling with the aim of both providing…

Glogs as Non-Routine Problem Solving Tools in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devine, Matthew T.

2013-01-01

In mathematical problem solving, American students are falling behind their global peers because of a lack of foundational and reasoning skills. A specific area of difficulty with problem solving is working non-routine, heuristic-based problems. Many students are not provided with effective instruction and often grow frustrated and dislike math.…

Socially Shared Metacognition of Dyads of Pupils in Collaborative Mathematical Problem-Solving Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iiskala, Tuike; Vauras, Marja; Lehtinen, Erno; Salonen, Pekka

2011-01-01

This study investigated how metacognition appears as a socially shared phenomenon within collaborative mathematical word-problem solving processes of dyads of high-achieving pupils. Four dyads solved problems of different difficulty levels. The pupils were 10 years old. The problem-solving activities were videotaped and transcribed in terms of…

"Pretty Lights" and Maths! Increasing Student Engagement and Enhancing Learning through the Use of Electronic Voting Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Samuel O.; Robinson, Carol L.

2009-01-01

University classes in Mathematics are traditionally perceived to be uninspiring and devoid of active student-lecturer communication. Large undergraduate classes further compound the difficulty of engaging students and enabling viable student-lecturer feedback. At the Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, some staff members have…

Thinking Process of Naive Problem Solvers to Solve Mathematical Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mairing, Jackson Pasini

2017-01-01

Solving problems is not only a goal of mathematical learning. Students acquire ways of thinking, habits of persistence and curiosity, and confidence in unfamiliar situations by learning to solve problems. In fact, there were students who had difficulty in solving problems. The students were naive problem solvers. This research aimed to describe…

Remediation for Students with Mathematics Difficulties: An Intervention Study in Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser Opitz, Elisabeth; Freesemann, Okka; Prediger, Susanne; Grob, Urs; Matull, Ina; Hußmann, Stephan

2017-01-01

As empirical studies have consistently shown, low achievement in mathematics at the secondary level can often be traced to deficits in the understanding of certain basic arithmetic concepts taught in primary school. The present intervention study in middle schools evaluated whether such learning deficits can be reduced effectively and whether the…

Positive Feelings towards the Learning of Mathematics for Low Achievers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tong, Cherng Luen; Leong, Yew Hoong; Quek, Khiok Seng

2013-01-01

A common area of difficulty and frustration for low achieving students is the operations involving negative numbers. The main objective of our innovations in this area with two classes of Year 7 low achieving students was to develop positive feelings towards mathematics, in particular of an appreciation for the "reasonableness" and clear…

The Connection Competencies of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers about Geometric Concepts to Daily-Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pirasa, Nimet

2016-01-01

However, geometry is the area with the most concrete possibility of mathematical topics which contains more abstract concepts, students experience difficulties while understanding. Therefore, the connection of issues with daily life to concrete the subjects and the ability of connecting geometric concepts with daily life of the teachers and…

Exploration of Mathematics Problem Solving Process Based on the Thinking Level of Students in Junior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Abdul; Ahmar, Ansari Saleh

2016-01-01

Several studies suggest that most students are not in the same level of development (Slavin, 2008). From concrete operation level to formal operation level, students experience lateness in the transition phase. Consequently, students feel difficulty in solving mathematics problems. Method research is a qualitatively descriptive-explorative…

Investigating the Incremental Validity of Cognitive Variables in Early Mathematics Screening

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Ben; Shanley, Lina; Kosty, Derek; Baker, Scott K.; Cary, Mari Strand; Fien, Hank; Smolkowski, Keith

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the incremental validity of a set of domain general cognitive measures added to a traditional screening battery of early numeracy measures. The sample consisted of 458 kindergarten students of whom 285 were designated as severely at-risk for mathematics difficulty. Hierarchical multiple regression…

Qualitative Investigation into Students' Use of Divergence and Curl in Electromagnetism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bollen, Laurens; van Kampen, Paul; Baily, Charles; De Cock, Mieke

2016-01-01

Many students struggle with the use of mathematics in physics courses. Although typically well trained in rote mathematical calculation, they often lack the ability to apply their acquired skills to physical contexts. Such student difficulties are particularly apparent in undergraduate electrodynamics, which relies heavily on the use of vector…

The Effect of Shift-Problem Lessons in the Mathematics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palha, Sonia; Dekker, Rijkje; Gravemeijer, Koeno

2015-01-01

It remains difficult to foster problem-solving and mathematical-reasoning capabilities in classrooms where students and teachers are accustomed to the more traditional forms of education. Several studies suggest that this difficulty might be related to the kind of knowledge students acquire in such environments, which could be fragmented and…

Why Do Some Children Have Difficulty Learning Mathematics? Looking at Language for Answers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morin, Joseph E.; Franks, David J.

2009-01-01

Some students enter the world of mathematics with a disadvantage. The authors explored the causes for this from a language-processing perspective. They were particularly concerned with students with potential learning disabilities or specific language impairments. They also explored the role of language-mediated instruction in creating an…

Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Schema Intervention: Improving Word Problem Solving for English Language Learners with Mathematics Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driver, Melissa K.; Powell, Sarah R.

2017-01-01

Word problems are prevalent on high-stakes assessments, and success on word problems has implications for grade promotion and graduation. Unfortunately, English Language Learners (ELLs) continue to perform significantly below their native English-speaking peers on mathematics assessments featuring word problems. Little is known about the…

Putting Teachers First: Leading Change through Design--Initiating and Sustaining Effective Teaching of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proffitt-White, Rob

2017-01-01

The Teachers First initiative is a grass-roots cluster-model approach for bringing together primary and secondary teachers and school principals: to analyse student performance data; design and practice activities and assessment tools; and promote teaching practices that address students' learning difficulties in mathematics. The balance of both…

Arithmetic Education and Learning Disabilities in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornoldi, C.; Lucangeli, D.

2004-01-01

In the first part of this article, we briefly present the context of mathematics education in Italy and its specific programs, teaching and assessment methods, use of psychological concepts, and policies in favor of pupils with difficulties. We illustrate the importance and the role of mathematics teachers' associations. In the second part, we…

Effects of an Early Numeracy Intervention on Struggling Kindergarteners' Mathematics Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Brian R.; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Roberts, Greg; Fall, Anna-Maria

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an early numeracy intervention delivered by kindergarten teachers to students identified as having mathematics difficulties. A multigroup growth-modeling-with-random-assignment-to-intervention-condition design was employed. Thirty-two teachers were randomly assigned to the treatment or…

Mathematics Education for Hispanic Students in the Border College Consortium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rendon, Laura I.

The Border College Consortium (BCC), formed by six Texas, California, and Arizona community colleges along the United States and Mexico border, used a survey to derive a profile of its mathematics and science students. The profile revealed that both Hispanic and White students had difficulties with word problems and study habits, wanted…

The Relation between Inattentive and Hyperactive/Impulsive Behaviors and Early Mathematics Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Darcey M.; Purpura, David J.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2016-01-01

Objective: Despite strong evidence that inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors are associated with mathematical difficulties in school-age children, little research has been conducted to examine the link between these constructs before the start of formal education. The purpose of this study was to examine how different manifestations of…

Mathematics Practice without Feedback: A Desirable Difficulty in a Classroom Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyfe, Emily R.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

2017-01-01

Recent research highlights the potential benefits of practice without feedback on learner's strategy knowledge. However, most prior work has been conducted in one-on-one settings with short retention intervals. We compared the effects of mathematics practice with and without correct-answer feedback on immediate and 1-week delayed performance in a…

Pre-Service Teachers' Computational Knowledge, Efficacy, and Number Sense Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinton, Vanessa

2011-01-01

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum Focal Points (2006) suggested heavy emphasis on instruction in whole numbers for young elementary students. Any intervention curriculum for students who are at-risk for mathematic difficulties should not be oversimplified. Number sense was defined by Berch (1998) as a developing…

Students' Understandings and Misconceptions of Algebraic Inequalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowntree, Rebecca V.

