Numeracy Education Research Articles

Exploring numeracy teaching and learning by using ethnomathematics

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact that the cultural or everyday practices of ethnomathematics of a particular cultural group will have if they are used in teaching and learning of numeracy concepts related to geometrical shapes. It explored cultural practices, artefacts, written, verbal or visual communication messages reflecting mathematics in order to see how they could best eliminate the problems learners encounter in the acquisition of numeracy language. Data was generated using observations, brainstorming and interviews. Based on this research, the impact of using ethnomathematics in numeracy teaching and learning brings in innumerable benefits. These include promoting deep learning and allows teachers to maka use of prior knowledge in the classroom. This allows learners to recall and relate to the concepts learnt and employ them in their daily activities so that they do not to remain inert. Another impact of interest was the reclaiming of names of geometrical shapes from certain languages which currently teachers are not aware of as they are overlooked. For instance when geometrical shapes were first discussed using local terminology, it made more meaning than when taught using English used as a medium of teaching and learning in the research area.

Instruction of Mathematics Teachers Toward Numeracy Management Program

Numeracy education stands as a pivotal component of the educational landscape, necessitating attention from both administrators and teachers. To facilitate the ongoing improvement of teachers’ numeracy instructional skills, it becomes imperative to confront the barriers hindering students’ attainment of educational objectives. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the numeracy instruction provided by mathematics teachers, with an emphasis on its impact on curriculum and pedagogy enhancement. Additionally, it identified issues in the management of numeracy instruction, forming the foundation for forthcoming numeracy management initiatives targeting elementary school teachers. This study employed a researcher-developed questionnaire to conduct a descriptive survey involving 30 elementary mathematics teachers from Marawoy Elementary School. Utilizing statistical tools, specifically the mean, responses were meticulously analyzed, while issues concerning numeracy management instruction were methodically extracted and interpreted thematically. The study affirmed the robust alignment between teachers’ knowledge content and pedagogical approaches with the diverse learning needs of their students. Notably, instructional materials, classroom management, and assessment techniques exhibited variation according to students’ learning capabilities. Unfortunately, suboptimal Internet connectivity and limited access to learning resources only marginally supported the integration of technology in the teaching and learning processes. Consequently, the implementation of a numeracy management program was recommended to bridge instructional gaps among teachers in the domain of numeracy.

An observation study of mathematics instruction for students with IDD in grades K-2

This observation study documents the amount and quality of mathematics instruction provided to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in kindergarten through second grade in self-contained special education settings. We observed six special education teachers and their students (N = 12) during a total of 967 min allotted to early numeracy and mathematics instruction. Mathematics and early numeracy instruction comprised 61.2% of all observed time allotted for mathematics, followed by non-instruction (32.7%), mathematics assessment (5.7%), and instruction in other areas (0.3%). Observed mathematics content included Numbers and Quantitative Reasoning, and Measurement. Mean ratings of student engagement and instructional quality across areas were medium and low-average, respectively. Although student engagement did not differ by who was leading instruction, instructional quality differed between teachers and paraeducators. Class sizes were small, and teachers most often taught students as a whole class or individually. Students used technology, manipulatives, and printed instructional materials during learning.

Grade R Teacher Expressions of Themselves as Teachers of Early Numeracy Participating in an Intervention Programme

This paper explores Grade R teacher expressions of themselves as teachers of numeracy, and as teachers working in the transition phase of schooling, after their participation in a research-informed numeracy-focused professional development (PD) intervention. The Early Number Fun (ENF) programme had 33 teachers from 17 Eastern Cape schools participating monthly over 18 months. Inclusion of Grade R to schooling is relatively new following policy changes in Early Childhood Development. In-service support tends to be subsumed within the Foundation Phase without attention to the specialised nature of Grade R that emphasises learning through play. ENF focused on the development of specialised teacher knowledge to support the development of early number sense through play, particularly with conceptual manipulatives. Data sources include three pre-, during, and post-PD questionnaires. Findings reveal that participation in ENF, and access to multiple research informed numeracy resources, supported teachers in their relationship with numeracy and the teaching thereof. Questionnaire responses indicate greater confidence in themselves as knowledgeable teachers of numeracy and that belonging to the ENF community supported navigation of positive professional identities within the mixed messages of policy. The findings contribute to the community-supported field of Grade R PD research and early numeracy teaching and learning. In concluding we discuss implications of this research for Grade R PD and for policy.

