Assessing the Relation Between Seventh-Grade Students’ Engagement and Mathematical Problem-Solving Performance

• In Event: Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Special Education Research SIG Poster Session

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of engagement (on-task behavior) to the mathematics problem solving performance of seventh-grade students after accounting for prior mathematics achievement. Twenty-four students from four seventh-grade classrooms in the urban northeast were assessed on initial mathematics achievement, on-task behavior, and mathematics problem solving performance. Results of a multiple regression analysis indicated that prior mathematics achievement and engagement each uniquely predicted mathematics problem solving. The results support the notion that engagement plays a major role in understanding individual differences in mathematics problem solving performance to inform interventions.

Authors

• Amy Lein, University of Minnesota

• Asha K. Jitendra, University of Minnesota

• Kristin Starosta, Lehigh University

• Danielle Nicole Dupuis, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Cheyenne Hughes-Reid

• Jon R. Star, Harvard University