Early Childhood Mathematics Education Research Articles

문제중심학습(PBL) 기반 유아수학교육 수업이 예비유아교사의 수학교수효능감, 수학적 태도 및 문제해결능력에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Problem Based Learning(PBL)-based early childhood mathematics education classes on pre-service early childhood teachers’ mathematics teaching efficacy, mathematical attitude, and problem-solving ability. The study participants were 38 pre-service early childhood teachers attending a 4-year university in G City. The PBL-based early childhood mathematics education class used a combination of lecture-based and problem-based learning methods, and problem-based learning consisted of four PBL problems and was conducted for a total of 9 weeks. The research tools used were mathematics teaching efficacy, mathematical attitude, and problem-solving ability before and after. Data analysis was performed using a paired samples t-test using the SPSS 28 program. As a result of the study, PBL-based early childhood mathematics education classes were found to have a positive impact on improving the mathematics teaching efficacy, mathematical attitude, and problem-solving ability of pre-service early childhood teachers. Through this, the significance of the study is that it presented and verified a PBL-based mathematics teaching model that can be applied to the early childhood mathematics education classes of pre-service early childhood teachers.

The challenges of mathematizing in Swedish early childhood education

Even though there today is a solid view on early childhood mathematics education being of importance, there is a quite diverse view on how this education is to be realized. In many countries, both teaching and play are emphasized in the early childhood education curricula why the question of how to conduct play-oriented mathematics education is relevant. In this study, we empirically elaborate on mathematizing as a possible cross between play and mathematics education. Mathematizing, as developed by the Dutch mathematician Hans Freudenthal, implies seeing the world in the light of mathematics and being able to identify how mathematics contribute to solving everyday problems. In this study we empirically investigate the theoretical construct of mathematizing in a preschool setting, aiming to clarify when and how mathematizing is made possible, and what seem to be the constraints on it. Based on 15 observations of preschool teachers’ attempts to implement play-oriented mathematics education, the presence of a true problem and character of teachers’ questions stand out as the keys to making mathematizing, as a merge of play and teaching, possible.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL KNOWLEDGE IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Several studies and statistical data point to Mathematics as the subject that most fails Elementary School students. In addition, children reach the fi nal grades seeing this subject as the bogeyman of schools. Given this context, this study presents refl ections and analyzes about the construction of mathematical knowledge in Early Childhood Education, whose purpose is to understand the implications of teaching practice in teaching Mathematics, understanding that Early Childhood Education is the primordial stage of Basic Education, in which the The child is in a phase of development of natural curiosity experiencing the discovery of the environment that surrounds him. In this context, Mathematics is a discipline that, if well worked, can contribute to the development of signifi cant skills that will help the child to better understand this world. However, the teacher’s intervention in working on mathematical knowledge linked to environmental issues in classroom activities will enable the student to develop such skills. The work is a part of the theoretical contribution that underlies the Doctoral Thesis that investigates the teaching practice in the construction of mathematical knowledge in preschool children. The study shows the importance of teaching Mathematics in Early Childhood Education, relating the construction of knowledge to children’s knowledge for meaningful learning in Preschool.

Early Childhood Mathematics Education Research: Overview of Latest Developments And Looking Ahead

Early Childhood Mathematics Education Research: Overview of Latest Developments And Looking Ahead

Research and Pedagogies for Early Math

The increasing interest in early childhood mathematics education for decades has increased the need for empirically supported pedagogical strategies. However, there is little agreement on how early math might best be taught. We draw from the empirical literature to paint a picture of research-based and research-validated pedagogical approaches and strategies for teaching early math. Most approaches share core characteristics, including concern for children’s interests and engagement and for working on content matched to children’s level of thinking. Learning trajectories are an especially useful organizing structure because they combine and integrate educational goals, development of children’s thinking, and empirically supported pedagogical strategies. Therefore, they help teachers interpret what the child is doing, thinking, and constructing, and offer instructional activities that extend children’s mathematical thinking. Simultaneously, teachers can see instructional strategies from the child’s perspective, offering meaningful and joyful opportunities to engage in learning.

