Math Performance Research Articles

Examining the impacts of school bus travel on students' academic performance in two major cities

AbstractSchool buses are a prevalent mode of school travel that may negatively affect students’ academic performance due to numerous factors, including longer commutes. These extended travel times can introduce or exacerbate mental and physical stressors, including air pollution exposure and bullying, while reducing opportunities for health‐promoting activities like physical activity and sleep. While a few researchers have explored the effects of school bus transportation on academic achievement, the research is limited. In this study, we used data from two major Canadian cities, Toronto and Ottawa, to investigate the relationship between the proportion of students commuting by bus to and from school and the percentage meeting standards on standardized tests. We employed beta regression models to analyze performance in reading, writing, math, and literacy across Grades 3, 6, 9, and 10 while controlling for family and income variables that may influence school travel mode and student achievement. Our findings indicate a significant inverse correlation between school bus transportation and academic achievement for Grade 10 literacy. Longer commutes appear to impair academic performance, given that Grade 10 students presumably spend more time on the bus than younger students. Notably, the negative effects on literacy outcomes are greater than on math.

Executive function is associated with the development of math performance in children born at

To describe associations between executive function (EF) domains (attentional control, information processing, cognitive flexibility, and goal setting) and concurrent math computation performance at age 7 and 13 years in children born <30 weeks' gestation or weighing <1,250 g, and second, to examine the impact of 7-year EF on math performance at 13 years. In a prospective, longitudinal cohort of children born <30 weeks' gestation or with a birthweight <1,250 g, assessment of EF and math performance was undertaken at 7 (n = 187) and 13 years (n = 174). Linear regression models were used to describe associations between EF domains with math performance at both time points, as well as to examine the impact of EF at 7 years on math performance at 13 years. At 7 and 13 years, all EF domains were positively and strongly associated with concurrent math performance (β = 11.35, 95% CI [9.28, 13.41] to β = 13.79, 95% CI [11.59, 15.98]). All EF domains at age 7 years were positively associated with math performance at 13 years, with the strongest associations observed for cognitive flexibility (β = 10.79 [8.64, 12.94]) and goal setting (β = 10.37 [8.08, 12.67]). This study provides evidence that EF is strongly associated with math performance in children born <30 weeks' gestation or with a birthweight <1,250 g and highlights the importance of early cognitive flexibility and goal setting performance for future math performance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

보편적 학습설계와 증거기반교수를 적용한 수학 수업이 초등학생의 곱셈·나눗셈 성취도와 수학적 학습 태도에 미치는 효과

Objectives The purposes of this study was to examine the effects of mathematics instruction, incorporate Universal Design for Learning(UDL) and evidence-based instruction, on the multiplication and division achievement and mathematical learning attitudes of 4th grade elementary school students with typical or low achievement in mathematics. Methods The study involved 46 subjects, comprising students from two 4th-grade classes in a public elementary school in Seoul. The subjects were divided into experimental and control groups, with each group further subdivided based on their level of mathematics achievement. The experimental design employed a pretest-posttest control group design along with a repeated measures design. Improvements in students’ multiplication and division achievements were analyzed using a hierarchical linear growth model, while differences in attitudes towards mathematical learning were assessed using paired samples t-tests and analysis of covariance(ANCOVA). Results First, the rate of change in multiplication and division achievement among students with typical math performance in the experimental group was statistically significantly higher than that in the control group. Second, the rate of change in multiplication and division achievement among students with low math performance in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group. Third, within the experimental group, students with low math performance demonstrated a significantly greater rate of improvement in achievement compared to students with typical math performance. Fourth, students in the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in most areas of mathematical learning attitudes. Finally, there was no statistically significant difference in mathematical learning attitudes between the two subgroups of the experimental group, except for their level of confidence in multiplication and division. Conclusions First, mathematics instruction incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and evidencebased instruction was effective in improving multiplication and division achievement as well as mathematical learning attitudes among 4th grade elementary students. Finally, it can be inferred that this approach could be an effective method for ensuring foundational academic skills and bridging achievement gaps in general education settings with diverse student characteristics.

