Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding

Florencia Stelzer; María Laura Andrés; Lorena Canet-Juric; Sebastián Urquijo; María Marta Richards

doi:10.29333/iejme/5751

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Florencia Stelzer ¹ ^* , María Laura Andrés ¹, Lorena Canet-Juric ¹, Sebastián Urquijo ¹, María Marta Richards ¹

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¹ Institute of Basic, Applied Psychology and Technology (IPSIBAT), National University of Mar del Plata, National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Mar del Plata, ARGENTINA^* Corresponding Author

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

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 14, Issue 3, October 2019, 489-500

https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

Publication date: 29 Apr 2019

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How to cite this article

APA

Stelzer, F., Andrés, M. L., Canet-Juric, L., Urquijo, S., & Richards, M. M. (2019). Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 14(3), 489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

Vancouver

Stelzer F, Andrés ML, Canet-Juric L, Urquijo S, Richards MM. Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2019;14(3):489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

AMA

Stelzer F, Andrés ML, Canet-Juric L, Urquijo S, Richards MM. Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2019;14(3), 489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

Chicago

Stelzer, Florencia, María Laura Andrés, Lorena Canet-Juric, Sebastián Urquijo, and María Marta Richards. "Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2019 14 no. 3 (2019): 489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

Harvard

Stelzer, F., Andrés, M. L., Canet-Juric, L., Urquijo, S., and Richards, M. M. (2019). Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 14(3), pp. 489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751

MLA

Stelzer, Florencia et al. "Influence of Domain-General Abilities and Prior Division Competence on Fifth-Graders’ Fraction Understanding". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 14, no. 3, 2019, pp. 489-500. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/5751