2009-01-01

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] requires students in grades nine through 12 to be able to explain inequalities using mathematical relational symbols and be able to understand the meaning of inequalities and their solutions (NCTM, 2000). Studies have shown that not only middle and high school students have difficulties with…

Examples in the Teaching of Mathematics: Teachers' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Lay Keow; Dindyal, Jaguthsing

2015-01-01

As part of a study examining how teachers in Singapore select and use examples for teaching mathematics, 121 teachers from 24 secondary schools responded to three open-ended questions about the use of examples in teaching. The results show that students' abilities and the difficulty level of the examples were among the topmost considerations…

Determining Difficulty of Questions in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunel, Korhan; Asliyan, Rifat

2009-01-01

The object of this study is to model the level of a question difficulty by a differential equation at a pre-specified domain knowledge, to be used in an educational support system. For this purpose, we have developed an intelligent tutoring system for mathematics education. Intelligent Tutoring Systems are computer systems designed for improvement…

The Effect of Visual-Chunking-Representation Accommodation on Geometry Testing for Students with Math Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Dake; Ding, Yi; Stegall, Joanna; Mo, Lei

2012-01-01

Students who struggle with learning mathematics often have difficulties with geometry problem solving, which requires strong visual imagery skills. These difficulties have been correlated with deficiencies in visual working memory. Cognitive psychology has shown that chunking of visual items accommodates students' working memory deficits. This…

Psycho-Pedagogical Interventions in the Prevention and the Therapy of Learning Difficulties in the Field of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anca, Maria; Hategan, Carolina

2009-01-01

In the given study dyscalculia is approached in the context of learning difficulties, but also in relation with damaged psychic processes and functions. The practical part of the study describes intervention models from the perspective of dyscalculia prevention and therapymaterialized in personalized intervention programs.

University Students' Conceptual Knowledge of Randomness and Probability in the Contexts of Evolution and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fiedler, Daniela; Tröbst, Steffen; Harms, Ute

2017-01-01

Students of all ages face severe conceptual difficulties regarding key aspects of evolution-- the central, unifying, and overarching theme in biology. Aspects strongly related to abstract "threshold" concepts like randomness and probability appear to pose particular difficulties. A further problem is the lack of an appropriate instrument…

Minding the Gap: Children's Difficulty Conceptualizing Spatial Intervals as Linear Measurement Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Tracy L.; Vasilyeva, Marina; Huttenlocher, Janellen; Levine, Susan C.

2015-01-01

Understanding measurement units is critical to mathematics and science learning, but it is a topic that American students find difficult. In 3 studies, we investigated the challenges underlying this difficulty in kindergarten and second grade by comparing performance on different versions of a linear measurement task. Children measured crayons…

Time Processing Impairments in Preschoolers at Risk of Developing Difficulties in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobia, Valentina; Rinaldi, Luca; Marzocchi, Gian Marco

2018-01-01

The occurrence of time processing problems in individuals with Development Dyscalculia (DD) has favored the view of a general magnitude system devoted to both numerical and temporal information. Yet, this scenario has been partially challenged by studies indicating that time difficulties can be attributed to poor calculation or counting skills,…

Prospective Elementary Teachers' Misunderstandings in Solving Ratio and Proportion Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monteiro, Cecilia

2003-01-01

This study explores difficulties that prospective elementary mathematics teachers have with the concepts of ratio and proportion, mainly when they are engaged in solving problems using algorithm procedures. These difficulties can be traced back to earlier experiences when they were students of junior and high school. The reflection on these…

Hard Lessons: Why Rational Number Arithmetic Is so Difficult for so Many People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegler, Robert S.; Lortie-Forgues, Hugues

2017-01-01

Fraction and decimal arithmetic pose large difficulties for many children and adults. This is a serious problem, because proficiency with these skills is crucial for learning more advanced mathematics and science and for success in many occupations. This review identifies two main classes of difficulties that underlie poor understanding of…

Specifying Theories of Developmental Dyslexia: A Diffusion Model Analysis of Word Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeguers, Maaike H. T.; Snellings, Patrick; Tijms, Jurgen; Weeda, Wouter D.; Tamboer, Peter; Bexkens, Anika; Huizenga, Hilde M.

2011-01-01

The nature of word recognition difficulties in developmental dyslexia is still a topic of controversy. We investigated the contribution of phonological processing deficits and uncertainty to the word recognition difficulties of dyslexic children by mathematical diffusion modeling of visual and auditory lexical decision data. The first study showed…

The Difficulties That the Undergraduate Students Face about Inner Product Space

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burhanzade, Hülya; Aygör, Nilgün

2016-01-01

In this qualitative research, we studied difficulties that undergraduate students face while learning the concept of inner product space. Participants were 35 first-year mathematics students from Yildiz Technical University in the 2011 and 2012 academic years. We asked participants to solve 5 inner product space questions. Data were jointly…

Comparison of Difficulties and Reliabilities of Math-Completion and Multiple-Choice Item Formats.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oosterhof, Albert C.; Coats, Pamela K.

Instructors who develop classroom examinations that require students to provide a numerical response to a mathematical problem are often very concerned about the appropriateness of the multiple-choice format. The present study augments previous research relevant to this concern by comparing the difficulty and reliability of multiple-choice and…

The effects of computer-assisted instruction on the mathematics performance and classroom behavior of children with ADHD.

PubMed

Mautone, Jennifer A; DuPaul, George J; Jitendra, Asha K

2005-08-01

The present study examines the effects of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on the mathematics performance and classroom behavior of three second-through fourth-grade students with ADHD. A controlled case study is used to evaluate the effects of the computer software on participants' mathematics performance and on-task behavior. Participants' mathematics achievement improve and their on-task behavior increase during the CAI sessions relative to independent seatwork conditions. In addition, students and teachers consider CAI to be an acceptable intervention for some students with ADHD who are having difficulty with mathematics. Implications of these results for practice and research are discussed.

Howard University Symposium on Nonlinear Semigroups, Partial Differential Equations and Attractors (2nd) Held in Washington, D. C. on 3-7 August 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-30

Optics" 9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Stuart Antman , University of Maryland "Asymptotics of Quasilinear Equations of Viscoelasticit 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. Jerome A... Antman 11. John Cannon Mathematics Department Dir of Math Science University of Maryland Office of Naval Research College Park, MD 20742 Arlington, VA

Measuring Overcast Colors with All-Sky Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-01

NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) United States Naval Academy (USNA),Mathematics...Science Department,Annapolis,MD,21402 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR...are vestigial (29 No- vember 2006 curve). A few overcasts are bluest near the horizon, and this causes particularly large colori- metric excursions

Longitudinal Associations between Executive Control and Developing Mathematical Competence in Preschool Boys and Girls

PubMed Central

Clark, Caron A.C.; Sheffield, Tiffany D.; Wiebe, Sandra A.; Espy, Kimberly Andrews

2012-01-01

Executive control (EC) is related to mathematics performance in middle childhood. However, little is known regarding how EC and informal numeracy differentially support mathematics skill acquisition in preschoolers. A sample of preschoolers (115 girls, 113 boys), stratified by social risk, completed an EC task battery at 3 years, informal numeracy assessments at 3.75 and 4.5 years, and a broad mathematics assessment during kindergarten. Strong associations were observed between latent EC at 3 and mathematics achievement in kindergarten, which remained robust after accounting for earlier informal numeracy, socio-economic status, language and processing speed. Relations between EC and mathematics achievement were stronger in girls than boys. Findings highlight the unique role of EC in predicting which children may have difficulty transitioning to formal mathematics instruction. PMID:23006040

Mathematical difficulties in nonverbal learning disability or co-morbid dyscalculia and dyslexia.

PubMed

Mammarella, Irene C; Bomba, Monica; Caviola, Sara; Broggi, Fiorenza; Neri, Francesca; Lucangeli, Daniela; Nacinovich, Renata

2013-01-01

The main goal of the present study was to shed further light on the weaknesses of children with different profiles of mathematical difficulties, testing children with nonverbal learning disability (NLD), co-morbid dyscalculia and dyslexia (D&D), or typical development (TD). Sixteen children with NLD, 15 with D&D, and 16 with TD completed tasks derived from Butterworth (2003 ) and divided into: a capacity subscale (i.e., a number-dots comparison task, a number comparison task, and a dots comparison task); and an achievement subscale (i.e., mental calculations and arithmetical fact retrieval). Children with NLD were impaired in the dots comparison task, children with D&D in the mental calculation and arithmetical facts.

Early Executive Function and Mathematics Relations: Correlation Does Not Ensure Concordance.

PubMed

Mazzocco, Michèle M M; Chan, Jenny Yun-Chen; Bock, Allison M

2017-01-01

In this chapter, we address one potentially overlooked component of the relation between executive function (EF) skills and early mathematics, a relation for which there is widespread empirical support. Evidence for this relation has, thus far, been largely correlational. Here we emphasize that because positive correlations do not guarantee concordance among all members of a sample or population, a small but meaningful number of children may either fare well in mathematics despite poor EF skills, or may have strong EF skills despite weak mathematics skills. We propose that attention to different profiles of discordance for EF and mathematics may help identify individualized learning needs for students at risk for mathematics difficulties and disabilities. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Mental Health in General Family Medicine - obstacles and expectations perceived by Family Physicians].

