TY - JOUR
T1 - Children's reasoning about decimals and its relation to fraction learning and mathematics achievement
AU - Resnick, Ilyse
AU - Rinne, Luke
AU - Barbieri, Christina
AU - Jordan, Nancy C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This article was published Online First September 13, 2018. Ilyse Resnick, Department of Psychology, Penn State University Lehigh Valley; Luke Rinne, Christina Barbieri, and Nancy C. Jordan, School of Education, University of Delaware. This research was supported by Awards R324C100004 and R305B130012 from the U.S. Institute of Education Sciences. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Nancy C. Jordan, School of Education, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716. E-mail: [email protected]
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Psychological Association.
PY - 2019/5
Y1 - 2019/5
N2 - Reasoning about numerical magnitudes is a key aspect of mathematics learning. Most research examining the relation of magnitude understanding to general mathematics achievement has focused on whole number and fraction magnitudes. The present longitudinal study (N = 435) used a 3-step latent class analysis to examine reasoning about magnitudes on a decimal comparison task in 4th grade, before systematic decimals instruction. Three classes of response patterns were identified, indicating empirically distinct levels of decimal magnitude understanding. Class 1 students consistently gave correct responses, suggesting that they understood decimal properties even before systematic decimal instruction. Class 2 students were accurate when a 0 immediately followed the decimal, but were inaccurate when a zero was added to the end of the decimal string, suggesting a partial understanding of place value; their performance was also negatively influenced by a whole number bias. Class 3 students showed misunderstanding of both place value and a whole number bias. Class membership accurately predicted 6th grade mathematics achievement, after controlling for whole number and fraction magnitude understanding as well as demographic and cognitive factors. Taken together, the findings suggest students may benefit from instruction that emphasizes decimal properties earlier in school.
AB - Reasoning about numerical magnitudes is a key aspect of mathematics learning. Most research examining the relation of magnitude understanding to general mathematics achievement has focused on whole number and fraction magnitudes. The present longitudinal study (N = 435) used a 3-step latent class analysis to examine reasoning about magnitudes on a decimal comparison task in 4th grade, before systematic decimals instruction. Three classes of response patterns were identified, indicating empirically distinct levels of decimal magnitude understanding. Class 1 students consistently gave correct responses, suggesting that they understood decimal properties even before systematic decimal instruction. Class 2 students were accurate when a 0 immediately followed the decimal, but were inaccurate when a zero was added to the end of the decimal string, suggesting a partial understanding of place value; their performance was also negatively influenced by a whole number bias. Class 3 students showed misunderstanding of both place value and a whole number bias. Class membership accurately predicted 6th grade mathematics achievement, after controlling for whole number and fraction magnitude understanding as well as demographic and cognitive factors. Taken together, the findings suggest students may benefit from instruction that emphasizes decimal properties earlier in school.
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U2 - 10.1037/edu0000309
DO - 10.1037/edu0000309
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85053078759
SN - 0022-0663
VL - 111
SP - 604
EP - 618
JO - Journal of Educational Psychology
JF - Journal of Educational Psychology
IS - 4
ER -