USE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ON STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF RWANDA

This study explored the impact of English language proficiency on students performance in Mathematics in Kirehe Districts public secondary schools. It aims to assess students English skills in math classes, identify challenges stemming from language barriers, and determine the correlation between English proficiency and math performance. The research involved 336 students, from which 183 respondents, including head teachers, teachers, and students from four schools, were selected through purposive and random sampling methods. A descriptive research design using both quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted, with data collected via questionnaires, interviews, and observations, then analyzed using SPSS version 21. Findings revealed that 76.5% of students understood basic math terms in English, while 89.7% felt confident discussing challenges in math. However, 81.8% struggled with complex instructions due to unfamiliar vocabulary. Anxiety about using English was noted by 86.8% of students, and 94.1% reported difficulties with lengthy word problems. The study found a significant correlation between teachers English skills and student performance, participation, and learning independence. Recommendations include prioritizing access to English resources, providing teacher incentives for language skill enhancement, and using clear, concise language in instruction. Further research on the relationship between English proficiency and students attitudes toward Mathematics is suggested.

Influence of Teachers’ Experience in Information Communication Technology and Students’ Academic Performance in Mathematics in Public Secondary Schools of Rwanda: A Case of Kayonza District

The study evaluated the impact of teachers' ICT experience on students' math performance in public secondary schools in Kayonza District, Rwanda. Involving 259 participants (223 teachers and 36 head teachers), data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and observations, and analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Findings revealed that 83.5% of respondents strongly agreed that teachers skilled in MS Excel, 85.9% in PowerPoint, and 83.9% in preparing teaching materials with ICT tools positively influenced students' performance. Additionally, 82.3% noted that teachers trained in exam preparation with ICT tools demonstrated their ICT experience. Improved student outcomes were reported, with 79.4% noting better numeracy, 80.2% improved grades, and 78.3% enhanced skills in experimenting with MS Excel. A significant positive correlation was found between teachers' ICT expertise and students' math performance. The study suggests that proficiency in ICT tools enhances students' academic performance. The Ministry of Education should support ICT integration to boost academic achievement, with superintendents and head teachers optimizing ICT training and lab usage. Teachers should share ICT skills to improve instruction and student outcomes. Future research should investigate the broader effects of ICT in education on academic achievement in mathematics.

The Role of Math and Language Performance in Explaining the Gender Gap in STEM Major Choice. A Test for Germany

Abstract Across the globe, women choose science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors (STEM) less often than men. One frequently suggested explanation of this gender gap is that women perform less well in math and better in language than men in secondary school and have a comparative advantage in language. Studies for the Anglo-Saxon context have only found weak support for this school performance explanation due to small gender differences in math performance and comparative (math-to-language) grade advantages and weak effects of comparative test advantages on STEM major choice. We aim to contribute to the literature by assessing the role of math and language competencies and grades in explaining the gender gap in STEM major choice for Germany, a country with considerable gender differences in math and language performance. Decomposition analyses of the gender gap in STEM major choice in higher tertiary education among upper secondary students from the German National Educational Panel Study show that math and language performance can explain nearly half of the gender gap in STEM major choice. The role of math competencies and grades in the German language proves especially important due to substantial gender differences herein and strong effects on the likelihood of STEM declaration. Our findings suggest that in contexts with strong gender differences in math and language performance, prior school performance can to a large extent explain women’s underrepresentation in STEM university majors.

Comparing the Impact of Non-Cognitive Skills in STEM and Non-STEM Contexts in Kazakh Secondary Education

The role of non-cognitive skills in academic achievement has garnered increasing attention in educational research. This study explores the impact of non-cognitive skills on academic achievement in STEM and non-STEM subjects in secondary education. Survey data from 795 teachers and 12,965 students across 20 STEM schools in Kazakhstan were analyzed to examine the impact of 26 non-cognitive skills on performance in math, physics, first language, and history. Regression and mediation analyses were conducted to investigate how students’ self-assessment of non-cognitive skills directly affects academic achievement and how these effects are mediated by teachers’ assessments. The findings indicate that non-cognitive skills exhibit varying direct and total effects, with mediated effects showing greater consistency across different subjects. In math and physics, information processing skill and grit show the strongest direct and total effects on academic achievement. In first language and history, responsibility management and teamwork skill are most influential. Except for capacity for optimism and growth mindset, all skills demonstrated mediated effects across the four subjects. This research informs curriculum development and equitable policies by showing how non-cognitive skills impact academic performance across subjects. It studies the case of Kazakhstan, adding to global education discourse and offering valuable insights for enhancing STEM education.

Motherhood and the allocation of talent

ABSTRACT In this paper we show that motherhood triggers changes in the allocation of talent in the labour market beyond the well-known effects on gender gaps in employment and earnings. Based on an event study approach around the birth of the first child and retrospective panel data for 28 European countries and Israel, we assess the labour market responses to motherhood across ‘talent’ groups–i.e. groups with different educational attainment, Math performance at age 10, and personality traits associated to entrepreneurial ability. We show that even the most talented women–both in absolute terms and relative to their husbands–leave the labour market or uptake part-time jobs after the birth of the first child. We also find that motherhood induces a negative selection of female talents into self-employment. Overall, our results suggest relevant changes in the allocation of talent associated to gender differences in non-market responsibilities that can have sizable impacts on aggregate market productivity.

