Grade Math Research Articles

Understanding the Response to High-Stakes Incentives in Primary Education

This paper studies responses to high-stakes incentives arising from early ability tracking. We use three complementary research designs exploiting differences in school track admission rules at the end of primary school in Germany's early ability tracking system. Our results show that the need to perform well to qualify for a better track raises students' math, reading, listening, and orthography skills in grade 4, the final grade before students are sorted into tracks. Evidence from self-reported behavior suggests that these effects are driven by greater study effort but not parental responses. However, we also observe that stronger incentives decrease student well-being and intrinsic motivation to study.

The Ability Gradient in Bunching

We analyze the relationship between cognitive ability and bunching in the context of a large and salient kink point of the Swedish income tax schedule. Using population-wide register data from the Swedish military enlistment and administrative tax records, we find that high-ability individuals bunch more than low-ability individuals. This ability gradient is stronger for the self-employed, but is also present among wage earners. We also use high-school GPA and math grades to analyze gender differences, finding a stronger ability gradient among men.

Have Income-Based Achievement Gaps Widened or Narrowed?

Since 1990, U.S. policymakers have worked to close gaps in academic achievement by income and race (e.g. with school finance reform and school accountability systems) even as rising income inequality and income-based residential segregation have threatened to widen them. Using estimates of the mean and variance in household income for sampled schools, we reconstruct the student-level relationship between achievement and household income in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) from 1990 to 2015. We find that achievement at all levels of parental income rose substantially in 4th and 8th grade. In contrast to Reardon (2011), we find that achievement gaps narrowed substantially in 4th grade reading and math and in 8th grade math, while the gaps remained stable in 8th grade reading. As a robustness check, we used the March Current Population survey to impute income for dependent children by race, mother’s education, urbanicity and state and then calculated mean achievement for those same groups in the NAEP. Again, we found gaps in achievement narrowing between groups with high and low predicted mean household incomes. Our results challenge the prevailing understanding that income-based achievement gaps have widened in the United States over the last 30 years. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.

Early predictors of first and fourth grade reading and math: The role of self-regulation and early literacy skills

This study aimed to elucidate possible similarities and differences in early predictors of reading and math in First and Fourth Grade. Participants were 110 4-year-old Icelandic children (mean age 55.7 months, 49% girls) who were assessed on literacy and self-regulation in preschool and their performance related to their reading and math scores in Grades 1 and 4 (mean age 79.8 months and 122.2 months, respectively). The results revealed that basic reading skills in First Grade were predicted by domain-specific constructs related to preschool literacy, including phonological awareness and letter-knowledge, while First and Fourth Grade math, as well as Fourth Grade reading comprehension, was predicted by a wider constellation of skills, including self-regulation, early knowledge of written language and, in the case of reading comprehension, also phonological awareness. These results confirm previous findings indicating that self-regulation plays a stronger role in math than in reading at the beginning of formal schooling, but extends prior studies by linking preschool self-regulation to more advanced aspects of reading and math development in Fourth Grade. The findings also add to an emerging evidence that early written language skills, but not phonological awareness, are unique predictors of math. The instructional implications of these findings are discussed.

Direct and indirect pathways from children’s early self-regulation to academic achievement in fifth grade in Norway

A large body of research has documented the role of self-regulation in academic skill development for young children. However, few studies have investigated longitudinal and indirect effects from kindergarten through later elementary school. In this longitudinal Norwegian study, we investigated pathways from children’s self-regulation in kindergarten (Mage = 5.8; N = 243, 49% girls), to language and math skills in first grade (N = 240) and reading comprehension and math achievement in fifth grade (N = 160). Self-regulation was measured with direct and teacher-reported assessments. Path models showed that both directly assessed and teacher-reported self-regulation in kindergarten predicted math skills but not vocabulary and phonological awareness skills in first grade. Teacher-reported self-regulation indirectly predicted fifth grade reading comprehension through first grade teacher-reported self-regulation, and directly assessed self-regulation predicted fifth grade math achievement through math skills and directly assessed self-regulation in first grade. When controlling for kindergarten self-regulation, both self-regulation measures in first grade predicted fifth grade reading and directly assessed self-regulation predicted math achievement. Findings elucidate the foundational role of early self-regulation for later academic achievement and the differential effects of directly assessed versus teacher-reported self-regulation in a Norwegian sample.