International comparisons of the home mathematics environment and relations with children's mathematical achievement.

Home mathematics environment (HME) research has focused on parent-child interactions surrounding numerical activities as measured by the frequency of engaging in such activities. However, HME survey questions have been developed from limited perspectives (e.g., Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27, 2012, 231; Journal of Social Issues, 64, 2008, 95; Early childhood mathematics education research: Learning trajectories for young children, Routledge, New York, 2009), by researchers from a small subset of countries (15; Psychological Bulletin, 147, 2020, 565), which may skew our interpretations. This study broadened international representation by leveraging secondary data from the 2019 TIMSS to examine the variation of the frequency and reliability of the HME scale and its relation to children's mathematical achievement. Across 54 countries, 231,138 parents and children (Mage = 10.22 years; 51% male) participated in the larger study. Parents completed a retrospective home environment survey and children were assessed on mathematics skills. Basic frequency descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients, and Pearson's r correlation coefficients were used to assess variability across countries. Findings suggested that families in certain countries engaged in home mathematics activities more frequently than families in other countries; however, the HME scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency across families in all countries (M α = .79; range = [.73, .89]). Further, the average relation between HME and mathematical achievement was r = .15 with a range between r = .02 to r = .41. Our results indicate substantial variation across countries in the HME-mathematical achievement association. These findings underscore the importance of international representation in advancing research on the diversity of a child's home environment.

Special issue on mathematics in early childhood education

"Mathematics is an important part of children’s daily life. The value of mathematics for young children is reflected in curricula for early childhood in the Nordic countries and consequently, mathematics education courses are included in teacher education for early childhood. However, mathematics in early childhood education is understood in different ways, influenced by both politics and research, and practitioners’ approach to the field. As a field of research, mathematics education for young children is fairly new in the Nordic countries."

만 5세 유아 어머니들이 인식하는 유아 수학교육 의미와 요구

Objectives The purpose of this study was to find out the current status and difficulties of mathematics education guidance for mothers aged 5 years old, and to explore the meaning of mathematics education and mothers' needs for mathematics education. Methods To this end, 10 mothers of 5-year-old infants living in Seoul were selected as study participants. Data collection was conducted through in-depth personal interviews. In-depth interviews were conducted over a total of two sessions. For data analysis, the interview contents were repeatedly read, coded for each topic, and triangular verification was conducted by two early childhood education experts. Results Mothers of 5-year-olds recognized the purpose of early childhood mathematics education as preparation for elementary school. As a method of math education, it was found that play-type math education using play, math fairy tales, and games in daily life, and math education that relies on private education such as visiting study materials and math institutes. In the process of doing homework for the study paper, mothers wanted to form learning attitudes and habits, but some infants experienced stress. And mothers feel confused about math, thinking, and storytelling math. It was recognized that literacy should be the basis for mathematics education. When providing math education, mothers were found to be based on math subjects in the first grade of elementary school and to have a prior study of about a year. For desirable math education, mothers required specific guidance on the level and content of early childhood math education, information on math education in kindergartens, and cooperation between infants, parents, and teachers for math education. Conclusions This study is meaningful in that it suggested the direction for early childhood mathematics education by grasping the meaning, practice, and difficulties of education recognized by mothers.

An analysis of the policy on early childhood mathematics education in China

Early childhood mathematics education plays an important role in pre-school education, and it has a varied role in the development of many aspects of young children's abilities and self-confidence. Research has found that the mathematical sensitivity of the early years determines to a large extent the extent to which young children will enjoy mathematics as adults. At the same time, mathematics encourages children to think about things in a hierarchical way, thus further developing their ability to think and solve problems from all dimensions. As society continues to develop and progress, and as China places more and more emphasis on early childhood education, there are many common issues that need to be addressed, and education policy is particularly important as a document that provides direction for these issues. Official policy on mathematics education and its direction will not only influence the publication of mathematics-related picture books, but also the development of kindergarten curricula, changes in teachers' teaching methods, and even the development of young children's abilities in various areas, which, if properly formulated, will lay a good foundation for the future development of young children and gradually strengthen the country's educational advantage. This paper will provide some insights into mathematics education in kindergartens, teachers and families to fill some of the academic gaps by classifying, analysing and interpreting current mathematics education policies for young children in China.