Nurse education leaders’ perspectives on the teaching of numeracy to undergraduate nursing students: A qualitative research study

AimThe aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of nurse education leaders of Australian undergraduate nursing degrees on the teaching of nursing numeracy and how the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Accreditation Standards influence curriculum development. BackgroundNurses’ numeracy skills are reportedly deficient worldwide, posing a significant threat to patient safety. This is an issue for the education of undergraduate nurses and thus for the nursing profession. The international literature reveals a heterogeneous blend of learning approaches, but it is unclear which approaches are best suited to improve the numerical calculation ability of nurses. In the Australian context, there are no accreditation standards referring to numeracy, therefore, it is important to discover how nurse education leaders’ design and implement the teaching of numeracy. DesignA qualitative approach using thematic analysis was employed. The setting was Australian universities that delivered an accredited undergraduate nursing degree leading to nursing registration. MethodsPurposive sampling was used to recruit 17 nurse education leaders of Australian undergraduate nursing degrees. Individual, semi-structured virtual interviews were conducted between November 2022 and January 2023. Interview data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phases of thematic analysis. FindingsFive themes emerged from the analysis: (i) indistinct accreditation standards, (ii) teaching basic maths for clinical applications, (iii) a range of bespoke teaching approaches (iv) we’re nurses, not numeracy educators and (v) assumptions about an unprepared cohort. ConclusionThe leaders of undergraduate nursing degrees assumed that nursing students would have proficiency in numeracy skills on entering university. However, this was not the case, hence numeracy was an essential skill that needed to be taught to the undergraduate nursing students. Lack of direction from the accreditation council led to the existence of various curricula and an array of approaches to teaching numeracy and medication calculations, which challenged nursing academics who did not consider themselves numeracy educators. This study makes a novel contribution to knowledge, teaching and practice in undergraduate nursing numeracy curricula.

KEMAMPUAN KOMUNIKASI MATEMATIS SISWA MELALUI BUDAYA LITERASI DAN NUMERASI SISWA

This study identified several issues such as the lack of variation in literacy and numeracy teaching methods by teachers, the low enthusiasm of students in learning activities, low mathematical communication skills of students, inadequate application of literacy and numeracy culture by teachers, and as a result, the teaching and learning process is perceived as uninteresting by the students. The aim of this study is to identify the mathematical communication skills of students at UPTD SD Negeri 122377 Pematang Siantar through the application of literacy and numeracy culture. This study used Quasi Experiment which is one of the experimental methods. The research design used a Two Group Randomized Posttest-Only Control Design. Prior to the teaching, pre-tests were conducted on both classes. Then, both classes were taught mathematics with the topic of fractional calculation, but with different treatments. In the experimental class, teaching was carried out with the application of literacy and numeracy culture, while in the control class, the conventional teaching method was used. Literacy in this study was defined as the ability to utilize and understand various activities such as reading, listening, writing, counting, and speaking intelligently. The study population consisted of fifth-grade students in three classes with a total of 92 students. The research sample was taken from two classes with a total of 60 students using purposive sampling technique. The data collection techniques used in this study were observation, test, and documentation. After the teaching process was completed, a posttest was conducted. Based on the research analysis, the following findings were obtained: 1) The mathematical communication skills of students who applied literacy and numeracy culture were better than those who used conventional methods; 2) There were differences in the improvement of mathematical communication skills between students who applied literacy and numeracy culture and those who used conventional methods; and 3) There were differences in student attitudes towards teaching using literacy and numeracy culture compared to conventional methods.

