Title of article
Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding
Author/Authors
stelzer, florencia national university of mar del plata - institute of basic, applied psychology and technology (ipsibat), national scientific and technical research council (conicet), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA , andrés, maría laura national university of mar del plata - institute of basic, applied psychology and technology (ipsibat), national scientific and technical research council (conicet), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA , canet-juric, lorena national university of mar del plata - institute of basic, applied psychology and technology (ipsibat), national scientific and technical research council (conicet), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA , urquijo, sebastián national university of mar del plata - institute of basic, applied psychology and technology (ipsibat), national scientific and technical research council (conicet), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA , richards, maría marta national university of mar del plata - institute of basic, applied psychology and technology (ipsibat), national scientific and technical research council (conicet), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA
From page
489
To page
500
Abstract
The present study analyzed the relationship between domain-general abilities and fraction knowledge in fifth grade, and investigated the mediating role of division competence in that relationship. Children (n = 175) were assessed in fourth grade on domain-general abilities (selective attention, working memory, fluid intelligence) and on division competence; and in fifth grade on fraction conceptual knowledge. Mediation analyses revealed that domain general abilities were direct predictors of fraction concepts, and division competence mediates the 32% of the effect of working memory and the 17% of the effect of intelligence on fraction knowledge. These findings support the assumptions of those theoretical models of numerical cognition that proposed a central role of general cognitive abilities for mathematics learning and indicate that there are distinct pathways from general cognitive abilities to fraction conceptual knowledge.
Keywords
fraction learning , cognitive abilities , math cognition , rational numbers , math learning
Journal title
international electronic journal of mathematical education
Journal title
international electronic journal of mathematical education
Record number
2559550
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