The role of movement in young children’s spatial experiences: a review of early childhood mathematics education research

Young children’s spatial reasoning is critical to mathematics learning from an early age. Recent reviews have drawn attention to the importance of mathematical experiences in the early years; however, an explicit focus on research in spatial reasoning can contribute to a more coherent account of the field. This paper reports a scoping review of qualitative studies (n = 37) during the years 2009–2021. The studies analysed in this review provide insight into children’s embodied spatial concepts and non-verbal expressions such as gesture and the relationship between spatial reasoning and mathematics learning in early childhood (birth to 8 years). Four main themes were found: (i) children’s manipulation and transformation of objects, (ii) children’s bodily engagement with and within spaces, (iii) children’s representation and interpretation of spatial experiences, and (iv) contexts for spatial learning. While the review illuminates a deeper awareness and a more holistic and embodied view of children’s spatial competencies, there remains few studies focussed on children under three years of age. Future directions for ongoing research are identified.

Sternberg의 성공지능 이론과 연계한 유아수학교육 프로그램 효과 검증

Objectives The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of early childhood mathematics education program in connection with Sternberg's theory of successful intelligence on the mathematical ability, creativity, and creative problem-solving ability of young children. Methods Seventy six 5-year-old children were selected as research subjects at two kindergartens located in Seoul. Differences between the groups were investigated by dividing them into experimental and control groups. The difference between the groups was verified after applying the program of early childhood mathematics education linked to the Sternberg successful intelligence theory to the experimental group over 10 weeks. Results To verify the effectiveness of the program, t-verification and multivariate analysis (MANOVA) were performed using the SPSS 24.0 program. There were differences in the mathematical ability, creativity, and creative problem-solving ability of young children between the experimental and control groups. Conclusions The early childhood math education program based on the theory of successful intelligence is suitable for 5-year-old children and has a positive effect on mathematical ability, creativity, and creative problem-solving ability. The experimental group young children. who participated in the program improved their mathematical ability and their sub-areas, algebra, number and computation, geometry, and measurement compared to the control group young children. In addition, creativity was significantly improved, and sub-areas of fluency, originality, abstraction of titles, and resistance to early closure were improved. Creative problem-solving skills and plans for understanding problems, generating ideas, and acting, which are sub-factors have all improved.

The psychological approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics in early childhood education

The present work aims to determine the importance that teachers give to the precepts of psychological approaches in the process of teaching and learning Mathematics in children of primary education, of a Public Educational Institution in the city of Guayaquil, province of Guayas, Ecuador. The methodology is descriptive, with a field design. The population under study was made up of twenty-five teachers (25) of the primary education stage. The information was collected through an interview and through a Likert scale questionnaire. The instrument was validated through expert judgment and reliability through the Alpha Cronbach coefficient. A quantitative analysis of the data was performed using descriptive statistics. Results: regarding the starting diagnosis; 36% always indicated; on the realization of the planning based on the postulates of the theories that exist on the teaching-learning process; 44% said always; Regarding activities for the strategic development of logical or operational thinking in the child, 60% always said; Regarding the use of recreational activities as a strategy for teaching and learning mathematics in primary school children, 80% always stated that psychological approaches favor the teaching and learning of mathematics in primary school children in a world in constant transformation, 0% always responded. In short, it is evident that the intention of the study of Mathematics from childhood must be aimed at providing the student with a positive vision of this science, in such a way that they acquire the skills of abstraction, logic and critical thinking, with the necessary support of psychological approaches for the adequate teaching and learning of mathematics in children of primary education.