PubMed

Fernandes, Liliana; Basílio, Nuno; Figueira, Sofia; Nunes, José Mendes

2017-03-01

This study seeks to understand the difficulties experienced by family physicians (FP) in the management of mental disorders (MD) and their proposals to improve the quality of care. It is qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with ten family physicians. These were recorded, transcribed and their content analyzed. Eight thematic categories were identified: perceived working conditions and available resources; perceived level of training in mental health; therapies used for treatment of MD; mental health instruments used in consultation; MD addressed in Primary Health Care (PHC) and referral to hospitals; patient's reaction to referral; articulation of PHC with hospitals; proposals to improve mental health care in PHC. Articulation with the Mental Health Services suffers from lack of accessibility, one-way communication and delayed response. The FP propose creation of consultancies; multidisciplinary teams in the community; creating a two-way communication platform; continuous learning through discussion of cases. The FP have responsibilities in providing MHC. This requires working in a multidisciplinary team. Services should be organized to function as a learning system that allows the progressive improvement of the professionals and the improvement of the interfaces between them.

Glaucoma Severity and Participation in Diverse Social Roles: Does Visual Field Loss Matter?

PubMed

Yang, Yelin; Trope, Graham E; Buys, Yvonne M; Badley, Elizabeth M; Gignac, Monique A M; Shen, Carl; Jin, Ya-Ping

2016-07-01

To assess the association between glaucoma severity and participation in diverse social roles. Cross-sectional survey. Individuals with glaucoma, 50+, with visual acuity in the better eye >20/50 were enrolled. They were classified into 3 groups based on visual field loss in the better eye: mild [mean deviation (MD)>-6 dB], moderate (MD, -6 to -12 dB), and severe (MD<-12 dB). The validated Social Role Participation Questionnaire assessed respondents' perceptions of the importance, difficulty, and satisfaction with participation in 11 social role domains (eg, community events, travel). Differences between groups were examined using multivariate linear regression analyses. A total of 118 participants (52% female) were included: 60 mild, 29 moderate, and 29 severe. All social role domains were rated as important by all participants except for education and employment. Women (P<0.01), those with a partner (P<0.01), and those who were less depressed (P=0.03) reported higher scores of perceived importance of participating in social activities. Compared with those with mild glaucoma, individuals with severe glaucoma reported significantly more difficulty participating in community/religious/cultural events (P<0.01), travelling (P<0.01), and relationships with family members (P=0.01). They also reported less satisfaction with travelling (P=0.01) and social events (P=0.04). Participation in diverse social roles is valued by individuals with glaucoma. Severe visual field loss impedes involvement in and satisfaction with activities in community/religious/cultural events, travelling, and relationships with family members. Appropriate community and targeted interventions are needed to allow people with severe glaucoma to maintain active social participation-a key component to successful aging.

Effects of a Supplemental Intervention Focused in Equivalency Concepts for Students with Varying Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Jessica H.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a Tier 2 supplemental intervention focused on rational number equivalency concepts and applications on the mathematics performance of third-grade students with and without mathematics difficulties. The researcher used a pretest-posttest control group design and random assignment of 19…

Improving Mathematics Teaching and Learning Experiences for Hard of Hearing Students with Wireless Technology-Enhanced Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Chen-Chung; Chou, Chien-Chia; Liu, Baw-Jhiune; Yang, Jui-Wen

2006-01-01

Hard of hearing students usually face more difficulties at school than other students. A classroom environment with wireless technology was implemented to explore whether wireless technology could enhance mathematics learning and teaching activities for a hearing teacher and her 7 hard of hearing students in a Taiwan junior high school.…

Student Strategies Suggesting Emergence of Mental Structures Supporting Logical and Abstract Thinking: Multiplicative Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrier, Jim

2014-01-01

For many students, developing mathematical reasoning can prove to be challenging. Such difficulty may be explained by a deficit in the core understanding of many arithmetical concepts taught in early school years. Multiplicative reasoning is one such concept that produces an essential foundation upon which higher-level mathematical thinking skills…

Approach to Mathematics in Textbooks at Tertiary Level--Exploring Authors' Views about Their Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randahl, Mira

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to present and discuss some results from an inquiry into mathematics textbooks authors' visions about their texts and approaches they choose when new concepts are introduced. Authors' responses are discussed in relation to results about students' difficulties with approaching calculus reported by previous research. A…

Assessing Translation Misconceptions inside the Classroom: A Presentation of an Instrument and Its Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangulabnan, Pauline Anne Therese M.

2013-01-01

This is a descriptive research on the difficulties of Filipino high school students in translating algebraic word problems into mathematical equations. This research is composed of three parts: (1) development of an 11-page "Filipinized" questionnaire; (2) analysis of the mathematical thinking processes of the respondents based on the answers to…

Forms of Generalization in Students Experiencing Mathematical Learning Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santi, George; Baccaglini-Frank, Anna

2015-01-01

We shift the view of a special needs student away from the acknowledged view, that is as a student who requires interventions to restore a currently expected functioning behaviour, introducing a new paradigm to frame special needs students' learning of mathematics. We use the theory of objectification and the new paradigm to look at (and…

The Answering Process for Multiple-Choice Questions in Collaborative Learning: A Mathematical Learning Model Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Nishi, Shinnosuke; Muramatsu, Yuta; Yasutake, Koichi; Yamakawa, Osamu; Tagawa, Takahiro

2014-01-01

In this paper, we introduce a mathematical model for collaborative learning and the answering process for multiple-choice questions. The collaborative learning model is inspired by the Ising spin model and the model for answering multiple-choice questions is based on their difficulty level. An intensive simulation study predicts the possibility of…

Angle Concept: A High School and Tertiary Longitudinal Perspective to Minimize Obstacles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barabash, Marita

2017-01-01

The concept of angle emerges in numerous forms as the learning of mathematics and its applications advances through the high school and tertiary curriculum. Many difficulties and misconceptions in the usage of this multifaceted concept might be avoided or at least minimized should the lecturers in different areas of pure and applied mathematics be…

Life on the Number Line: Routes to Understanding Fraction Magnitude for Students with Difficulties Learning Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell; Schumacher, Robin F.; Jordan, Nancy C.

2017-01-01

Magnitude understanding is critical for students to develop a deep understanding of fractions and more advanced mathematics curriculum. The research reports in this special issue underscore magnitude understanding for fractions and emphasize number lines as both an assessment and an instructional tool. In this commentary, we discuss how number…

[Mathematical models and epidemiological analysis].

PubMed

Gerasimov, A N

2010-01-01

The limited use of mathematical simulation in epidemiology is due not only to the difficulty of monitoring the epidemic process and identifying its parameters but also to the application of oversimplified models. It is shown that realistic reproduction of actual morbidity dynamics requires taking into account heterogeneity and finiteness of the population and seasonal character of pathogen transmission mechanism.

Problematic Topics in First-Year Mathematics: Lecturer and Student Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ní Shé, Caitríona; Mac an Bhaird, Ciarán; Ní Fhloinn, Eabhnat; O'Shea, Ann

2017-01-01

In this paper we report on the outcomes of two surveys carried out in higher education institutions of Ireland; one of students attending first-year undergraduate non-specialist mathematics modules and another of their lecturers. The surveys aimed to identify the topics that these students found difficult, whether they had most difficulty with the…

An Onto-Semiotic Analysis of Combinatorial Problems and the Solving Processes by University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Godino, Juan D.; Batanero, Carmen; Roa, Rafael

2005-01-01

In this paper we describe an ontological and semiotic model for mathematical knowledge, using elementary combinatorics as an example. We then apply this model to analyze the solving process of some combinatorial problems by students with high mathematical training, and show its utility in providing a semiotic explanation for the difficulty of…

Comparison of the Effects of Computer-Based Practice and Conceptual Understanding Interventions on Mathematics Fact Retention and Generalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanive, Rebecca; Nelson, Peter M.; Burns, Matthew K.; Ysseldyke, James

2014-01-01

The authors' purpose was to determine the effects of computer-based practice and conceptual interventions on computational fluency and word-problem solving of fourth- and fifth-grade students with mathematics difficulties. A randomized pretest-posttest control group design found that students assigned to the computer-based practice intervention…

Local Instruction Theory on Division in Mathematics GASING: The Case of Rural Area's Student in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prahmana, Rully Charitas Indra; Suwasti, Petra

2014-01-01

Several studies on learning mathematics for rural area's student indicate that students have difficulty in understanding the concept of division operation. Students are more likely to be introduced by the use of the formula without involving the concept itself and learning division separate the concrete situation of learning process. This…

Elementary School Preservice Teachers' Competencies in the Field of Patterns under the Process of Scientific Skills Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inan, Cemil