Semiotic Characteristics of the 9th Grade Math Textbook

This study employed the social semiotic method to analyze the 9th grade textbook in Jordan. Through analyzes three texts-related major aspects: intellectual function, interpersonal function, and textual function. The results showed that math is abstract, and assertive, and that math is located in a self-independent realm, with its own mathematical beings and with the existence of an official and far relationship between the book and the student. The math textbook tends to show the students as if they are merely ordered implementers.

An Expectancy-Value Approach to Math Underachievement: Examining High School Achievement, College Attendance, and STEM Interest

Students’ academic underachievement, defined as discrepancies between ability and academic performance, is a widespread problem leading to many negative consequences. Our study examines high school students’ math underachievement, its motivational antecedents, and its impact on future math achievement, college attendance, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) interest. Using data from the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study, we identified students who exhibited a math ability–achievement discrepancy between their standardized math scores at the beginning of ninth grade and their final math grade in fall of ninth grade. We then conducted generalized structural equation modeling to identify direct effects of math motivation on math underachievement along with the direct effects of math underachievement on future STEM and college outcomes. Informed by expectancy-value theory, we found that math motivation, as measured by value and expectancy beliefs was significantly associated with math underachievement. We also found that math underachievement was associated with a number of outcomes in the high school to college transition with evidence of moderation by high math ability. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

School grades as predictors of self-esteem and changes in internalizing problems: A longitudinal study from fourth through seventh grade

This longitudinal study of 562 students (from ages 10 to 13) investigated whether developmental changes in internalizing problems (emotional and peer problems) can be predicted by school grades in mathematics and language arts and whether these predictive relations are mediated by students' self-esteem. The data comprised of teacher-rated internalizing problems, grades in math and language arts, and student self-ratings of self-esteem. The latent change score modeling indicated that math grades positively predicted self-esteem. Furthermore, lower self-esteem was related to an increase in internalizing and emotional problems in the total sample, and to an increase in peer problems in boys. The indirect effect of poorer math grades, via lower self-esteem, on increases in internalizing and emotional problems was significant. The sample included an overrepresentation of children at risk of reading difficulty, but the tested models did not differ between at-risk and not-at-risk children. Overall, the findings revealed that low math grades contribute negatively to students' global self-esteem and predict an increase in internalizing problems in early adolescence.

Classification Agreement for Gated Screening in Mathematics: Subskill Mastery Measurement and Classwide Intervention

This study examined the classification accuracy for subskill mastery measures administered in mathematics for students in kindergarten and Grades 1, 3, 5, and 7 at fall ( n = 564) and winter ( n = 602) screening. In addition, response to classwide math intervention was examined as another layer of screening for students in kindergarten and Grades 1, 3, and 5 ( n = 387). Criterion measures were the year-end accountability measure for math in Grades 3, 5, and 7. For kindergarten and Grade 1 a researcher-constructed composite measure was used. For all measures (screening and criterion), 20th percentile performance was the risk criterion. Authors hypothesized that classwide intervention response would provide more accurate identification of risk than fall or winter screening. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC)–generated sensitivities and specificities supported this hypothesis. Data indicated that intervention dosage was adequate and did reduce the base rate of risk in each screening group. Posttest probabilities indicated that subskill mastery measures and response to classwide intervention could be used to accurately indicate math risk and the need for more intensive intervention for students in a multitier system of supports (MTSS) model.