What About Early Childhood Mathematics Education in Early Childhood Teacher Education?

From existing research, it is known that early childhood teacher education provides few opportunities to learn mathematical content or mathematics pedagogical content knowledge. Furthermore, little is known about the extent to which teacher educators are qualified to teach early childhood mathematics within teacher education programs. This study investigates the frequency of opportunities to learn mathematical content knowledge and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge. Additionally, we investigate some characteristics of teacher educators, namely the sources they use for professional development with respect to early mathematics education. We report descriptive results as well as correlations. The results indicate that opportunities to learn mathematical content knowledge and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge have increased over time. Moreover, the results indicate that teacher educator professional development formats that encourage professional exchange among teacher educators, experts in early mathematics education and in-service teachers may increase teacher educators’ competence in early childhood mathematics and thereby the frequency with which this topic is addressed in teacher education.

What About Early Childhood Mathematics Education in Early Childhood Teacher Education?

From existing research, it is known that early childhood teacher education pro-vides few opportunities to learn mathematical content or mathematics pedagogical con-tent knowledge. Furthermore, little is known about the extent to which teacher educators are qualified to teach early childhood mathematics within teacher education programs. This study investigates the frequency of opportunities to learn mathematical content knowledge and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge. Additionally, we investigate some characteristics of teacher educators, namely the sources they use for professional development with respect to early mathematics education. We report descriptive results as well as correlations. The results indicate that opportunities to learn mathematical con-tent knowledge and mathematics pedagogical content knowledge have increased over time. Moreover, the results indicate that teacher educator professional development for-mats that encourage professional exchange among teacher educators, experts in early mathematics education and in-service teachers may increase teacher educators’ compe-tence in early childhood mathematics and thereby the frequency with which this topic is addressed in teacher education.

애플리케이션 기반 수학교육이 유아의 수학능력과 애플리케이션 활용 태도에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study is to examine the effects of application-based mathematics education on young children's mathematical ability and attitude to application utilization. Methods The purposes of this study wFor this purpose, 87 children aged 3 to 5 years (45 experimental group and 42 comparative group) were selected from early childhood education institutions in the metropolitan area. The experimental group conducted mathematical activities in the mathematics education application with parents at home, and the comparative group used the activity sheets consisting of the same concept as the contents of the mathematics education experienced by the experimental group. The collected data were statistically processed using the program for SPSS 25.0 Windows. Before and after the experiment, the experimental group, the infant's mathematical ability, and the attitude of using educational applications were measured, and the data were analyzed by conducting covariance analysis (ANCOVA) and independent sample T-test. Results Application-based early childhood mathematics education has a significant effect on young children's mathematical ability and attitude to use applications. The mathematical ability of the children was found to affect the number, operation, geometry, and measurement of the sub-areas, and the attitude of the children's use of educational applications had a positive effect on the competence of the sub-areas. Conclusions This study suggests that application-based mathematics activities can be an effective method for early childhood mathematics education.

Reevaluating Froebel Gifts: A Tool That Embodies Three Dimensions in Space to Enhance Pre-school Children’s Geometry Skills

Froebel Gifts are the first educational materials designed for kindergarten children in the education history. After Froebel introduced the first construction and design materials for early childhood mathematics education in 1850’s, several companies such as Lego Bricks, Lincoln Logs, and K’nex were influenced by his design. Considering the influence of Froebel Gifts on mathematics and geometry education tools for young children, it is important to analyze their impact on pre-school children’s geometry skills. This study investigated the effects of a geometry education program mediated with Froebel Gifts on 5-6 years-old children’s geometric skill development. The participants consisted of 40 pre-school children in Istanbul, Turkey. Twenty children in the experimental group received an 8-week intervention with Froebel Gifts while the control group continued their regular program. Early Geometry Skill Test (EGST) was used before and after the intervention and the collected data were analyzed with independent sample T-test. The results indicate a significant change in favor of the experimental group in the skills of building with blocks, recognizing the three-dimensional objects, predicting the surface shape of the three-dimensional objects, and recognizing the side and corner properties of two-dimensional shapes. The teacher’s instructional strategies and the physical and representational properties of Froebel Gifts are discussed and evaluated in the light of these results to provide insight about the features of an effective geometry education.