Machine learning and propensity score matching for evaluating the effect of special education services on childrens later math performances

The goal of the research is to analyze the effect of special education service brought to childrens later math performance. The dataset is derived from Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies(ECLS) program and the children being studied come from diverse socioeconomic and racial/ethnic backgrounds. We applied PSM and modern machine learning methods including OLS, KNN, BART and MLP on the data in order to calculate the average treatment effect of special education services. It turned out that all the listed machine learning algorithms with comparatively low STD outperformed the traditional propensity score matching. KNN, BART and OLS excelled, offering much more stable calculations. The value of ATE computed through all the methods appeared below zero. By applying linear regression and PCA on all the influencing factors, the analysis revealed that the differences of some factors between the controlled and exposed groups led better math performances to appear usually in the absence of special treatment. Thus, special treatment effect led the trained model to predict lower scores, which finally caused the difference to be negative.

Universal Design Element Utilization and Mathematics Performance: Implications for Diverse Student Populations

This empirical research study investigates the relationship between the utilization of Universal Design (UD) elements and math performance among eighth graders. We analyzed 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress process data using Poisson Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Models to examine how the frequency of UD element usage varies across diverse student demographics. Our findings reveal a great divide: lower achievers, students with disabilities, those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, English Language Learners, and African American students predominantly use text-to-speech, whereas high achievers more frequently employ digital pencils (which allow for manual writing or drawing on the screen) and elimination capacity (which enables students to dismiss incorrect multiple-choice answers). Linear Mixed-Effects Models show that higher levels of utilization of digital pencils and elimination capacity are correlated with improved math performance across various student subgroups. However, frequent changes in color themes, intended to enhance visual differentiation, were associated with lower performance, suggesting that these might serve as distractions rather than aids for some students. We discuss the implications of the findings in terms of the design of UD elements, as well as for equity, accessibility, and math education more broadly.

An exploratory experiment investigating teachers’ attributional race and gender bias and the moderating effects of personal experience of racial discrimination

The factors to which teachers attribute students’ successes and failures have important consequences for teachers’ instructional decisions as well as their expectations of students. Yet few, if any, experimental studies have been conducted to investigate the role that students’ race and gender play in how teachers make sense of students’ academic performance. In this exploratory experimental study, conducted with 413 mathematics teachers across the United States, we investigated the extent to which teachers attributed students’ performance disparities in mathematics to internal and external factors based on the students’ race and gender and explored the extent to which teachers’ beliefs and dispositions moderated their attributions. To do so, teachers were first given a collection of the student solutions with no gender or racial performance disparities. They were then randomly assigned to one of four conditions in which they were told that on this particular assessment: boys outperformed girls, girls outperformed boys, Black and Hispanic students outperformed White and Asian students, or that White and Asian students outperformed Black and Hispanic students. They were asked to report the reasons behind the disparities in math performance of these groups. We found that teachers attributed gender disparities in student performance to innate math ability, effort, and external social factors, whereas they attributed racial disparities in student performance to biological influences on intelligence, effort, external social factors or the assessment context. Teachers’ self-reported personal experience with racial discrimination moderated race differences in teacher attributions.

Evaluation of a Social Determinant of Health: Academic Achievement Through Physical Education Policy Regarding Time

Physical activity can meaningfully influence educational outcomes, yet, remains insufficient among youth (World Health Organization, 2018). Youth who are not physically active are more likely to encounter chronic health issues including obesity, depression, and anxiety (Bartelink et al., 2019, Bélair et al., 2018, Krebs, 2003).School-sponsored physical education (PE) is one way for students to participate in physical activity. However, state policies allotting time for PE vary nationally. Furthermore, many schools respond to pressures of increasing student standardized test scores by replacing structured time in PE with more time in tested subjects (Center on Education Policy, 2007, 2008). This study explores national associations of PE time policies and academic achievement on standardized tests through a fixed effects panel data analysis. The change in PE policies, as measured by mandated PE time, significantly predicted mean reading and math performance. Findings enhance the limited literature on PE policy associations with academic achievement.

Applying Machine Learning and SHAP Method to Identify Key Influences on Middle-School Students' Mathematics Literacy Performance.