2015-01-01

Probably the simplest and most comprehensive definition to be made regarding the question of "what is mathematics?" will be that "mathematics is a science of patterns and relationships". It is possible to examine patterns in different levels of difficulty and importance from preschool period to advanced levels. In fact, the…

Meta-Analysis of Math Interventions for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Templeton, Tran Nguyen; Neel, Richard S.; Blood, Erika

2008-01-01

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) struggle in the area of academics as well as behavior, and these academic difficulties manifest a great deal in mathematics. The number of children with EBD served in general education settings is increasing, and mathematics curriculum is expanding to include additional content areas and more…

How Can One Learn Mathematical Word Problems in a Second Language? A Cognitive Load Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moussa-Inaty, Jase; Causapin, Mark; Groombridge, Timothy

2015-01-01

Language may ordinarily account for difficulties in solving word problems and this is particularly true if mathematical word problems are taught in a language other than one's native language. Research into cognitive load may offer a clear theoretical framework when investigating word problems because memory, specifically working memory, plays a…

Success in Mathematics within a Challenged Minority: The Case of Students of Ethiopian Origin in Israel (SEO)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulat, Tiruwork; Arcavi, Abraham

2009-01-01

Many studies have reported on the economical, social, and educational difficulties encountered by Ethiopian Jews since their immigration to Israel. Furthermore, the overall academic underachievement and poor representation of students of Ethiopian origin (SEO) in the advanced mathematics and science classes were highlighted and described. Yet,…

Relationship between the Learning Hierarchy and Academic Achievement on Strategies Used by Third-Grade Students When Solving Multiplication Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kanive, Rebecca A.

2016-01-01

Distinguishing between sources of variability in mathematics performance may contribute to a more comprehensive theory of mathematics skills. Research has examined student differences based upon scores on achievement tests, which provide overall proficiency, but may not provide the detailed information for identifying and remediating difficulties.…

Understanding Problem-Solving Errors by Students with Learning Disabilities in Standards-Based and Traditional Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouck, Emily C.; Bouck, Mary K.; Joshi, Gauri S.; Johnson, Linley

2016-01-01

Students with learning disabilities struggle with word problems in mathematics classes. Understanding the type of errors students make when working through such mathematical problems can further describe student performance and highlight student difficulties. Through the use of error codes, researchers analyzed the type of errors made by 14 sixth…

Sowing the Seeds of Algebraic Generalization: Designing Epistemic Affordances for an Intelligent Microworld

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavrikis, M.; Noss, R.; Hoyles, C.; Geraniou, E.

2013-01-01

This paper describes the design of a mathematical microworld to tackle the persistent difficulties that secondary school students have with the idea of algebraic generalization, which is a key stumbling block in secondary-school mathematics classrooms. Our focus is to characterize algebraic ways of thinking and to design both affordances of the…

Interdisciplinary Mathematics-Physics Approaches to Teaching the Concept of Angle in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munier, Valerie; Merle, Helene

2009-01-01

The present study takes an interdisciplinary mathematics-physics approach to the acquisition of the concept of angle by children in Grades 3-5. This paper first presents the theoretical framework we developed, then we analyse the concept of angle and the difficulties pupils have with it. Finally, we report three experimental physics-based teaching…

Defective Number Sense or Impaired Access? Differential Impairments in Different Subgroups of Children with Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Terry T.-Y.; Ho, Connie S.-H.; Tang, Joey

2017-01-01

Developmental dyscalculia (DD) is a specific learning disability in mathematics that affects around 6% of the population. Currently, the core deficit of DD remains unknown. While the number sense deficit hypothesis suggests that the core deficit of DD lies in the inability to represent nonsymbolic numerosity, the access deficit hypothesis suggests…

Why Learning Common Fractions Is Uncommonly Difficult: Unique Challenges Faced by Students with Mathematical Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berch, Daniel B.

2017-01-01

In this commentary, I examine some of the distinctive, foundational difficulties in learning fractions and other types of rational numbers encountered by students with a mathematical learning disability and how these differ from the struggles experienced by students classified as low achieving in math. I discuss evidence indicating that students…

Students' Difficulties with Definitions in the Context of Proofs in Elementary Set Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaker, Hedieh; Berger, Margot

2016-01-01

In this paper we explore first-year students' difficulties with the use and interpretation of definitions of mathematical objects as they attempt proof construction exercises in the area of elementary set theory. The participants are students at a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa. In this study the activities and utterances of…

Challenges in Designing Appropriate Scaffolding to Improve Students' Representational Consistency: The Case of a Gauss's Law Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maries, Alexandru; Lin, Shih-Yin; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-01-01

Prior research suggests that introductory physics students have difficulty with graphing and interpreting graphs. Here, we discuss an investigation of student difficulties in translating between mathematical and graphical representations for a problem in electrostatics and the effect of increasing levels of scaffolding on students'…

Fraction Intervention for Students with Mathematics Difficulties: Lessons Learned from Five Randomized Controlled Trials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Malone, Amelia S.; Schumacher, Robin F.; Namkung, Jessica; Wang, Amber

2017-01-01

In this article, the authors summarize results from 5 randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of intervention to improve the fraction performance of fourth-grade students at risk for difficulty in learning about fractions. The authors begin by explaining the importance of competence with fractions and why an instructional focus on…

Detecting a Gender-Related Differential Item Functioning Using Transformed Item Difficulty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abedalaziz, Nabeel; Leng, Chin Hai; Alahmadi, Ahlam

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine gender differences in performance on multiple-choice mathematical ability test, administered within the context of high school graduation test that was designed to match eleventh grade curriculum. The transformed item difficulty (TID) was used to detect a gender related DIF. A random sample of 1400 eleventh…

A Joint Probabilistic Classification Model of Relevant and Irrelevant Sentences in Mathematical Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cetintas, Suleyman; Si, Luo; Xin, Yan Ping; Zhang, Dake; Park, Joo Young; Tzur, Ron

2010-01-01

Estimating the difficulty level of math word problems is an important task for many educational applications. Identification of relevant and irrelevant sentences in math word problems is an important step for calculating the difficulty levels of such problems. This paper addresses a novel application of text categorization to identify two types of…

An Investigation into Students' Difficulties in Numerical Problem Solving Questions in High School Biology Using a Numeracy Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Fraser J.

2016-01-01

The "mathematics problem" is a well-known source of difficulty for students attempting numerical problem solving questions in the context of science education. This paper illuminates this problem from a biology education perspective by invoking Hogan's numeracy framework. In doing so, this study has revealed that the contextualisation of…

Curriculum Reform in Irish Secondary Schools--A Focus on Algebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prendergast, Mark; Treacy, Paraic

2018-01-01

Algebra has long been identified as an area of difficulty in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Evidence of this difficulty can be found in Irish secondary-level classrooms. Chief Examiner Reports have consistently identified algebra as an area of student weakness in State examinations. In light of poor student performance, and as part of a…

Effects of Self-Monitoring on Math Competency of an Elementary Student with Cerebral Palsy in an Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehey, Patricia H.; Wells, Jenny C.; Rowe, Mary

2017-01-01

Students with cerebral palsy (CP) without severe intellectual impairments often experience difficulties in mathematics performance. Given the high prevalence of learning difficulties in students with CP, few studies have examined interventions to improve the math competency of these students (Jenks et al., 2009). A single-subject reversal design…

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…

Preservice Teachers' Reasoning about Relationships That Are and Are Not Proportional: A Knowledge-in-Pieces Account

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izsák, Andrew; Jacobson, Erik

2017-01-01

Past studies have documented students' and teachers' persistent difficulties in determining whether 2 quantities covary in a direct proportion, especially when presented missing-value word problems. In the current study, we combine a mathematical analysis with a psychological perspective to offer a new explanation for such difficulties. The…

Teachers' Difficulties in Preparation and Implementation of Performance Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metin, Mustafa

2013-01-01

The aim of study is to determinate the difficulties of teachers in preparation and implementation of performance task. This study was carried out with 25 teachers (5 science and technology, 5 primary, 5 mathematic, 5 social science and 5 Turkish teachers) who working at elementary schools in Artvin. Sample of study is selected randomly. Case study…

Un estudio de evaluacion educativa manipulativos en el aprendizaje de las matematicas con estudiantes hispanos adquiriendo ingles academico como segunda lengua (A Study of the Use of Manipulatives in the Assessment of Mathematics Instruction with ESL Hispanic Students).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Parker, Richard; Aviles, Claudia; Mason, Samantha; Irby, Beverly J.