Longitudinal reciprocal effects between teachers’ judgments of students’ aptitude, students’ motivation, and grades in math

We investigated whether teachers’ judgments of students’ aptitude had reciprocal effects on students’ motivation and math grades. We expected that teachers’ judgments of students’ aptitude would predict students’ grades and motivation, and that teachers’ judgments would also be predicted by these two aspects. A sample of N = 519 elementary school students was investigated at four measurement occasions from the end of third until the end of fourth grade. Students reported their self-concepts and intrinsic task values in math. Teachers (N = 27) judged students’ aptitude in math and provided students’ math grades. Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed that students’ prior grades and prior self-concepts (but not intrinsic task values) had positive effects on teachers’ subsequent judgments of student aptitude. Also, teachers’ prior judgments of student aptitude predicted students’ subsequent grades but not motivation. The findings underscore the importance of teachers’ judgments for students’ achievement development and give insights into which students’ motivational variables influence teachers’ perceptions of students’ aptitude.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SELF-CONCEPT OF GIFTED PUPILS

The self-concept is the utmost frequently studied area of gifted pupils. The emotional and social issues of highly gifted pupils often stem from inadequate self-concept. The structure of self-concept is being formed by traditional variables such as age, gender and culture. The centers of our focus are gifted pupils and differences in self-concept between gifted boys and gifted girls. The self-concept model created by Marsh and Shavelson in 1985 has a hierarchic structure. The highest level of the self-concept is known as the general self-concept. It is divided into academic self-concept and non-academic self-concept. The Self-description Questionnaire - short form (SDQ-II-S) was the research tool used to measure pupil‘s self-concept. The grades in math and their mother tongue language (Slovak) as well as their GPA (Grade Point Average) were examined and compared. The research sample consisted of 56 gifted pupils at secondary school. In order to better understand the academic self-concept, we also examined the preferences of inner motivation for learning. The biggest motivator that prevailed in the group of boys was positive social motivation, but in the group of girls it was the feeling of good work done. The most significant difference we have remarked was in the area of verbal academic self-concept. The girls had an average score of 23.44 while the boys only 13.94. The development of self-concept and the possibilities of its improvement are important, because self-concept affects school performance and the overall behavior of pupils.

Factors Affecting Mathematics Performance of Junior High School Students

Self-concept in mathematics can be defined as student ratings of their skills, ability, enjoyment, and interest in mathematics is seen as an essential factor in their achievement in math. This study assessed the self-concept and academic performance in Math of the Grade 10 students of a public national high school, Cebu, Philippines. The study employed descriptive correlational research. One hundred eighty-three respondents were asked to answer a survey questionnaire in order to measure their self-concept. Their academic performances were assessed using their grades in Math. The assembled information was dealt with measurably utilizing recurrence, percentage, weighted mean, t-test, and Pearson r. Results revealed that they had a moderate level of self-concept towards learning Mathematics. No gender difference was found on the self-concept of the respondents, but there was a significant relationship between self-concept and the respondents’ academic performance in Mathematics. Hence, a Math performance enhancement plan is highly recommended for adoption and evaluation.

Early childhood lead exposure and the persistence of educational consequences into adolescence

BackgroundThere is consensus that early childhood lead exposure causes adverse cognitive and behavioral effects, even at blood lead levels (BLL) below 5 μg/dL. What has not been established is to what extent the effects of childhood lead exposure persist across grades. ObjectiveTo measure the effects of early childhood lead exposure (BLL 1–10 μg/dL) on educational performance from grades 3–8; to determine if effects in lower grades persist as a child progresses through school; and if so, to characterize the pattern of persistence. MethodsWe examine data from 560,624 children living in North Carolina between 2000 and 2012 with a BLL ≤10 μg/dL measured between age 0–5 years. Children are matched to their standardized math and reading scores for grades 3–8, creating an unbalanced panel of 2,344,358 student-year observations. We use socio-economic, demographic, and school information along with matching techniques to control for confounding effects. ResultsWe find that early childhood exposure to low lead levels caused persistent deficits in educational performance across grades. In each grade (3–8), children with higher blood lead levels had, on average, lower percentile scores in both math and reading than children with lower blood lead levels. In our primary model, we find that children with BLL = 5 μg/dL in early childhood ranked 0.90–1.20 (1.35–1.55) percentiles lower than children with BLL ≤ 1 μg/dL on math (reading) tests during grades 3–8. As children progressed through school, the average percentile deficit in their test scores remained stable. ConclusionsOur study shows that the adverse effects of early childhood exposure to low lead levels persist through early adolescence, and that the magnitude of the test-score percentile deficit remains steady between grades 3–8.

