Relationship between Parents’ Beliefs in Early Mathematics and Learning Environment Provision at Home

Abstract

Mastering early mathematics is crucial for young children's development and future, and parents' beliefs in early mathematics development and learning environment provision at home have been identified as factors that affect children's mathematical mastery. This cross-sectional survey study was conducted to examine the relationship between the level of parents' beliefs in early mathematics and learning environment provision at home. Two adapted structured questionnaires were used for data collection, namely, parents’ beliefs in early mathematics, and learning environment provision at home. The questionnaire was distributed online using the Google form platform and a total of 478 respondents completed it. Later, data were analyzed using the Statistical Program Package for Social Science through inferential statistics (Pearson's correlation coefficient test). Findings indicated that there was a weak, significant, positive relationship between the level of parents' beliefs in early mathematics and learning environment provision at home. These findings proved that parents’ belief in early mathematics was positively associated with provision of a learning environment at home. The increase in the level of parents’ belief in early mathematics is associated with increases in the learning environment provision at home. Therefore, support programs or workshops can be provided to parents to increase their knowledge of how to provide an appropriate, comprehensive and effective learning environment at home. These efforts, in turn, may help children to do well in mathematics.