1998-01-01

As an alternative form of mathematics assessment for use with limited-English-proficient students, 14 mathematics tasks using manipulatives were administered to 45 Hispanic students in grades 1-3 and readministered 2-3 weeks later. Test reliability and validity, task difficulty, and the relationship among test subscales across grades were…

Testing accommodation or modification? The effects of integrated object representation on enhancing geometry performance in children with and without geometry difficulties.

PubMed

Zhang, Dake; Wang, Qiu; Ding, Yi; Liu, Jeremy Jian

2014-01-01

According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, geometry and spatial sense are fundamental components of mathematics learning. However, learning disabilities (LD) research has shown that many K-12 students encounter particular geometry difficulties (GD). This study examined the effect of an integrated object representation (IOR) accommodation on the test performance of students with GD compared to students without GD. Participants were 118 elementary students who took a researcher-developed geometry problem solving test under both a standard testing condition and an IOR accommodation condition. A total of 36 students who were classified with GD scored below 40% correct in the geometry problem solving test in the standard testing condition, and 82 students who were classified without GD scored equal to or above 40% correct in the same test and condition. All students were tested in both standard testing condition and IOR accommodation condition. The results from both ANOVA and regression discontinuity (RD) analyses suggested that students with GD benefited more than students without GD from the IOR accommodation. Implications of the study are discussed in terms of providing accommodations for students with mathematics learning difficulties and recommending RD design in LD research. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations, Challenges and Opportunities: A Biologist's Prospective.

PubMed

Kumari, Indu; Sandhu, Padmani; Ahmed, Mushtaq; Akhter, Yusuf

2017-08-30

Molecular dynamics (MD) is a computational technique which is used to study biomolecules in virtual environment. Each of the constituent atoms represents a particle and hence the biomolecule embodies a multi-particle mechanical system analyzed within a simulation box during MD analysis. The potential energies of the atoms are explained by a mathematical expression consisting of different forces and space parameters. There are various software and force fields that have been developed for MD studies of the biomolecules. MD analysis has unravelled the various biological mechanisms (protein folding/unfolding, protein-small molecule interactions, protein-protein interactions, DNA/RNA-protein interactions, proteins embedded in membrane, lipid-lipid interactions, drug transport etc.) operating at the atomic and molecular levels. However, there are still some parameters including torsions in amino acids, carbohydrates (whose structure is extended and not well defined like that of proteins) and single stranded nucleic acids for which the force fields need further improvement, although there are several workers putting in constant efforts in these directions. The existing force fields are not efficient for studying the crowded environment inside the cells, since these interactions involve multiple factors in real time. Therefore, the improved force fields may provide the opportunities for their wider applications on the complex biosystems in diverse cellular conditions. In conclusion, the intervention of MD in the basic sciences involving interdisciplinary approaches will be helpful for understanding many fundamental biological and physiological processes at the molecular levels that may be further applied in various fields including biotechnology, fisheries, sustainable agriculture and biomedical research. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Limited Near and Far Transfer Effects of Jungle Memory Working Memory Training on Learning Mathematics in Children with Attentional and Mathematical Difficulties.

PubMed

Nelwan, Michel; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H

2016-01-01

The goal of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate whether Jungle Memory working memory training (JM) affects performance on working memory tasks, performance in mathematics and gains made on a mathematics training (MT) in school aged children between 9-12 years old ( N = 64) with both difficulties in mathematics, as well as attention and working memory. Children were randomly assigned to three groups and were trained in two periods: (1) JM first, followed by MT, (2) MT first, followed by JM, and (3) a control group that received MT only. Bayesian analyses showed possible short term effects of JM on near transfer measures of verbal working memory, but none on visual working memory. Furthermore, support was found for the hypothesis that children that received JM first, performed better after MT than children who did not follow JM first or did not train with JM at all. However, these effects could be explained at least partly by frequency of training effects, possibly due to motivational issues, and training-specific factors. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the effects found on improving mathematics were actually mediated by gains in working memory. It is argued that JM might not train the components of working memory involved in mathematics sufficiently. Another possible explanation can be found in the training's lack of adaptivity, therefore failing to provide the children with tailored instruction and feedback. Finally, it was hypothesized that, since effect sizes are generally small, training effects are bound to a critical period in development.

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.

Limited Near and Far Transfer Effects of Jungle Memory Working Memory Training on Learning Mathematics in Children with Attentional and Mathematical Difficulties

PubMed Central

Nelwan, Michel; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H.

2016-01-01

The goal of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate whether Jungle Memory working memory training (JM) affects performance on working memory tasks, performance in mathematics and gains made on a mathematics training (MT) in school aged children between 9–12 years old (N = 64) with both difficulties in mathematics, as well as attention and working memory. Children were randomly assigned to three groups and were trained in two periods: (1) JM first, followed by MT, (2) MT first, followed by JM, and (3) a control group that received MT only. Bayesian analyses showed possible short term effects of JM on near transfer measures of verbal working memory, but none on visual working memory. Furthermore, support was found for the hypothesis that children that received JM first, performed better after MT than children who did not follow JM first or did not train with JM at all. However, these effects could be explained at least partly by frequency of training effects, possibly due to motivational issues, and training-specific factors. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the effects found on improving mathematics were actually mediated by gains in working memory. It is argued that JM might not train the components of working memory involved in mathematics sufficiently. Another possible explanation can be found in the training’s lack of adaptivity, therefore failing to provide the children with tailored instruction and feedback. Finally, it was hypothesized that, since effect sizes are generally small, training effects are bound to a critical period in development. PMID:27708595

Technologies Underlying Weapons of Mass Destruction

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

Chemica / Agents (Aberdee~ MD: Edgewood Arsenal Special Tectical Repom 1969). 20 Alan R. Pittaway, “The Difficulty of Converting Pesticide Plants...completion. Libyan government officials adamantly insisted that the Rabta facility was a pharmaceutical plant, designated Pharma -150. Yet the factory was...the control unit, burn-off unit, corrosion-proof Iining on pipes, and escape routes) make it possible to draw the conclusion that ‘ Pharma 150’ is a

Development of Principles for Multimodal Displays in Army Human-Robot Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Research Laboratory ATTN: RDRL- HRM -D Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5425 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT...the practical limitations of various cognitive resource channels for HRI tasks. 2.1.2 Purpose Now that MRT and the common workload manipulations...with more mission targets. • Workload conditions were not counter-balanced for practice effects. 7 Increasing task difficulty generally

Some unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korshunov, Aleksei D.

2009-10-01

There are many unsolved problems in discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Writing a comprehensive survey of such problems involves great difficulties. First, such problems are rather numerous and varied. Second, they greatly differ from each other in degree of completeness of their solution. Therefore, even a comprehensive survey should not attempt to cover the whole variety of such problems; only the most important and significant problems should be reviewed. An impersonal choice of problems to include is quite hard. This paper includes 13 unsolved problems related to combinatorial mathematics and computational complexity theory. The problems selected give an indication of the author's studies for 50 years; for this reason, the choice of the problems reviewed here is, to some extent, subjective. At the same time, these problems are very difficult and quite important for discrete mathematics and mathematical cybernetics. Bibliography: 74 items.

Analysis of junior high school students' difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utami, Aliksia Kristiana Dwi; Mardiyana, Pramudya, Ikrar

2017-08-01

Geometry is one part of the mathematics that must be learned in school and it has important effects on the development of creative thinking skills of learners, but in fact, there are some difficulties experienced by the students. This research focuses on analysis difficulty in resolving rectangular conceptual problems among junior high school students in every creative thinking skills level. This research used a descriptive method aimed to identify the difficulties and cause of the difficulties experienced by five students. The difficulties are associated with rectangular shapes and related problems. Data collection was done based on students' work through test, interview, and observations. The result revealed that student' difficulties in understanding the rectangular concept can be found at every creative thinking skills level. The difficulties are identifying the objects rectangular in the daily life except for a rectangle and square, analyzing the properties of rectangular shapes, and seeing the interrelationships between figures.

[Learning difficulties in mathematics in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder].

