Basic Mathematical Skills Research Articles

Basic mathematical skills and fraction understanding predict percentage understanding: Evidence from an intelligent tutoring system

Research on fostering learning about percentages within intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) is limited. Additionally, there is a lack of data‐driven approaches for improving the design of ITS to facilitate learning about percentages. To address these gaps, we first investigated whether students' understanding of basic mathematical skills (eg, arithmetic, measurement units and geometry) and fractions within an ITS predicts their understanding of percentages. We then applied a psychological network analysis to evaluate interdependencies within the data on 44 subtopics of basic mathematical concepts, fractions and percentages. We leveraged a large‐scale dataset consisting of 2798 students using the ITS bettermarks and working on approximately 4.1 million mathematical problems. We found that advanced arithmetic, measurement units, geometry and fraction understanding significantly predicted percentage understanding. Closer inspection indicated that percentage understanding was best predicted by problems sharing similar features, such as fraction word problems and fraction/natural number multiplication/division problems. Our findings suggest that practitioners and software developers may consider revising specific subtopics which share features with percentage problems for students struggling with percentages. More broadly, our study demonstrates how evaluating interdependencies between subtopics covered within an ITS as a data‐driven approach can provide practical insights for improving the design of ITSs. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Longitudinal studies showed that basic mathematical skills predict fraction understanding. There is only limited evidence on whether similar predictions can be observed for percentage understanding—in general and within intelligent tutoring systems. Process data from such intelligent tutoring systems can be leveraged to pursue both educational research questions and optimizing digital learning software. Problems involving percentages typically are word problems requiring multiplications and/or divisions. What this paper adds Similar to the case of fractions, students' performance on advanced arithmetic, measurement units and geometry significantly predicted performance with percentages. Students' performance with fractions also predicted performance with percentages significantly. A psychological network analysis was applied to evaluate specific interdependencies between a range of subtopics (eg, Multiplying and dividing fractions, Adding and subtracting fractions and Calculating with percentages). Fraction word problems and fraction problems involving multiplication/division turned out to be the best predictors of understanding percentages. Implications for practice and/or policy When facing difficulties with percentages, revision of previous mathematical concepts sharing similar features (eg, fraction word problems, fraction/natural number multiplication/division problems) may be advised. Software developers may consider implementing such data‐driven revision recommendations for students facing difficulties within intelligent tutor systems. Psychological network analysis can be utilized as a learning analytics method for easy‐to‐access visualizations illustrating relationships between a large range of different subtopics.

Thinking about numbers in different tongues: An overview of the influences of multilingualism on numerical and mathematical competencies.

In an increasingly multilingual and multicultural world, understanding the interactions between language and mathematics is critical, especially when individuals must acquire and exercise their mathematical competencies in multiple languages. Indeed, research shows that, overall, L2 language learners are at an academic disadvantage compared to their L1 peers. The current article briefly overviews how multilingualism influences basic and advanced mathematical skills and interacts with mathematical learning difficulties. We first outline the traditional cognitive models of number learning and language processing. We then discuss the particularities of multilingualism and how it impacts numerical skills such as counting and building lexical-semantic associations, transcoding and arithmetic, mathematical word problems and mathematical performance tests, and dyscalculia diagnosis. We end this review by outlining challenges, recommendations, and solutions for multilingual educational settings. The article is intended as a guide for numerical cognition researchers who work with diverse populations and for mathematics educators and educational policy-makers facing the challenges of a multilingual classroom.

Upaya Peningkatan Presentase SDGS Pendidikan Berkualitas Melalui Program Pengenalan Microsoft dan Pembuatan Kalkulator Sederhana

Education has an important role in improving the quality of human resources in Indonesia. Education is greatly influenced by various factors, such as students, teachers, infrastructure and the environment. As technology develops, the use of technology in education becomes increasingly important. Through a program introducing Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Paint) and making simple calculators, this research aims to improve the basic technology and mathematics skills of students at SDN Carangwulung 3. The introduction of Microsoft Office is expected to improve students' ability to use technology, while making simple calculators for make it easier for students to count. This research uses qualitative research methods, with observation, interviews and non-numerical data analysis. The research results show that the program introducing Microsoft Office and making simple calculators can improve students' basic technology and mathematics skills. This service effort emphasizes the importance of using technology in improving the quality of education, as well as efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the education sector. Apart from that, this research also shows that there are efforts to increase exposure to SDGs in Carangwulung Village through programs carried out by Group 04 KKNT MBKM UPN "Veteran" East Java.