Looking through Philippine’s K to 12 Curriculum in Mathematics and Science vis-a-vis TIMSS 2015 Assessment Framework

The Philippines implemented its educational reform commonly known as K to 12 Program in 2013 for Filipino learners’ holistic development and global competitiveness. One indicator of the reform’s effectiveness is the country’s performance in international large-scale assessments like the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), if it participates again in 2019. To gauge readiness and inform decisions on its participation, this study examines the alignment of TIMSS 2015 Assessment Framework vis-à-vis the 2016 Philippine’s K to 12 Curriculum in Mathematics and Science. Through curriculum mapping of experts on the competencies in the two documents, the study reveals that K to 12 Mathematics Grade 4 is more aligned with TIMSS 2015 Assessment Framework than that of Math Grade 8, Science Grade 4, and Science Grade 8. The study recommends continuous curriculum improvement of the Philippine’s K to 12 Curriculum and implementation of relevant intervention programs and support system from different education stakeholders, including country-based publishing and testing companies to address gaps on competencies found for the country to meet international benchmarks.

The Importance of Students' Motivation for Their Academic Achievement - Replicating and Extending Previous Findings.

Achievement motivation is not a single construct but rather subsumes a variety of different constructs like ability self-concepts, task values, goals, and achievement motives. The few existing studies that investigated diverse motivational constructs as predictors of school students’ academic achievement above and beyond students’ cognitive abilities and prior achievement showed that most motivational constructs predicted academic achievement beyond intelligence and that students’ ability self-concepts and task values are more powerful in predicting their achievement than goals and achievement motives. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the reported previous findings can be replicated when ability self-concepts, task values, goals, and achievement motives are all assessed at the same level of specificity as the achievement criteria (e.g., hope for success in math and math grades). The sample comprised 345 11th and 12th grade students (M = 17.48 years old, SD = 1.06) from the highest academic track (Gymnasium) in Germany. Students self-reported their ability self-concepts, task values, goal orientations, and achievement motives in math, German, and school in general. Additionally, we assessed their intelligence and their current and prior Grade point average and grades in math and German. Relative weight analyses revealed that domain-specific ability self-concept, motives, task values and learning goals but not performance goals explained a significant amount of variance in grades above all other predictors of which ability self-concept was the strongest predictor. Results are discussed with respect to their implications for investigating motivational constructs with different theoretical foundation.

Do Charter School Students Outperform Public School Students on Standardized Tests in Michigan?

ObjectiveWe compare academic achievement in charter schools versus two types of traditional public school in the State of Michigan over a 10‐year period. Charter schools serve as a reform measure for failing public schools, so the natural research question is: Do charter schools generate higher achievement levels than observationally comparable public schools?MethodsWe have assembled a longitudinal data set spanning academic years 2002/2003–2011/2012 containing proficiency rates on standardized math and reading tests for Grades 4, 7, and 11. Our set of control variables includes demographic measures, free lunch eligibility, school characteristics, funding per student, and locational measures. We model unobserved heterogeneity using random effects estimation.ResultsWe find that Michigan charter schools significantly underperform traditional public schools in both subjects and in all three grade levels early in the study period. These gaps narrow considerably, and in some cases disappear, by the end of the period.ConclusionMichigan is noteworthy among states with charter schools for its deregulated and competitive charter environment. Our results suggest that Michigan charters nevertheless were doing about as well on the state's academic achievement tests as observationally comparable public schools by the end of the period.