Enhancing numeracy instruction through games in pre-primary classrooms

The enormous importance of numeracy skill to pre-elementary children has tasked teachers with the burden of imparting the skill in an effective manner. Despite the fact that literature has documented the effectiveness of games approach in children instruction, to some, use of game is disruptive to actual learning. This necessitates more experimental studies to further clear ambiguities about the use of games in pre-primary classrooms. This study examined the impact of games on pre-primary children’s interest and performance in numeracy. A pretest-posttest, control group, quasi-experimental was adopted. Fifty Nursery Two pupils were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. The instruments used were Pre-primary Children’s Numeracy Achievement Test (r=0.86) and Pupils’ Interest in Numeracy Scale (r=0.81). The data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Scheffe’s Post Hoc Pairwise Comparison. Results indicated that games method was effective on pre-primary children’s learning of numeracy (F (1, 42) = 373.502; P < 0.05) and also increased their interest in numeracy instruction (F (1, 42) = 9.773; P < 0.05). Based on these findings, recommendations were made that teachers, parents and curriculum developers should encourage the use of games method to improve numeracy instruction among pre-primary education.

Numeracy-Meets: an innovative professional development model for adult numeracy practitioners in Ireland

ABSTRACT Despite the clear and obvious need for adults to be proficient in numeracy, international studies suggest that many continue to struggle in this area. In Ireland, one of the main challenges continues to be the availability of effective adult numeracy education. This is a diverse sector, and little is known about the varied provision of adult numeracy courses and of those who teach on them. Recent research has highlighted an unmet demand for the professional development of adult numeracy practitioners with many looking for opportunities to network and further develop their practice. This study aimed to design, implement and evaluate a professional development model that supported adult numeracy practitioners in developing the necessary skills to support their students. After an initial needs analysis, a series of six ‘Numeracy-Meets’ were designed and implemented between February and May 2022. There was an average of twenty adult numeracy practitioners in attendance at each Numeracy-Meet. After all the Numeracy-Meets had taken place, five practitioners took part in individual semi-structured interviews to evaluate their experiences. This paper details the design, implementation and evaluation of these Numeracy-Meets and discusses whether they are a sustainable model of professional development for adult numeracy practitioners.

Climate change by the numbers: Leveraging mathematical skills for science learning online

The purpose of this preregistered study was to test an online intervention that presents participants with novel numbers about climate change after they estimate those numbers. An experimental study design was used to investigate the impact of the intervention on undergraduate students’ climate change understanding and perceptions that human caused climate change is plausible. Findings revealed that posttest climate change knowledge and plausibility perceptions were higher among those randomly assigned to use the intervention compared with those assigned to a control condition, and that supplementing this experience with numeracy instruction was linked with the use of more explicit estimation strategies and greater learning gains for people with adaptive epistemic dispositions. Findings from this study replicate and extend prior research, support the idea that novel data can support knowledge revision, identify estimation strategies used in this context, and offer an open-source online intervention for sharing surprising data with students and teachers.

Supporting adults to become numerate citizens: a study of adult numeracy provision in Ireland

This paper revisits and reanalyses data from a study carried out in the further education and training sector in the Republic of Ireland to investigate (1) how adults access and participate in numeracy courses and (2) how adult numeracy provision might support active citizenship. We analysed 45 interviews with adult education providers, adult numeracy tutors, and adult learners to identify themes that connect adult numeracy with a human rights conception of citizenship as access to and participation in economic, social, and community life. This analysis found that the most common barriers to accessing adult numeracy courses arose from dispositional factors relating to fear, anxiety and lack of confidence with mathematics, largely due to negative experiences in formal schooling. To overcome these barriers, adults’ participation in numeracy courses was encouraged by integrating numeracy learning activities into real world contexts in a non-threatening learning environment. The interview analysis also illustrated ways in which adult numeracy education supported active citizenship in the economic, social, and community spheres, by (i) enhancing financial literacy and preparing adults for employment; (ii) fostering individual empowerment, family learning and social inclusion; and (iii) enabling civic engagement. Policies for promoting adult education typically aim to develop active citizenship, but without specifying how this is to be achieved. Our study is valuable because it illuminates potential connections between citizenship and numeracy as a dimension of adult education that is separate from literacy. The findings lead to recommendations for translating national and international policy frameworks into research-informed adult education programs.