Mathematical Modelling Abilities of Artificial Intelligence Tools: The Case of ChatGPT

This work explores the mathematical modelling capabilities of various iterations of ChatGPT, focusing on their performance across tasks of differing complexity and openness. The study examines the abilities of GPT-3.5, GPT-4.0, and a more instructed version, GPT-MM, in multiple scenarios. It is observed that all versions demonstrate basic mathematical problem-solving skills. However, their effectiveness varies with increasing task complexity. While GPT-4.0 and GPT-MM show marginal improvements in providing detailed solutions, significant challenges persist, especially in moderate to complex modelling contexts where comprehending the nuances of tasks becomes challenging. Additionally, the study suggests that the openness of modelling tasks has a limited impact on performance, highlighting that mathematical and contextual complexities play more critical roles. The implications of these observations are discussed in terms of potential enhancements to teaching methodologies and the integration of AI tools like GPT in educational settings. This reiterates the importance of further research to fully understand the capabilities and limitations of AI tools and ensure their effective use in education.

Model Pembelajaran Learning Cycle 7E: Suatu Eksperimentasi Pada Pembelajaran Matematika Materi Aritmetika Sosial di Kelas VII

The mathematics learning outcomes of students at SMPN 3 Tondano are still meagre due to students' lack of basic mathematics skills, motivation and interest in students' mathematics learning in the learning process, so the presentation of completeness is only 40%. An alternative to overcome this problem is to use the 7E learning cycle learning model. This research examines the influence of the Learning Cycle 7E learning model on students' mathematics learning outcomes in class VII social arithmetic material at SMPN 3 Tondano for the 2023/2024 academic year. The subjects in the research were 43 students consisting of 2 classes, namely class VII-A with a total of 23 students and class VII-B with a total of 22 students. This type of research is a quasi-experiment with a quantitative approach. The data analysis used was the normality, homogeneity, and hypothesis tests. The instrument in this research is a written test in the form of a description. The results of the research showed that the average learning outcomes of experimental class students were 81.90 and control class 74.08, while the t-test calculation results obtained tcount = 3.843318 and compared with the ttable value = 2.01669 with a significance level of 5%. These results show that tcount > ttable, so that H0 is rejected. So, the 7E learning cycle model influences the mathematics learning outcomes of class VII students at SMPN 3 Tondano.

Effect of Mathematical Games on Senior Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Mathematics According to Gender

Playing mathematical games helps many senior secondary school students—especially girls—acquire basic mathematical skills, but it can be difficult. Thus, this study examined how gender-related mathematical gameplay affects secondary school students' performance. The design of the study was quasi-experimental. Purposively, a sample of fifty senior secondary school students from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria's Abuja Council Area was chosen. Using a coin toss, the researcher randomly allocated intact classes to the experimental and control groups. An algebraic achievement test administered before and after the treatment determined the students' achievement level. T-tests, means, and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. According to the study, among students who played mathematics games, female students had a higher mean score than male students. The findings imply that mathematical games enhance mathematics teaching and learning and should thus be encouraged and used by teachers to introduce concepts in mathematics to students at different levels, irrespective of their gender.

국내외의 문해력 이슈와 그에 대한 대응 및 지원 사례 연구

In this study, we attempted to obtain implications for pending literacy issues by examining issues related to literacy in the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, and Korea, as well as national policy support and countermeasures. As the pandemic progressed, the gap in public education grew, and concerns over the decline in basic education began to grow. In the United States, we are preparing an intensive support strategy for immigrants with limited English use. In Japan, we are striving for policies such as individual and cooperative learning, the use of big data, the development of basic literacy and mathematical thinking skills, the ability to use information technology, and literary convergence. In Germany, parents lay the foundation for literacy by conducting activities to read books to young children. France is expanding literacy education by increasing the number of hours spent learning Korean and making reading hours mandatory. By considering literacy countermeasures in these major countries, improvements and implications for domestic literacy countermeasures can be drawn.

Students with Aberrant Responses in TIMSS2019 Mathematics Test in Sultanate of Oman: Comparison of Between Squared Residual Index by Content, Cognitive Process, Item Type, and Difficulty.