MENINGKATKAN PRESTASI BELAJAR MATEMATIKA MELALUI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE JIGSAW

Abstract: This research aims to improve the results of learning math grade VIII B SMP Negeri 2 Merauke on material Composition functions and the inverse of a function through the application of cooperative learning, Jigsaw-type model. Design research is the research action class is done in two cycles with each cycle conducted two meetings. The subject of research as many as 27 students in grades VIII B SMP Negeri 2 Merauke. The instruments used in the form of tests and observation sheets. The results in this study is the increased Mastery Learning students at pre cycle of 33.3%, I cycle of 63% and cycle II by 89%. In addition the average value, the activity of teacher and student activity obtained also experienced an increase. Based on the results obtained in overall it can be concluded that the application of the cooperative learning model Jigsaw type can improve the results of learning math grade VIII B SMP Negeri 2 Merauke.
 Keywords: Cooperative Model Type Jigsaw, The Results Of The Learning Of Mathematics.

Early Visual-Spatial Integration Skills Predict Elementary School Achievement Among Low-Income, Ethnically Diverse Children

ABSTRACTEarly fine motor ability is significantly associated with later achievement, even after controlling for typical child-level predictors of school outcomes. Previous longitudinal studies have confirmed this but typically have not included low-income, at-risk populations. Research has distinguished two different aspects of fine motor skills: those that involve integrating motor information with visual-spatial information (i.e., visual-spatial integration; VSI) and those that rely mainly on coordination (i.e., fine motor coordination; FMC). This study examines the differential importance of early fine motor skills, measured during preschool, to later school performance from third through fifth grades, among a large (n = 34,491), primarily low-income, ethnically diverse sample of children. Research Findings: Overall, stronger VSI skills in preschool were associated with significantly better outcomes for children’s standardized math and reading test scores in third, fourth, and fifth grades even after controlling for gender, SES, and preschool cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills. FMC was associated with significantly better math outcomes across all three grade levels but was not associated with better reading performance. Practice or Policy: Results indicate that VSI is a good predictor of later school achievement, whereas FMC was not as strongly associated with later achievement. Implications for early childhood intervention are discussed.

Penerapan Teknik Bagging Berbasis Naïve Bayes untuk Seleksi Penerimaan Mahasiswa

Students who graduate not on time create an imbalanced ratio between lecturers and students. The current selection system is ineffective because it has not been able to detect prospective students who have the possibility of not being able to complete their education on time so that many students who are accepted do not graduate on time and leave without completing their education. This condition causes a decrease in performance of study programs and institutions. The classification algorithm can use for classifying new students as graduate timely or not. Naive Bayes classification algorithm can use to classify data in certain classes, using the history of alumni of informatics engineering at Pamulang university as training data and prospective student data as test data. Some attributes used to determine which label class to graduate on time and not on time are gender, school majors, year difference, math grades, English, Indonesian. To improve the results of the classification of Naive Bayes, Bagging (Bootstrap Aggregating) technique is used. From the test results of the alumni dataset, the informatics study program using bagging techniques as an optimization of the Naive Bayes classification algorithm has a lower failure rate than without using bagging techniques. The results of the calculation of performance data using bagging techniques can increase accuracy by 2.381% and AUC by 1.470% on the student graduation prediction model for new student selection using the Naive Bayes classification.

Anxiety about mathematics among university students: A multi-dimensional study in the 21st century

The aim of this research was to examine university students’ anxiety about mathematics, teaching mathematics in the 21st century and the views on mathematics teachers. A total of 100 students studying in 10 different departments of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences of a private university in the 2018–2019 academic years participated in this study. The data were collected by demographic questions, semi-structured open-ended questions consisting as well as questions about mathematics teaching in the 21st century prepared by the researchers and through the ‘Mathematics Anxiety Scale’. According to the results, there were significant differences in terms of the mathematics anxiety level of students who graduated from high school those have low average maths grades. Meanwhile, an average level of anxiety was observed data collected from the students by using ‘Mathematics Anxiety Scale’. Most students emphasised the fear of success and feeling stressful as the reasons for anxiety about maths.
 Keywords: Mathematics anxiety, university students, fear, stress.