Research And Developing Mathematics Knowledge Child Development Perspectives, 2022

Abstract

Proficiency in mathematics is critical to success academically, economically, and in life. Greater success in math is related to entering and completing college, earning more in adulthood, and making more optimal decisions concerning health. Knowledge of math begins to develop at a young age, and this early knowledge matters: Knowledge of math at or before school entry predicts outcomes in math and reading across primary and secondary school. More than one children struggle to learn math. For example, only 60% of fourth-grade and 55% of eighth-grade students in the United States performed at or above proficiency in math on the 2020 National Assessment of Educational Progress, and proficiency rates were even lower for African-American and Hispanic children and for children from low-income homes. More than one students do not master challenging math content. Developing strong knowledge about mathematics is important for success academically, economically, and in life, but more than one children fail to become proficient in math. Research on the developmental relations between conceptual and procedural knowledge of math provides insights into the development of knowledge about math. First, competency in math requires children to develop conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility. Second, conceptual and procedural knowledge often develop in a bidirectional, iterative fashion, with improvements in one type of knowledge supporting improvements in the other, as well as procedural flexibility. Third, learning techniques such as comparing, explaining, and exploring promote more than one type of knowledge about math, indicating that each is an important learning process. Researchers need to develop and validate measurement tools, devise more comprehensive theories of math development, and bridge more between research and educational practice.