PubMed

Miranda-Casas, A; Meliá-de Alba, A; Marco-Taverner, R; Roselló, B; Mulas, F

2006-02-13

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning difficulties are two diagnostic categories of great social importance and impact, and which are associated in around 25-35% of cases. One explanation offered by researchers to account for this overlap is a deficit in executive functioning (EF). 1) To compare EF and applied mathematical knowledge in children with ADHD, difficulties in learning mathematics (DLM) or ADHD + DLM, and to identify the deficiencies they experience. 2) To verify whether the phenotype hypothesis is fulfilled in the case of the ADHD + DLM condition. The study involved a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 design, with a sample made up of 78 participants (6-13 years old) who were divided into four groups: ADHD (n = 33), DLM (n = 15), ADHD + DLM (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). Tests aimed at evaluating different cognitive processes as well as applied mathematical knowledge were administered: inhibitory control (go/no go); verbal working (backward digit-recall and counting memory task) and temporal-visual-spatial memory; short-term memory (direct digit-recall); attention (CPT); calculation speed (Canals) and real-life problems. Taking the variables age, gender and intelligence quotient as covariables, results showed that the three groups with problems displayed a deficit of attention and in working memory; the DLM group stood out from the other owing to the presence of a specific deficiency affecting the ability to recall temporal-visual-spatial information. In contrast, deficits in inhibitory control were seen to be specific to ADHD. Finally, findings did not support the phenotype hypothesis, and it was therefore an accumulative profile.

Challenges in designing appropriate scaffolding to improve students' representational consistency: The case of a Gauss's law problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maries, Alexandru; Lin, Shih-Yin; Singh, Chandralekha

2017-12-01

Prior research suggests that introductory physics students have difficulty with graphing and interpreting graphs. Here, we discuss an investigation of student difficulties in translating between mathematical and graphical representations for a problem in electrostatics and the effect of increasing levels of scaffolding on students' representational consistency. Students in calculus-based introductory physics were given a typical problem that can be solved using Gauss's law involving a spherically symmetric charge distribution in which they were asked to write a mathematical expression for the electric field in various regions and then plot the electric field. In study 1, we found that students had great difficulty in plotting the electric field as a function of the distance from the center of the sphere consistent with the mathematical expressions in various regions, and interviews with students suggested possible reasons which may account for this difficulty. Therefore, in study 2, we designed two scaffolding interventions with levels of support which built on each other (i.e., the second scaffolding level built on the first) in order to help students plot their expressions consistently and compared the performance of students provided with scaffolding with a comparison group which was not given any scaffolding support. Analysis of student performance with different levels of scaffolding reveals that scaffolding from an expert perspective beyond a certain level may sometimes hinder student performance and students may not even discern the relevance of the additional support. We provide possible interpretations for these findings based on in-depth, think-aloud student interviews.

The Role of Mathematical Models in Understanding Pattern Formation in Developmental Biology

PubMed Central

Umulis, David M.

2016-01-01

In a Wall Street Journal article published on April 5, 2013, E. O. Wilson attempted to make the case that biologists do not really need to learn any mathematics—whenever they run into difficulty with numerical issues, they can find a technician (aka mathematician) to help them out of their difficulty. He formalizes this in Wilsons Principle No. 1: “It is far easier for scientists to acquire needed collaboration from mathematicians and statisticians than it is for mathematicians and statisticians to find scientists able to make use of their equations.” This reflects a complete misunderstanding of the role of mathematics in all sciences throughout history. To Wilson, mathematics is mere number crunching, but as Galileo said long ago, “The laws of Nature are written in the language of mathematics…the symbols are triangles, circles and other geometrical figures, without whose help it is impossible to comprehend a single word.” Mathematics has moved beyond the geometry-based model of Galileo’s time, and in a rebuttal to Wilson, E. Frenkel has pointed out the role of mathematics in synthesizing the general principles in science (Both point and counter-point are available in Wilson and Frenkel in Notices Am Math Soc 60(7):837–838, 2013). We will take this a step further and show how mathematics has been used to make new and experimentally verified discoveries in developmental biology and how mathematics is essential for understanding a problem that has puzzled experimentalists for decades—that of how organisms can scale in size. Mathematical analysis alone cannot “solve” these problems since the validation lies at the molecular level, but conversely, a growing number of questions in biology cannot be solved without mathematical analysis and modeling. Herein, we discuss a few examples of the productive intercourse between mathematics and biology. PMID:25280665

Helping Students with Mathematics Difficulties Understand Ratios and Proportions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Barbara; Bryant, Diane Pedrotty; Bryant, Brian R.; Shin, Mikyung

2016-01-01

Cara, a seventh-grade student with learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics, believes that the ratio 2:3 is equivalent to 4:5 because there is a difference of one between the two numbers in each ratio and there is a difference of two between corresponding numbers in the two ratios (2 + 2 = 4 and 3 + 2 = 5). This misconception affects her ability…

A Number Sense Intervention for Low-Income Kindergartners at Risk for Mathematics Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyson, Nancy I.; Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph

2013-01-01

Early number sense is a strong predictor of later success in school mathematics. A disproportionate number of children from low-income families come to first grade with weak number competencies, leaving them at risk for a cycle of failure. The present study examined the effects of an 8-week number sense intervention to develop number competencies…

Identifying Students' Mathematical Skills from a Multiple-Choice Diagnostic Test Using an Iterative Technique to Minimise False Positives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, S.; Dix, A.

2008-01-01

There is anecdotal evidence that a significant number of students studying computing related courses at degree level have difficulty with sub-GCE mathematics. Testing of students' skills is often performed using diagnostic tests and a number of computer-based diagnostic tests exist, which work, essentially, by testing one specific diagnostic skill…

Is Small, Small Enough? Students' Understanding the Need for the Definition of the Derivative as a Limit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kidron, Ivy

2015-01-01

The research relates to undergraduate students' understanding of mathematical concepts that relate to the conceptualisation of the continuous such as the notion of limit. The cognitive difficulties that accompany the learning of these concepts at the different stages of the mathematics education are well reported in the literature. I analyse the…

A Rasch Analysis to Determine the Difficulty of the National Senior Certificate Mathematics Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sewry, Joyce; Mokilane, Paul

2014-01-01

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations were written for the second time in 2009 amid much criticism. In this study, scripts of candidates who wrote the NSC Mathematics examinations (papers 1 and 2) in 2009 were used as data to analyse the marks scored and then polytomous Rasch analysis was conducted for all the sub-questions to…

Secondary-to-Tertiary Comparison through the Lens of Ways of Doing Mathematics in Relation to Functions: A Study in Collaboration with Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corriveau, Claudia

2017-01-01

This article addresses the issue of transition from secondary to post-secondary education through collaborative research with teachers from both levels. It takes into account implicit elements in this transition. Research on the transition in mathematics education tends to focus more on the tertiary level, studying difficulties encountered by…

How Intuition and Language Use Relate to Students' Understanding of Span and Linear Independence in an Elementary Linear Algebra Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Catherine Frieda

2010-01-01

A possible contributing factor to students' difficulty in learning advanced mathematics is the conflict between students' "natural" learning styles and the formal structure of mathematics, which is based on definitions, theorems, and proofs. Students' natural learning styles may be a function of their intuition and language skills. The purpose of…

Analytical and molecular dynamics studies on the impact loading of single-layered graphene sheet by fullerene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini-Hashemi, Shahrokh; Sepahi-Boroujeni, Amin; Sepahi-Boroujeni, Saeid

2018-04-01

Normal impact performance of a system including a fullerene molecule and a single-layered graphene sheet is studied in the present paper. Firstly, through a mathematical approach, a new contact law is derived to describe the overall non-bonding interaction forces of the "hollow indenter-target" system. Preliminary verifications show that the derived contact law gives a reliable picture of force field of the system which is in good agreements with the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Afterwards, equation of the transversal motion of graphene sheet is utilized on the basis of both the nonlocal theory of elasticity and the assumptions of classical plate theory. Then, to derive dynamic behavior of the system, a set including the proposed contact law and the equations of motion of both graphene sheet and fullerene molecule is solved numerically. In order to evaluate outcomes of this method, the problem is modeled by MD simulation. Despite intrinsic differences between analytical and MD methods as well as various errors arise due to transient nature of the problem, acceptable agreements are established between analytical and MD outcomes. As a result, the proposed analytical method can be reliably used to address similar impact problems. Furthermore, it is found that a single-layered graphene sheet is capable of trapping fullerenes approaching with low velocities. Otherwise, in case of rebound, the sheet effectively absorbs predominant portion of fullerene energy.