Literacy and Numeracy Teaching and Learning in Pandemic Outbreak: A Case Study of Private Primary School in Rural Area

Literacy and Numeracy Teaching and Learning in Pandemic Outbreak: A Case Study of Private Primary School in Rural Area. Objective: This research aims to portray the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy in a private school in rural area with few students in each class. Methods: The research method employed is descriptive qualitative. Data revealed that students doing Kampus Mengajar Angkatan 1 (KMA-1) or student teacher taught literacy and numeracy lesson through playing games and singing. Finding: The teaching procedures are claimed in three phases – pre, while and post. The teaching and learning process during the pandemic was carried out in various ways such as using videos and using games and singing. Conclusion: Students’ challenges are lack of vocabulary and its meaning. Teachers need to develop their teaching and learning based on student and school characteristics. This is done to develop student learning motivation, literacy, and student numeracy can improve Keywords: literacy, numeracy, rural area, private primary school. Abstrak: Pembelajaran Literasi dan Numerasi di Masa Wabah Pandemi: Studi Kasus SD Swasta di Pedesaan. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan pembelajaran literasi dan numerasi di sekolah swasta dengan jumlah siswa sangat terbatas di pedesaan. Metode: Metode penelitian menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif kualitatif. Data mengungkapkan bahwa mahasiswa yang melakukan Kampus Mengajar Angkatan 1 (KMA-1) atau mahasiswa magang mengajar melaksanakan pelajaran literasi dan numerasi (berhitung) dengan permainan dan bernyanyi. Temuan: Prosedur pengajaran diklaim dalam tiga fase - awal, inti dan penutup. Proses belajar mengajar di masa pandemi dilakukan dengan berbagai cara seperti menggunakan video dan menggunakan permainan dan nyanyian. Kesimpulan: Tantangan siswa adalah kurangnya kosakata dan makna kata. Sebagai kesimpulan, guru perlu mengembangkan pembelajaran berdasarkan karakteristik sekolah dan siswa. Hal ini dilakukan untuk mengembangkan motivasi belajar siswa, literasi, dan numerasi siswa dapat meningkat Kata kunci: literasi, numerasi, pedesaan, SD swasta. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpp.v13.i2.202301

Artificial Intelligence, Basic Skills, and Quantitative Literacy

The introduction in November 2022 of ChatGPT, a freely available language-based artificial intelligence, has led to concerns among some educators about the feasibility and benefits of teaching basic writing and critical thinking skills to students in the context of easily accessed, AI-based cheating mechanisms. As of now, ChatGPT can write pretty convincing student-level prose, but it is still not very good at answering quantitatively rich questions. Therefore, for the time being, the preceding concerns may not be shared by a large portion of the numeracy education community. However, as Google and WolframAlpha are definitely capable of answering standard and some non-standard quantitative queries, a future generation of artificial intelligence including both types of capabilities is not out of the question. So, the issue is still relevant to the readers of this journal. As we continue to focus on the higher-level skills and habits of mind that make up quantitative literacy (QL) and quantitative reasoning (QR), we should not forget that basic literacy and numeracy are still foundational building blocks. While AI is making advances in these basic realms, our human students seem to be losing ground, as implied by the most recent NAEP scores. Here we encourage our readership to focus on what makes QL/QR so challenging to teach, to human as well as artificial intelligences.

Pendampingan Pembelajaran Literasi, Numerasi, dan Adaptasi Teknologi pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19 di SDN 2 Kutorembet