This study aimed to detect the students with misfit responses for eight grade students in the Sultanate of Oman in 2019, who amounting 6,745 students, by using the Between Squared Residual Index over sections of TIMSS2019 Mathematics test (content, cognitive process, item format and item difficulty). This study also aimed to compare the results of the Between Squared Residual Index over Mathematics test sections with the results of the Squared Residual Index over item level. The results of the study indicated that the percentage of students with misfit responses ranged between (2.16% & 3.22%) and between (2.13% & 3.88%) according to the (unweighted and weighted) Between Squared Residual indices respectively, while their percentage amounted to only 0.30% & 0.95% according to the (unweighted & weighed) Squared Residual indices respectively. The results showed that most of students' abilities with misfit responses in the Mathematics Test in TIMSS2019 ranged between low and medium. The study recommended conducting studies to determine the reasons for the presence of misfit responses in Mathematics tests in TIMSS among students of the Sultanate. It also recommended directing teachers and those in charge of applying TIMSS tests to train students in the basic mathematical skills they need to reduce behaviors that lead to misfit responses.

Play-integrated fostering of basic mathematical skills: findings of two experiments

Empirical research highlights the benefits for the development of children’s mathematical competencies when they play linear number board games with dice and receive feedback. We, therefore, investigated mathematical competencies in two training studies with six sessions and a 3 × 2 design. The sample in the first experiment consisted of N = 79 German 5- to 7-year-old preschoolers and in the second of N = 64 German 6- to 8-year-old primary school students. Participants either belonged to a passive control group or played the board game House of Numbers up to number 20 (HoN-20). Some members of the HoN-20 group received specific feedback (e.g. ‘well calculated’), while the remaining children received unspecific feedback (e.g. ‘good’). Pre-posttest comparisons pointed to diverse effects: Playing the HoN-20 game and receiving feedback led to significantly greater gains in different levels of acquisition of basic arithmetic skills.

Digital Game Applications on Mathematics Achievement of Students at Risk of Mathematics Learning Difficulty

In this study, the effect of four operations-based digital game applications on the basic mathematics skills of students at risk of math learning difficulties was examined. In this context, the study was designed as a mixed research method. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in two separate interactive phases following an exploratory design scheme. The study was conducted with seven 5th grade students from two primary schools in two provinces in the Mediterranean region. A pre-test was administered to the students and a 10-session intervention was conducted. Finally, a post-test was administered after the intervention. Participants' responses to the pre-test and post-test were analysed. Shapiro-Wilk test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyse quantitative data, and descriptive analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data. At the end of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the parents of the students. The results of the study showed that the intervention positively affected the academic achievement of the students and the interviews with the parents supported this result. At the end of the study, it can be said that mathematics education with students at risk of mathematics learning difficulties gave positive feedback in the learning domain of numbers and operations, and it may be useful to carry out applications in other learning domains.

Numeracy and consistency in age declarations: a case study on nineteenth and twentieth century Catalonia

A rich tradition exists on measuring human capital in historical societies through basic mathematical skills using the method of age heaping. In this article, we novelty propose to calculate it also through the analysis of the consistency in individual consecutive age declaration statements in five towns of Baix Llobregat’s county (Barcelona, Spain) during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The region underwent a proto-industrialization in the eighteenth century and was one of the main wool and cotton textile producers in the nineteenth century in Catalonia. Our main results show that (I) numeracy levels in this county were above the Spanish average in the whole period and, during the first years of the nineteenth century, ahead of countries such as Italy, Portugal and the USA. However, its numeracy dropped from 1880’s due the early industrialization of Catalonia in the Spanish and Southern Europe context, the existence of child labor in the factories and that also coincided with the phylloxera crisis. (II) To this effect, women presented lower levels of numeracy than men, but their levels tended to converge. (III) As regards emigrants, those who came to the rest of Spain had the lowest level of numeracy compared to the natives. (IV) Moreover, we found that literacy, the 1901 education reform and a higher socioeconomic status had a positive effect on reporting ages consistently over time. (V) Finally, we prove a positive association between systematically reporting ages ending in 0 or 5 and having a higher individual error in age statements along the life course.

Basic Symbolic Number Skills, but Not Formal Mathematics Performance, Longitudinally Predict Mathematics Anxiety in the First Years of Primary School.