Spontaneous Focusing on Quantitative Relations as a Predictor of the Development of Rational Number Conceptual Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullen, Jake; Hannula-Sormunen, Minna M.; Laakkonen, Eero; Lehtinen, Erno

2016-01-01

Many people have serious difficulties in understanding rational numbers, limiting their ability to interpret and make use of them in modern daily life. This also leads to later difficulties in learning more advanced mathematical content. In this study, novel tasks are used to measure 263 late primary school students' spontaneous focusing on…

The Trouble with Maths: A Practical Guide to Helping Learners with Numeracy Difficulties, 2nd Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinn, Steve

2011-01-01

Now in a second edition, the award-winning "The Trouble with Maths" offers important insights into the often confusing world of numeracy. By looking at learning difficulties in maths from several perspectives, including the language of mathematics, thinking styles and the demands of individual topics, this book offers a complete overview of the…

Fraction Intervention for Students with Mathematics Difficulties: Lessons Learned from Five Randomized Control Trials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Malone, Amelia S.; Schumacher, Robin F.; Namkung, Jessica; Wang, Amber

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article was to summarize results from 5 randomized control trials assessing the effects of intervention to improve the fraction performance of 4th-grade students at-risk for difficulty in learning about fractions. We begin by explaining the importance of competence with fractions and why an instructional focus on fractions…

Fraction Multiplication and Division Word Problems Posed by Different Years of Pre-Service Elementary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydogdu Iskenderoglu, Tuba

2018-01-01

It is important for pre-service teachers to know the conceptual difficulties they have experienced regarding the concepts of multiplication and division in fractions and problem posing is a way to learn these conceptual difficulties. Problem posing is a synthetic activity that fundamentally has multiple answers. The purpose of this study is to…

The Effects of Repetitive Reading and PQRS Strategy in the Development of Reading Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulu, Hacer; Akyol, Hayati

2016-01-01

Problem Statements: It is a fact that there are individual differences in education and it would be wrong to expect every individual to learn at the same speed. Certain individuals have difficulty in some subjects such as reading, writing and mathematics, yet the most common such problem is difficulty in reading. Particularly, the students who…

The Construction of Mathematical Literacy Problems for Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malasari, P. N.; Herman, T.; Jupri, A.

2017-09-01

The students of junior high school should have mathematical literacy ability to formulate, apply, and interpret mathematics in problem solving of daily life. Teaching these students are not enough by giving them ordinary mathematics problems. Teaching activities for these students brings consequence for teacher to construct mathematical literacy problems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to construct mathematical literacy problems to assess mathematical literacy ability. The steps of this study that consists of analysing, designing, theoretical validation, revising, limited testing to students, and evaluating. The data was collected with written test to 38 students of grade IX at one of state junior high school. Mathematical literacy problems consist of three essays with three indicators and three levels at polyhedron subject. The Indicators are formulating and employing mathematics. The results show that: (1) mathematical literacy problems which are constructed have been valid and practical, (2) mathematical literacy problems have good distinguishing characteristics and adequate distinguishing characteristics, (3) difficulty levels of problems are easy and moderate. The final conclusion is mathematical literacy problems which are constructed can be used to assess mathematical literacy ability.

Analysis of three-phase equilibrium conditions for methane hydrate by isometric-isothermal molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Yuhara, Daisuke; Brumby, Paul E; Wu, David T; Sum, Amadeu K; Yasuoka, Kenji

2018-05-14

To develop prediction methods of three-phase equilibrium (coexistence) conditions of methane hydrate by molecular simulations, we examined the use of NVT (isometric-isothermal) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. NVT MD simulations of coexisting solid hydrate, liquid water, and vapor methane phases were performed at four different temperatures, namely, 285, 290, 295, and 300 K. NVT simulations do not require complex pressure control schemes in multi-phase systems, and the growth or dissociation of the hydrate phase can lead to significant pressure changes in the approach toward equilibrium conditions. We found that the calculated equilibrium pressures tended to be higher than those reported by previous NPT (isobaric-isothermal) simulation studies using the same water model. The deviations of equilibrium conditions from previous simulation studies are mainly attributable to the employed calculation methods of pressure and Lennard-Jones interactions. We monitored the pressure in the methane phase, far from the interfaces with other phases, and confirmed that it was higher than the total pressure of the system calculated by previous studies. This fact clearly highlights the difficulties associated with the pressure calculation and control for multi-phase systems. The treatment of Lennard-Jones interactions without tail corrections in MD simulations also contributes to the overestimation of equilibrium pressure. Although improvements are still required to obtain accurate equilibrium conditions, NVT MD simulations exhibit potential for the prediction of equilibrium conditions of multi-phase systems.

Application of binding free energy calculations to prediction of binding modes and affinities of MDM2 and MDMX inhibitors.

PubMed

Lee, Hui Sun; Jo, Sunhwan; Lim, Hyun-Suk; Im, Wonpil

2012-07-23

Molecular docking is widely used to obtain binding modes and binding affinities of a molecule to a given target protein. Despite considerable efforts, however, prediction of both properties by docking remains challenging mainly due to protein's structural flexibility and inaccuracy of scoring functions. Here, an integrated approach has been developed to improve the accuracy of binding mode and affinity prediction and tested for small molecule MDM2 and MDMX antagonists. In this approach, initial candidate models selected from docking are subjected to equilibration MD simulations to further filter the models. Free energy perturbation molecular dynamics (FEP/MD) simulations are then applied to the filtered ligand models to enhance the ability in predicting the near-native ligand conformation. The calculated binding free energies for MDM2 complexes are overestimated compared to experimental measurements mainly due to the difficulties in sampling highly flexible apo-MDM2. Nonetheless, the FEP/MD binding free energy calculations are more promising for discriminating binders from nonbinders than docking scores. In particular, the comparison between the MDM2 and MDMX results suggests that apo-MDMX has lower flexibility than apo-MDM2. In addition, the FEP/MD calculations provide detailed information on the different energetic contributions to ligand binding, leading to a better understanding of the sensitivity and specificity of protein-ligand interactions.

Analysis of three-phase equilibrium conditions for methane hydrate by isometric-isothermal molecular dynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuhara, Daisuke; Brumby, Paul E.; Wu, David T.; Sum, Amadeu K.; Yasuoka, Kenji

2018-05-01

To develop prediction methods of three-phase equilibrium (coexistence) conditions of methane hydrate by molecular simulations, we examined the use of NVT (isometric-isothermal) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. NVT MD simulations of coexisting solid hydrate, liquid water, and vapor methane phases were performed at four different temperatures, namely, 285, 290, 295, and 300 K. NVT simulations do not require complex pressure control schemes in multi-phase systems, and the growth or dissociation of the hydrate phase can lead to significant pressure changes in the approach toward equilibrium conditions. We found that the calculated equilibrium pressures tended to be higher than those reported by previous NPT (isobaric-isothermal) simulation studies using the same water model. The deviations of equilibrium conditions from previous simulation studies are mainly attributable to the employed calculation methods of pressure and Lennard-Jones interactions. We monitored the pressure in the methane phase, far from the interfaces with other phases, and confirmed that it was higher than the total pressure of the system calculated by previous studies. This fact clearly highlights the difficulties associated with the pressure calculation and control for multi-phase systems. The treatment of Lennard-Jones interactions without tail corrections in MD simulations also contributes to the overestimation of equilibrium pressure. Although improvements are still required to obtain accurate equilibrium conditions, NVT MD simulations exhibit potential for the prediction of equilibrium conditions of multi-phase systems.

Enhancing academic achievement for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: evidence from school-based intervention research.

PubMed

Jitendra, Asha K; Dupaul, George J; Someki, Fumio; Tresco, Katy E

2008-01-01

Although children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit significant academic difficulties in school settings, considerably less attention is devoted to remediating their academic problems when compared to behavioral and social difficulties. The purpose of this article is to review empirically supported academic interventions for children with ADHD. Specific evidence-based academic interventions are described under the categories of reading and mathematics, with examples that illustrate teacher-mediated interventions focusing on basic skills (e.g., phonological awareness in reading, mathematics computation) and higher-level cognitive skills (e.g., collaborative strategic reading, CSR; schema-based instruction, SBI). Finally, implications for educational practice and directions for future research on school-based academic interventions for students with ADHD are discussed.

Gro2mat: a package to efficiently read gromacs output in MATLAB.

PubMed

Dien, Hung; Deane, Charlotte M; Knapp, Bernhard

2014-07-30

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are a state-of-the-art computational method used to investigate molecular interactions at atomic scale. Interaction processes out of experimental reach can be monitored using MD software, such as Gromacs. Here, we present the gro2mat package that allows fast and easy access to Gromacs output files from Matlab. Gro2mat enables direct parsing of the most common Gromacs output formats including the binary xtc-format. No openly available Matlab parser currently exists for this format. The xtc reader is orders of magnitudes faster than other available pdb/ascii workarounds. Gro2mat is especially useful for scientists with an interest in quick prototyping of new mathematical and statistical approaches for Gromacs trajectory analyses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimation of mechanical properties of nanomaterials using artificial intelligence methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayaraghavan, V.; Garg, A.; Wong, C. H.; Tai, K.