Learning Literacy, Numeration, and Technology Adaptation is now very important for students, especially in elementary school, to strengthen the concept of logical thinking. Literacy is critical because it relates to the child's ability to listen, review, speak to observe so that they can communicate well without being affected by the subject of the audience. At the same time, numeracy skills are defined as the ability to interpret, access, use and link the concepts in mathematics in their application. However, in fact for implementing literacy and numeracy learning in schools is still considered a challenge in itself, colliding with limited access and materials, especially in this Covid-19 pandemic condition. So, this service activity was carried out by maximizing the literacy and numeracy learning mentoring process at the Kutorembet SDN placement location, which took place from August 2, 2021 to December 17, 2021. Activities carried out include teaching and learning activities to provide academic assistance. The key teaching and learning activities focus on literacy and numeracy education activities. Activities to help adapt technology are realized by showing educational videos to students and assistance in ANBK activities, as well as school administrative assistance activities which are realized by maximizing the function of the school library. This activity is carried out online and offline, considering the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which require actions to occur in a hybrid manner. From this activity, it was found that the results of improving literacy and numeracy for elementary school students at SDN 2 Kutorembet and also additional literacy for classroom teachers in preparing existing learning media.

Developing Teaching Guidelines of Learning Numeracy through Game Card for Preschool Teachers

: In facing the challenges of Industry 5.0, the younger generation, in particular, needs to master the field of STEM. Hence, efforts in raising students' interest in STEM should include introducing numeracy skills earlier. However, providing appropriate pedagogy is crucial in developing numeracy skills among preschool children as this becomes the foundation for their future numeracy skills. Based on previous research, learning through play could increase children's interest, enjoyment, attention span, and confidence. Preschool teachers agreed that learning should incorporate games and activities. However, in the Malaysian setting, there are fewer specific guidelines, games, activities, or situations that maximize numeracy learning in the class designed crucially in a preschool setting. This study intends to develop teaching guidelines of learning numeracy through play for preschool teachers. This study utilized a mixed-methods design, called a sequential explanatory strategy. Fifty preschool teachers were selected using a stratified sampling technique to complete a questionnaire on their beliefs and attitudes toward learning through play. Six of them were interviewed concerning the bases needed to implement learning through play in the class. The result revealed that preschool teachers have a high positive level for both beliefs and attitudes toward learning mathematics through play. Then, based on the interview, teachers listed the bases needed before, during, and after implementing learning through play. This study produces teaching guidelines based on the Input-Process-Output model, which encompasses before, during, and after the teaching and learning process of numeracy through play.

Gamifications: Lexical and trajectory image methods as cognitive intervention in numeracy

<span lang="EN-US">This paper describes a study with the goal of exposing children to gamification activities in teaching and learning numeracy based on the lexical method by implementing a trajectory image (image representator). Early childhood learning difficulties in understanding abstract and symbolic numerical concepts and procedures have been identified as an issue that needs to be addressed and acted as a starting point in the effort to shape the transformation of early childhood mathematics both in teaching and learning. Therefore, this study would like to inspect the role played by language as the medium used in translating the concept of numeracy whether it is applied contextually or in a variety of contexts. The respondents selected for this study were 10 teachers and 50 preschool children and a numeracy module instrument based on the numeracy comprehension level model framework (MPKN) was chosen and applied to students by using lexical and image methods called trajectory image or image representator. Findings have shown that the understanding of preschool children related to previous aspects of numeracy is still at level 1 and level 2. It clearly stated that children are still unable to grasp the concept of numeracy in detail. This study has introduced the MPKN and LexsMath gamification products that have successfully provided a clear understanding to children regarding the in-depth understanding of numeracy aspects from level 1 to level 4 and also have shed some light on more effective teaching methods that can be employed in the aspect of numeracy teaching and learning.</span>

Effect of Concept Cartoons on Kindergarten Pupils’ Numeracy and Science Performance in Sagnarigu-Tamale, Ghana

This study sought to establish the effect of Concept Cartoons on Kindergarten Pupils’ Numeracy and Science Performance at a demonstration primary school in Sagnarigu-Tamale, Ghana using the experimental research design. The population of the study was 100 KG-2 A and B Pupils in the school. A purposive sampling technique was used to select an intact class of 58 pupils that had difficulty in participation and performance in natural science and numeracy. A pre-test was conducted to determine the initial performance of pupils before the intervention that was done through teaching with the support of the concept cartoons. The analysis of the first two objectives involved mean scores and standard deviation. Pre-test and post-test scores were analysed to address the two objectives. The study established that the use of concept cartoons significantly improved the pupils’ achievement in natural science and numeracy lessons. Therefore, the use of concept cartoons as a teaching aid is a powerful approach to improve the performance of pupils in sciences and numeracy. The study recommended that teachers of sciences and numeracy in early primary education ought to use the concept cartoon approach in order to improve the performance of pupils in the su