The PISA 2022 literacy assessment highlights a significant decline in math performance among most OECD countries, with the magnitude of this decline being approximately three times that of the previous round. Remarkably, Hong Kong, Macao, Taipei, Singapore, Japan, and Korea ranked in the top six among all participating countries or economies, with Taipei, Singapore, Japan, and Korea also demonstrating improved performance. Given the widespread concern about the factors influencing secondary-school students' mathematical literacy, this paper adopts machine learning and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method to analyze 34,968 samples and 151 features from six East Asian education systems within the PISA 2022 dataset, aiming to pinpoint the crucial factors that affect middle-school students' mathematical literacy. First, the XGBoost model has the highest prediction accuracy for math literacy performance. Second, 15 variables were identified as significant predictors of mathematical literacy across the student population, particularly variables such as mathematics self-efficacy (MATHEFF) and expected occupational status (BSMJ). Third, mathematics self-efficacy was determined to be the most influential factor. Fourth, the factors influencing mathematical literacy vary among individual students, including the key influencing factors, the direction (positive or negative) of their impact, and the extent of this influence. Finally, based on our findings, four recommendations are proffered to enhance the mathematical literacy performance of secondary-school students.

Predictive model for college students’ performance in higher mathematics

This study investigated the influence of psychological factors (attitude, learning engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy) and instructional factors (teacher-related factors and learning environment) on college students' performance in higher mathematics. It developed a predictive model for higher math performance. This utilized a cross-sectional research design using a survey to gather data at a university in Cebu province, Philippines, with 391 students from Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Mathematics programs selected through purposive sampling, resulting in an 87% response rate. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Findings revealed that students generally held positive attitudes towards math, demonstrated average learning engagement, were highly motivated, and reported average self-efficacy. Both teacher-related factors and the learning environment were perceived very positively. While both psychological and instructional factors showed significant positive correlations with mathematics performance, multiple regression analysis indicated that only attitude was not a significant predictor. Learning engagement emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by learning environment and self-efficacy. The main contribution of this study is the creation of a predictive model, Higher Mathematics Performance = 1.82 + 0.008 (attitude) + 0.257 (learning engagement) + 0.039 (motivation) + 0.098 (self-efficacy) + 0.084 (teacher-related factors) + 0.155 (learning environment) + e, which accounted for 82.7% of the variance in higher mathematics performance. Hence, the predictive model developed in this study can serve as a valuable tool to design interventions and effective strategies for improving mathematics performance and overall academic achievement in higher education. This leads to a broad picture of the fact that these factors are correlated and how the various correlations can describe strategies for proposing relevant programs necessary for the improvement of performance in higher mathematics.

"It's Different for Girls!" The Role of Anxiety, Physiological Arousal, and Subject Preferences in Primary School Children's Math and Mental Rotation Performance.

(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; Mean age = 8.73 years). (2) Method: Students' preference for math vs. German and their subjective anxiety were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Emotional reactivity was measured using the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Math performance was evaluated via percentage scored and completion times on number line estimation, word problems, and missing terms tasks. Spatial skills were assessed using a novel mental rotation task (nMRT) incorporating gender-congruent and -neutral stimuli. (3) Results: Girls outperformed boys on percentage scored on the math task but took longer to complete this. No gender differences were found in performance on the nMRT. Girls demonstrated higher math anxiety and were less likely to prefer math over German. Math anxiety predicted math scores and accuracy on the nMRT while gender predicted math performance and mental rotation response time. Subject preference was associated with longer completion times and emotional reactivity with longer response times. Girls' preference for math and lower emotional reactivity was linked to shorter completion times, while lower math anxiety predicted higher scores. In contrast, these factors did not affect boys' math performance. Additionally, subjective anxiety, emotional reactivity, or subject preference did not impact spatial performance for either gender. (4) Conclusions: Supporting mathematical self-efficacy and emotional regulation, especially in girls, is crucial for enhancing STEM outcomes in primary education. Gender-fair assessment in mental rotation reveals equitable spatial performance and reduces the impact of anxiety.

Effects of physically active maths lessons on children's maths performance and maths-related affective factors: Multi-arm cluster randomized controlled trial.