2014-09-01

Computational modeling tools such as molecular dynamics (MD), ab initio, finite element modeling or continuum mechanics models have been extensively applied to study the properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based on given input variables such as temperature, geometry and defects. Artificial intelligence techniques can be used to further complement the application of numerical methods in characterizing the properties of CNTs. In this paper, we have introduced the application of multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP) and support vector regression to formulate the mathematical relationship between the compressive strength of CNTs and input variables such as temperature and diameter. The predictions of compressive strength of CNTs made by these models are compared to those generated using MD simulations. The results indicate that MGGP method can be deployed as a powerful method for predicting the compressive strength of the carbon nanotubes.

YOCAS©® Yoga Reduces Self-reported Memory Difficulty in Cancer Survivors in a Nationwide Randomized Clinical Trial: Investigating Relationships Between Memory and Sleep.

PubMed

Janelsins, Michelle C; Peppone, Luke J; Heckler, Charles E; Kesler, Shelli R; Sprod, Lisa K; Atkins, James; Melnik, Marianne; Kamen, Charles; Giguere, Jeffrey; Messino, Michael J; Mohile, Supriya G; Mustian, Karen M

2016-09-01

Background Interventions are needed to alleviate memory difficulty in cancer survivors. We previously showed in a phase III randomized clinical trial that YOCAS©® yoga-a program that consists of breathing exercises, postures, and meditation-significantly improved sleep quality in cancer survivors. This study assessed the effects of YOCAS©® on memory and identified relationships between memory and sleep. Survivors were randomized to standard care (SC) or SC with YOCAS©® . 328 participants who provided data on the memory difficulty item of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory are included. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. General linear modeling (GLM) determined the group effect of YOCAS©® on memory difficulty compared with SC. GLM also determined moderation of baseline memory difficulty on postintervention sleep and vice versa. Path modeling assessed the mediating effects of changes in memory difficulty on YOCAS©® changes in sleep and vice versa. YOCAS©® significantly reduced memory difficulty at postintervention compared with SC (mean change: yoga=-0.60; SC=-0.16; P<.05). Baseline memory difficulty did not moderate the effects of postintervention sleep quality in YOCAS©® compared with SC. Baseline sleep quality did moderate the effects of postintervention memory difficulty in YOCAS©® compared with SC (P<.05). Changes in sleep quality was a significant mediator of reduced memory difficulty in YOCAS©® compared with SC (P<.05); however, changes in memory difficulty did not significantly mediate improved sleep quality in YOCAS©® compared with SC. In this large nationwide trial, YOCAS©® yoga significantly reduced patient-reported memory difficulty in cancer survivors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Which Kind of Mathematics for Quantum Mechanics? the Relevance of H. Weyl's Program of Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drago, Antonino

In 1918 Weyl's book Das Kontinuum planned to found anew mathematics upon more conservative bases than both rigorous mathematics and set theory. It gave birth to the so-called Weyl's elementary mathematics, i.e. an intermediate mathematics between the mathematics rejecting at all actual infinity and the classical one including it almost freely. The present paper scrutinises the subsequent Weyl's book Gruppentheorie und Quantenmechanik (1928) as a program for founding anew theoretical physics - through quantum theory - and at the same time developing his mathematics through an improvement of group theory; which, according to Weyl, is a mathematical theory effacing the old distinction between discrete and continuous mathematics. Evidence from Weyl's writings is collected for supporting this interpretation. Then Weyl's program is evaluated as unsuccessful, owing to some crucial difficulties of both physical and mathematical nature. The present clear-cut knowledge of Weyl's elementary mathematics allows us to re-evaluate Weyl's program in order to look for more adequate formulations of quantum mechanics in any weaker kind of mathematics than the classical one.

Profile of mathematical reasoning ability of 8th grade students seen from communicational ability, basic skills, connection, and logical thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumarsih; Budiyono; Indriati, D.

2018-04-01

This research aims to understand the students’ weaknesses in mathematical reasoning ability in junior secondary school. A set of multiple choice tests were used to measure this ability involve components mathematical communication, basic skills, connection, and logical thinking. A total of 259 respondents were determined by stratified cluster random sampling. Data were analyzed using one-way Anova test with Fobs = 109.5760 and F = 3.0000. The results show that students’ ability from schools with high National Exam in mathematics category was the best and followed by medium and low category. Mathematical connection is the most difficult component performed by students. In addition, most students also have difficulty in expressing ideas and developing logical arguments.

Role of mathematics in cancer research: attitudes and training of Japanese mathematicians.

PubMed

Kudô, A

1979-10-01

An extensive survey of attitude towards scientific information of scientists in Japan was conducted in Japan. It was published in a technical report, and this survey is reviewed in this paper, with the hope that this will furnish findings important in working out the plan for promoting exploitation of mathematical talent in biomedical research. Findings are concordant with the impression of foreign visitors: (1) pure mathematicians tend to concentrate on mathematics only; (2) applied mathematics and statistics are heavily oriented toward industry; (3) mathematicians and pharmacologists are very different in their attitudes to scientific information. Based on the personal experience of the author, difficulties to be circumvented in utilizing aptitudes for mathematics and/or statistics in biomedical research are discussed.

Role of mathematics in cancer research: attitudes and training of Japanese mathematicians.

PubMed Central

Kudô, A

1979-01-01

An extensive survey of attitude towards scientific information of scientists in Japan was conducted in Japan. It was published in a technical report, and this survey is reviewed in this paper, with the hope that this will furnish findings important in working out the plan for promoting exploitation of mathematical talent in biomedical research. Findings are concordant with the impression of foreign visitors: (1) pure mathematicians tend to concentrate on mathematics only; (2) applied mathematics and statistics are heavily oriented toward industry; (3) mathematicians and pharmacologists are very different in their attitudes to scientific information. Based on the personal experience of the author, difficulties to be circumvented in utilizing aptitudes for mathematics and/or statistics in biomedical research are discussed. PMID:540605

Student reasoning about graphs in different contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanjek, Lana; Susac, Ana; Planinic, Maja; Andrasevic, Aneta; Milin-Sipus, Zeljka

2016-06-01

This study investigates university students' graph interpretation strategies and difficulties in mathematics, physics (kinematics), and contexts other than physics. Eight sets of parallel (isomorphic) mathematics, physics, and other context questions about graphs, which were developed by us, were administered to 385 first-year students at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Students were asked to provide explanations and/or mathematical procedures with their answers. Students' main strategies and difficulties identified through the analysis of those explanations and procedures are described. Student strategies of graph interpretation were found to be largely context dependent and domain specific. A small fraction of students have used the same strategy in all three domains (mathematics, physics, and other contexts) on most sets of parallel questions. Some students have shown indications of transfer of knowledge in the sense that they used techniques and strategies developed in physics for solving (or attempting to solve) other context problems. In physics, the preferred strategy was the use of formulas, which sometimes seemed to block the use of other, more productive strategies which students displayed in other domains. Students' answers indicated the presence of slope-height confusion and interval-point confusion in all three domains. Students generally better interpreted graph slope than the area under a graph, although the concept of slope still seemed to be quite vague for many. The interpretation of the concept of area under a graph needs more attention in both physics and mathematics teaching.

Incentivizing advanced mathematics study at upper secondary level: the case of bonus points in Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treacy, Páraic Thomas

2018-04-01

Secondary level mathematics education in Ireland has recently experienced a period of significant change with the introduction of new curricula and the addition of an incentive to study upper secondary mathematics at the most advanced level (Higher Level). This incentive, typically referred to as 'bonus points', appears to have aided a significant increase in the number of students studying upper secondary mathematics at Higher Level. However, thematic analysis of interviews with experienced upper secondary mathematics examiners and exploration of mathematics diagnostic test data outlined in this paper suggest that the difficulty of the Higher Level upper secondary mathematics final examination in Ireland has reduced since the introduction of the bonus points initiative. The sharp increase in students attempting this examination coupled with a policy of maintaining a consistent proportion of students achieving passing grades was identified as a key reason for this possible reduction in standards.

Trial opens to evaluate experimental cancer drug against solid tumors | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Chemotherapy drugs have long been the mainstay of treatment for advanced solid tumors, but the toxic side effects of these drugs often limit the amount that can safely be given to patients. Doctors hope that PEN-866, an experimental cancer drug, can help to overcome this difficulty. Anish Thomas, M.D., who is leading this new trial, says, “This is a first-of-its-kind approach

Effects of Special E-Learning Program on Hearing-Impaired Learners' Achievement and Perceptions of Basic Geometry in Lower Primary Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiboss, Joel Kipkemboi

2012-01-01

Achievement in mathematics is an issue of great concern not only to students and parents but also to employers and researchers in Kenya. This is because the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has continuously reported dismal results in this area, and especially in geometry. Also, KNEC indicates that it presents difficulties to both the…