Pattern in early years mathematics curriculum: a 25-year review of the status, positioning and conception of pattern in England

ABSTRACT Pattern is fundamental to mathematical learning yet pattern has been conspicuously low key within early mathematics curriculum guidance in England despite evidence that it predicts later attainment in mathematics overall. Whilst recent curriculum changes have seen pattern afforded enhanced status, this is within a conception of pattern that marks a significant shift away from the evidence base. Through analysis of 25 years of early mathematics curriculum in England, this article identifies a curriculum landscape where pattern has been afforded little attention and narrowly framed. It finds that positioning pattern as a minor topic in mathematics potentially limits children’s access to “powerful knowledge”, in a critical realist sense, and to learning which is fundamental to deep, connected mathematical understanding. Recognition of pattern as powerful knowledge would position it as an essential, broad, central tenet of early childhood mathematics education and as an entitlement at the heart of national curricula.

모의수업 과정에서 나타나는 예비유아교사의 유아수학교육에 대한 인식 변화

Objectives This study tried to explore how pre-service early childhood teachers perceptions of mathematics teaching practice appear and change, based on the demands and related studies for early childhood mathematics education according to the change to the fourth industrial revolution.
 Methods For this study, 19 pre-service early childhood teachers in the third grade of early childhood education at K University in Gyeongsangnam-do, who are taking early childhood mathematics education courses, conducted mock class for six weeks.
 Results The perception of pre-service early childhood teachers through mock classes has changed from the perspective of teaching math through explanation and practice to the perspective of approaching it more fun as a play, and gradually to integrate it with everyday experiences to become meaningful mathematical knowledge for children.
 Conclusions Focusing on these research results, this study discussed the direction of early childhood mathematics education, which is meaningful in that it prepared basic data for direction setting and program development for teacher education.

Understanding additive composition is important for symbolic numerical magnitude processing

The present study examined additive composition as a longitudinal predictor for symbolic numerical magnitude comparison. Two hundred and twenty-four Chinese kindergarteners (Mage= 63.76 months; 103 boys, 121 girls) participated in this study across three waves of cognitive assessments. Cross-lagged panel analyses showed that additive composition predicted symbolic numerical magnitude comparison longitudinally but not vice versa. The cross-lagged effects remained significant beyond the influence of general intelligence, working memory, nonsymbolic magnitude comparison, and counting abilities. Theoretically, this study suggests that additive composition is a key factor underlying the exact representational system of numbers. It also entails educational implications that understanding the quantitative relations between numbers should be the focus of learning and teaching in early childhood mathematics education.

Development of children's informal understanding of division through sharing: Contributions of reasoning demands and problem situations

This study examined the longitudinal development of young children's informal understanding of division through fair sharing. Two hundred and twelve children were followed from the age of 4.5–5.5 over three waves of assessment. Division understanding was measured with different types of problems (same- versus different-divisor trials) presented with different situations (partitive vs quotitve). Several key findings emerged. First, different-divisor problems were significantly more difficult than same-divisor problems at all age levels, which suggests that tasks that demand children's understanding of the inverse relation between divisor and quotient are more difficult than tasks that demand the understanding of equivalence principle. Second, children found it easier to understand the inverse relation between divisor and quotient in the context of partitive than quotitive situation. Third, with age, there was a sharper improvement in solving different-divisor problems than same-divisor problems, whereas the progress was more prominent for different-divisor problems presented in partitive situations, compared with other problems. Finally, working memory made the most consistent and unique contribution to solving all kinds of division problems at all age levels, compared with other cognitive factors. Theoretical and practical implications in early childhood mathematics education are discussed.