Physical activity (PA) may benefit academic performance, but it is unclear what kind of classroom-based PA is optimal for learning. We studied the effects of physically active maths lessons on children's maths performance and maths-related effects, and whether gender and previous mathematical or motor skills modify these effects. A total of 22 volunteered teachers and their pupils with signed consent (N = 397, mean age: 9.3 years, 51% females) participated in a 5-month, teacher-led, multi-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial. The intervention included a PAL group (20 min of physically active learning in each 45-min lesson), a breaks group (two 5-min PA breaks in each 45-min lesson) and a control group (traditional teaching). Maths performance was assessed with a tailored curriculum-based test. Maths-related enjoyment, self-perceptions and anxiety were measured with a self-reported questionnaire. The individual-level intervention effects were tested via covariate-adjusted linear mixed-effect models with school classes serving as random effects. Changes in maths performance or self-perceptions did not differ between the intervention groups. Maths anxiety in learning situations increased in the PAL group (effect .28, 95% CI = .01-.56); there was no change in the other groups. Subgroup analyses suggested that maths anxiety increased in the PAL group among children in the two lowest tertiles of motor skills. It decreased in the highest tertile. Enjoyment decreased in the breaks group among pupils in the lowest motor skill tertile. Physically active maths lessons did not affect maths performance or self-perceptions but had divergent effects on maths anxiety and enjoyment, depending on motor skills.

Math Abilities Among Children with Neurodevelopmental Difficulties: Understanding Cognitive Factors and Evaluating a Pilot Intervention.

Math development in children relies on several underlying cognitive functions, including executive functions (EF), working memory (WM), and visual-motor abilities, such as visual-motor integration (VMI). Understanding how these cognitive factors contribute to children's math performance is critical to supporting math learning and long-term math success. The present quasi-experimental waitlist control study (N = 28) aimed to (a) examine the unique contributions of EF, WM, and VMI to math abilities among children ages 5-8 years old with neurodevelopmental difficulties; (b) determine whether a math intervention (the Mathematics Interactive Learning Experience; MILE) that supports these cognitive processes was effective when modified to be delivered to small groups in a school setting, and (c) examine whether any participant characteristics, such as age or IQ, were correlated with post-intervention math score changes. At baseline, participants' math scores were significantly below the normative mean in all math content areas (ps < .01). EF, WM, and VMI were highly correlated with math ability; however, verbal WM was the only unique predictor of math ability in regressions analysis. Compared to a waitlist control group, children in the immediate MILE intervention group achieved significantly greater math gains overall. When all children who ultimately completed the intervention were considered together, significant improvement was observed in more than half of math content areas. Furthermore, at the individual level, 85.7% of participants showed reliable change in at least one math content area. Implications for supporting math learning in children with neurodevelopmental difficulties are discussed.

Parental mindsets as determinants of children’s achievement goals and performance in math

Parental mindsets as determinants of children’s achievement goals and performance in math

Cognitive heterogeneity in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Implications for maths.

This study investigated whether cognitive function better predicted maths test performance than a clinical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty-four drug naïve children (Mage = 101.34 months, SD = 19.39; 30% girls) were recruited from clinical ADHD referral waiting lists. Children underwent assessment of Executive Functions (EF), lower-level cognitive processes, and maths performance. Children were grouped using a categorical approach comprising (1) children with a clinical ADHD diagnosis and (2) children without a diagnosis (i.e., subthreshold ADHD). Secondly, hierarchical cluster analysis generated subgroups of children using EF scores. Children were compared on cognition, maths, and parent-rated symptoms of ADHD and co-occurring difficulties. Children's diagnostic outcomes did not differentiate maths performance. By contrast, EF subgroups generated meaningful cognitive clusters which differentiated maths test scores. This suggests that cognitive patterns of performance, rather than children's diagnostic outcomes, are more informative for identifying meaningful groups with variable maths performance which has implications for remedial support.

Action research communities as a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative: a multi-method multi-informant study

AbstractProfessional learning communities (PLCs) actioned through collaborative action research (CAR) have been found in the literature to be beneficial for both teachers and students. However, previous studies mainly examined teachers’ perceived effectiveness of CAR-based PLCs, as well as identified steps and elements involved in such PLCs, either self-initiated by teachers themselves or by university researchers in a school-university partnership model. Few have focused on a whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative based entirely on PLCs through CAR. In this study, we provide preliminary evaluation of a 3-year whole-of-school teaching improvement initiative (the SETaRI), based on PLCs through CAR at a regional primary school in NSW, Australia. Analysis of students’ various assessment measures (N = 206), teachers’ survey (N = 44), observation of professional learning team meetings, and various types of student artefacts revealed that students showed general and consistent improvement in both their reading and maths performance over time following the implementation of the SETaRI model, with greater progressive learning effects for those whose initial learning outcomes were lower than their peers. The findings also highlighted data-driven decision making, teacher collaboration, and school leadership as potent elements underlying teachers’ positive attitudes toward the implementation of the model as well as student learning outcomes and improvement. This study provides useful implications for a school improvement agenda focused on action research communities.