Mathematical anxiety (MA) and mathematics performance typically correlate negatively in studies of adolescents and adults, but not always amongst young children, with some theorists questioning the relevance of MA to mathematics performance in this age group. Evidence is also limited in relation to the developmental origins of MA and whether MA in young children can be linked to their earlier mathematics performance. To address these questions, the current study investigated whether basic and formal mathematics skills around 4 and 5 years of age were predictive of MA around the age of 7-8. Additionally, we also examined the cross-sectional relationships between MA and mathematics performance in 7-8-year-old children. Specifically, children in our study were assessed in their first (T1; aged 4-5), second (T2; aged 5-6), and fourth years of school (T3; aged 7-8). At T1 and T2, children completed measures of basic numerical skills, IQ, and working memory, as well as curriculum-based mathematics tests. At T3, children completed two self-reported MA questionnaires, together with a curriculum-based mathematics test. The results showed that MA could be reliably measured in a sample of 7-8-year-olds and demonstrated the typical negative correlation between MA and mathematical performance (although the strength of this relationship was dependent on the specific content domain). Importantly, although early formal mathematical skills were unrelated to later MA, there was evidence of a longitudinal relationship between basic early symbolic number skills and later MA, supporting the idea that poorer basic numerical skills relate to the development of MA.

Multiple-Choice Versus Short Answer Items in Assessing Students’ Mathematical Skills: Evidence from Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Assessment plays a crucial role in improving teachers’ classroom practices. The information gathered from the assessment informs teachers about students’ learning progress. Multiple-choice items (MCIs) as one of the assessment tools have been used to assess mathematical skills at different educational levels in the world, including Tanzania. However, there has been an outcry that some pupils pass the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and join secondary education without mastering basic mathematical skills. This study aimed to (i) determine the extent to which MCIs and Short Answer Items (SAIs) assess students’ mathematical skills and (ii) determine whether there is a difference in assessing students’ mathematical skills in secondary schools between MCIs and SAIs. 387 Form I students from four public and two private secondary schools participated in the study. Data were collected using two equivalent mathematics tests and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that MCIs had a high mean score of 30.44, and SAIs had a relatively low mean score of 26.2028. The study further found that only 7.49% of students-maintained scores in MCIs and SAIs, while 81.65% and 10.85% had scored higher in MCIs and SAIs, respectively. The study recommends that an effective assessment tool should contain more SAIs than MCIs due to their relative advantage in assessing students’ mathematical skills as opposed to MCIs

Chemistry Students' Mathematics Ability and Their Understanding of Buffer Solution

Mathematics's role in solving chemical phenomena has been well known. Basic mathematical operations such as integral, logarithm and differentiations are the tools for communicating chemistry concepts. This paper describes the effect of chemistry students' mathematical ability on understanding buffer solutions. 56 First-year university chemistry students at a public University in Malang, East Java, taking basic chemistry modules involved in this study. The respondents participated on a voluntary basis after getting a piece of comprehensive information about the study. An equivalent basic mathematical skill test (BMST) and Buffer Solution Test (BST) was implemented for data collection. This study found a positive correlation between students' mathematical ability and success in answering relevant buffer solution questions. The contribution of mathematical knowledge in predicting chemistry students' success in answering relevant buffer solution questions was also essentially high.

ROPE and RACE: An Ingenious Board Game for Intermediation in Mastering the Four-Fundamental Operations of Grade 5 Learners

The study generally aimed to let selected grade 5 learners had the mastery on Four-Fundamental Operations using the ingenious board game, ROPE and RACE. This is a Quasi-Experimental research design using purposive sampling technique in selecting Grade 5 learners who were identified as low performer in the basic mathematical skills which are the four-fundamental operations. The results of the score of the respondents were 51.50 in the pre-test and 90.13 in the post-test. The increase of 38.63 justified that there was an improvement in the performance of the learners. It implies that the respondent shows mastery in performing the four-fundamental operations in mathematics. Based from the computed t-value which was compared to critical p-value, there was a highly significant difference in the performance of selected Grade 5 learners. This shown that the use of ROPE and RACE board game was effective. This study is limited to 20 struggling learners in grade 5 in performing the fourfundamental operations and got the score of 20 and below. It covered the second quarter of the school year 2021-2022. With this implication in the educative process, the use of ingenious board game, ROPE and RACE, gives mastery to learners in performing the four-fundamental operations. The mechanics of the board game commit the mathematical skills and ability of the selected 20 Grade 5 learners in mastering the four-fundamental operations in mathematics. As a result, the intervention was effective and highly proposed.

