Combined fluency and cognitive strategies instruction improves mathematics achievement in early elementary school

Computer discourse and use as determinants of student math outcomes: performativity and action at work in the lower school grades

There exists a tension between discussing the use of computers in the lower grade math curriculum and computer use outcomes, as achievement results fall behind the talk of use. Purpose: The purpose of this research was to explore this proposition on a large scale limited to a United States context. To that end, two studies emerged. Methods: In the first study, a large corpus of articles encouraging computer use from Teaching Children Mathematics was used to explore talk about how to use computers in the classroom using a content analysis method. The second study used weighted sample survey methods with corrections and jackknife replications for ANOVA tests to determine whether there were statistically significant differences between exposure time to computers during 4th grade math and standardized test scores on the TIMSS math knowledge and application subtests generalized to the United States population of students. Results: The results of the first study indicated that computer use talk fell under the domains of geometry, graphing functions, and base ten blocks. The second study indicated non-significant results on both tests, which was interpreted as a valuable finding. Conclusions: Several conclusions emerged for these studies. The most poignant ones included that common core standards do not require or mention technology use in obtaining math objectives in the 4th grade. It is concluded that the TIMSS survey results suggest that some of the findings might be due to lack of availability of computers for students and professional development opportunities for faculty. It is also concluded that there is a continuity between the recent 2000s and the use of computers in the lower grades during COVID-19, where reports show learning losses, despite talk of it as a teaching method.

Cognitive strategy use and measured numeric ability in immediate- and long-term recall of everyday numeric information

The goals of this study were to assess the primary effects of the use of cognitive strategy and a combined measure of numeric ability on recall of every-day numeric information (i.e. prices). Additionally, numeric ability was assessed as a moderator in the relationship between strategy use and memory for prices. One hundred participants memorized twelve prices that varied from 1 to 6 digits; they recalled these immediately and after 7 days. The use of strategies, assessed through self-report, was associated with better overall recall, but not forgetting. Numeric ability was not associated with either better overall recall or forgetting. A small moderating interaction was found, in which higher levels of numeric ability enhanced the beneficial effects of strategy use on overall recall. Exploratory analyses found two further small moderating interactions: simple strategy use enhanced overall recall at higher levels of numeric ability, compared to complex strategy use; and complex strategy use was associated with lower levels of forgetting, but only at higher levels of numeric ability, compared to the simple strategy use. These results provide support for an objective measure of numeric ability, as well as adding to the literature on memory and the benefits of cognitive strategy use.