Poster #2 - Cognitive and Applied Executive Function Skills Predict Rational Number Knowledge Performance and Learning Respectively

• In Event: Poster Session 04

Abstract

A large body of evidence has demonstrated that domain-general cognitive skills are important for mathematics. In particular, executive functions, the skills involved in controlling our thoughts and actions, have been found to be associated with concurrent and future mathematics achievement (e.g. Coolen et al., 2021; Peng et al., 2016). However, we know less about how these skills are involved in learning new mathematics material. Although longitudinal designs capture snapshots of children’s performance at different timepoints, they aren’t directly related to the material being taught. Studies investigating predictors of successful one-on-one mathematics tutoring programs have found that children with better working memory and attention skills show greater gains in learning (e.g. Fuchs et al., 2005; 2013). While these studies of small group and individual tutoring in at-risk populations indicate a potential role for executive functions in mathematical learning, it remains unclear whether these findings generalise to all learners in a standard classroom situation.

We followed a cohort of eighty-eight 8- to 9-year-old children across 20 months from the point they were first introduced to symbolic representations of rational numbers during classroom teaching. Prior to this instruction, we administered a measure of rational number knowledge and measures of executive functions including working memory, inhibition (numerical and non-numerical content) and switching. In addition to these standard measures of cognitive executive function processes, we also administered measures of applied executive function skills, including a following instructions task, teachers’ ratings of executive function and observations of classroom on-task behaviour. Rational number knowledge was measured again 6 and 20 months later. Latent growth curve models were conducted to provide estimates of initial performance and growth over time and we investigated how far the cognitive and applied executive function measures were predictive of initial performance and growth.

As shown in Table 1, we found that rational number knowledge measured at Time 1 was predominantly predicted by cognitive measures of executive function (visuospatial working memory and non-numerical inhibition, along with teachers’ ratings of executive function). In contrast, growth in rational number knowledge over time was predominantly predicted by applied measures of executive function (following instructions and teachers’ ratings of executive function).

These findings demonstrate a role for executive functions in both the performance and learning of mathematics. We suggest that cognitive measures of executive function indicate the maximal capacity of what an individual can achieve in a controlled setting, and that this is important when actively processing mathematical information. Applied measures indicate how well an individual is able to recruit and apply that capacity in a less controlled situation, such as in the classroom, and this is reflected in the amount of learning that takes place.

Authors

• Lucy Cragg, University of Nottingham
  Presenting Author

• Emine Simsek, Loughborough University

• Joanne Eaves, University of Nottingham

• Camilla K Gilmore, Loughborough University