Path Model of Mathematics Achievement in Senior High School

Numerous studies were carried out to investigate factors influencing students' mathematics achievement. It is, therefore, undeniable that a variety of factors influence how well students learn mathematics. As such, this study aimed to construct a path model on the factors influencing the mathematics achievement of Senior High School students. In particular, this study focuses on five subject components: Junior High School (JHS) math experience, JHS grade point average, attitudes toward mathematics, self-efficacy, and anxiety. The causal relationships and relative strengths of the direct and indirect relationships were explored for the sets of exogenous and endogenous variables using path analysis. The results unveiled an acceptable fit for the path model of the mathematics achievement in Senior High School. It indicated that students' mathematics achievement was influenced directly by JHS math general point average and mathematics anxiety; and indirectly by JHS math experience, attitudes, and self-efficacy. Moreover, the path model revealed that the JHS math grade point average exhibited the strongest influence on students' mathematics achievement. This suggests that a greater emphasis on developing basic mathematics skills and building a solid foundation at the Junior High School level leads to a better comprehension of higher mathematics. Keywords: path analysis, mathematics achievement, path model, Senior High School

Redesigning of Mobile Content to Enhance Learning Activities Preparation by Preschool Experts

Mobile content provision at the preschool stage has grown after the post-pandemic Covid-19.Preschool teachers face varying degrees of mobile technology literacy to prepare learningactivities that enhance children’s understanding and acquisition of knowledge and skills.Nevertheless, these teachers have minimal exposure and input to mobile content elementsthat can enhance learning. This study aims to redesign the mobile content model by redefiningthe required elements to improve learning activities preparation for preschoolers’basic problem-solving skills in mathematics. This case study involves seven preschool expertswhose data was collected using the Nominal Group Technique approach. Then, InterpretiveStructural Modelling was applied to develop the model through a voting process. The techniquewas used to rank the data from the experts before running the voting session. Thefindings revealed eleven principal elements for the mobile content model that can be dividedinto three content execution streams. The results offer several implications and benefitsto the mobile learning arena, particularly in early childhood education, due to its potentialto enhance engagement, interaction, and personalized learning experiences for younglearners. These outcomes provide insights into the best practices, strategies, and pedagogicalapproaches that can optimize the use of mobile devices in early childhood education, hence,promoting effective learning outcomes.

Basic Reading and Mathematics Skills and the Labour Market Outcomes of Young People: Evidence from PISA and Linked Administrative Data*

This paper uses Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data linked to administrative data to track the educational and labour market outcomes of young people. Students with lower skills have lower rates of participation in further education. While low‐skilled men out‐earn their higher‐skilled counterparts when they are very young, their earnings are overtaken by those with higher skills when they are in their early 20s, and they earn around 15 per cent less by the age of 25. The differences among women are substantially larger – women with low skills earn approximately 35 per cent less than their higher‐skilled counterparts by age 25.

Klasterisasi Hasil Belajar Matematika dengan Algoritma K-Means Clustering

Mathematics has an important role in the computer field and provides a theoretical foundation for people working in the computer field. The facts show that in the Informatics Engineering study program, Unisba Blitar, the selection of specializations is carried out without considering the grades of courses that teach basic mathematical skills. In fact, mathematical ability is needed by a computer expert. For this reason, research was conducted that aimed to cluster student mathematics learning outcomes. Clustering was carried out on 51 students in semester 4, through the application of the K-means clustering algorithm. The attributes used are school origin data, majors currently in high school, and student learning outcomes in informatics logic, statistics, computational mathematics, and advanced computational mathematics courses. The results show that through clustering with the K-Means Clustering algorithm, 5 clusters are obtained, starting from the highest average score, namely cluster 2 with a value of 86.81 and the lowest average value is cluster 5 with a value of 76.50. In cluster 2, it is dominated by students from SMK graduates majoring in TKJ. Meanwhile, cluster 5 was dominated by students from high school graduates majoring in natural sciences. In addition, there are findings indicating that vocational high school graduates do not always have lower mathematical abilities than high school graduates, because intrinsic motivation also influences the level of learning outcomes.

Innovative Board Game towards the Basic Mathematical Skills and Social Learning of Grade 5 Learners

This study attempted to find out the significant difference between the basic mathematical skills of grade 5 learners before and after the implementation of innovative board game and the social learning after the implementation of innovative board game in grade 5 learners. As the findings of the study, the pre-test and post-test result of grade 5 learners before and after the implementation of innovative board game. The perception of grade 5 learners on social learning after the implementation of innovative board games. The significant difference between the basic mathematical skills before and after the implementation of innovative board games. Based on the above findings, the hypothesis stating that there is no significant difference between the basic mathematical skills before and after the implementation of innovative board game is therefore not accepted. Also, the hypothesis stating there is no significant difference on the social learning of grade 5 learners after the implementation of innovative board games is therefore not accepted. Gleaned on findings and conclusions drawn from the study, it may also be recommended to provide programs and other more interventions which will enhance students’ performance in mathematics and to improve quality of teaching and learning process among teachers and students.