The Teaching of Numbers in Common Preschool Activities: A Delicate Balancing Act

This paper reports on a combined research-development project conducted in collaboration between researchers and preschool teachers in three Swedish preschools. The aim is to investigate how ongoing preschool activities may become the starting point for mathematics teaching in which toddlers are given the opportunity to distinguish necessary aspects of numbers. One challenge in preschool education is the balance between children’s previous experiences and interests versus offering them new experiences and challenges towards a learning goal. In the article, empirical examples are used to illustrate how small changes in an activity may open up opportunities for toddlers to discern different critical aspects of numbers without losing the activity’s initial intention. Principles for how early numeracy education can be designed to achieve this balancing act are presented and elaborated on.

Validating the early numeracy teacher rating scale for preschoolers (TRS–EN)

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to validate a teacher rating scale (TRS-EN) for assessing early numeracy skills and for identifying mathematically low-performing 3- and 4-year-old children. Fifty-six preschool teachers assessed children’s (3-year-olds = 127; 4-year-olds = 145) numerical relational, counting, and basic arithmetic skills. Construct validity evidence through confirmatory factor analysis supported both unidimensional and three-factor (i.e. numerical relational, counting and basic arithmetic skills) models. Also, TRS-EN demonstrated excellent internal consistency in both age groups. The teacher assessment scores corresponded well with standardized direct early numeracy measures, and predicted children’s early numeracy skills six months later. The results clearly demonstrate that the TRS-EN can be used to assist teachers in assessing early numeracy skills, and help with identifying mathematically low-performing children.

Inclusive Learning for Children in Northeast Nigeria: Radio School Response During a Global Pandemic

With a burgeoning out‐of‐school population and illiteracy rate, the situation of protracted conflict and crises fuelled by the Boko‐Haram insurgency further exacerbates educational inequality for children in northern Nigeria. The Covid‐19 pandemic further deepened the “educational poverty” experienced there. This article focuses on data generated around ACE radio school, an initiative to mitigate the impact of Covid‐19‐related school closures in northern Nigeria. The initiative targeted young learners using radio as a medium to support their continued learning remotely in numeracy, literacy, sciences, and civics education. Daily learning activities were broadcasted in the local Hausa language, supported through “listening groups” that engaged local learning facilitators in the communities. Despite the known existing barriers that have been identified to hinder access to quality education in the region, including poverty, religion, socio‐cultural factors, and protracted conflict situations, our interviews revealed that parents were committed to supporting their children’s attendance at listening groups, due to the use of their mother tongue as a mode of instruction. Drawing on a conversational learning approach, we argue that understanding local conditions and adopting local solutions, such as the radio lessons delivered in these children’s mother tongue, have implications for enhancing improved learner outcomes in marginalised contexts.

Effectiveness of a numeracy intelligent tutoring system in kindergarten: A conceptual replication

Intelligent Tutoring Systems are a genre of highly adaptive software providing individualized instruction. The current study was a conceptual replication of a previous randomized control trial that incorporated the intelligent tutoring system Native Numbers, a program designed for early numeracy instruction. As a conceptual replication, we kept the method of instruction, the demographics, the number of kindergarten classrooms (n = 3), and the same numeracy and intrinsic motivation screeners as the original study. We changed the time of year of instruction, changed the control group to a wait-control group, added a maintenance assessment for the first group of participants, and included a mathematical language assessment. Analysis of within- and between-group differences using repeated measures ANOVA indicated gains of numeracy were significant only after using Native Numbers (Partial Eta Square = 0.147). Results of intrinsic motivation and mathematical language were not significant. The effect size of numeracy achievement did not reach that of the original study (Partial Eta Square = 0.622). Here, we compared the two studies, discussed plausible reasons for differences in the magnitude of effect sizes, and provided suggestions for future research.