Parental Mathematics Expectation, Attitudes, and Numeracy Environment for Preschoolers’ Mathematics Outcomes in Korea and in U.S.

• In Event: New Developments in the Science of Numerical Thinking

Abstract

Parental Mathematics Expectation, Attitudes, and Numeracy Environment Preschoolers’ Mathematics Outcomes in Korea and in U.S.

The important predictive value of early mathematics skills in later academic skills in both mathematics and literacy has been well-documented (Duncan & Magnuson, 2011). However, children display substantial variation across cultures in their mathematics knowledge and skills in as early as preschool (Kung et al., 2019). For example, results from international studies such as the Program for International Student Assessment (OECD, 2016) and cross-cultural studies (Ryoo et al., 2014) showed that East Asian students consistently outperform students in other developed countries in mathematics (Aunio et al., 2008). A handful of cross-cultural studies with older students (e.g., adolescents) comparing East Asians and their Western counterparts have sought an answer for potential differences in what parents expect and do with their children (Pan et al., 2006) that may stem from their cultural values of learning (Balestrini & Stoeger, 2018). However, even among the cross-cultural approaches, studies that compare their roles and how they are differently associated with mathematics outcomes in early years are scant. Thus, the current cross-cultural study examined similarities and differences in parental expectation, attitudes, and home numeracy environments and preschoolers’ mathematics outcomes in Korea and the U.S. Specifically, it aims to compare the direct and indirect effects of parents’ mathematics expectation and attitudes on children’s mathematics outcomes.

Method

A total of 232 Korean children (average age=54 months), and 146 children in the U.S. (average age=52 months) and their parents participated in this study. We sampled children from comparable demographics regarding gender and age. Parents completed a questionnaire on family demographic information (e.g. child age, parental education, family income) as well as their mathematics expectation, attitudes, and home numeracy environment. Trained research assistants administered mathematics assessments (e.g., Woodcock Johnson III; Woodcock et al., 2001). After examining descriptive statistics, measurement invariance was tested to see whether the factor structure is the same across the two countries using Mplus 7 (Muthén & Muthén, 2012). During this process, we utilized the “item parceling” technique, which is a recent extension of structural equation modeling techniques. Finally, we utilized multiple group confirmative factor analyses.

Results/Discussion

The findings indicated that while Korean parents have higher scores on home numeracy environments than the U.S. parents, there is no difference in parental mathematics expectation, attitudes, and children’s mathematics scores between the two countries. Korean parent expectation and numeracy environment were positively associated with children’s mathematics outcomes while none of these predicted child mathematics outcomes in the U.S. sample (see Figures 1 and 2). Also, parental mathematics expectation is directly and indirectly (through its link to home numeracy environments) associated with child mathematics achievement in the Korean sample, but there is only a direct association between home numeracy environments and child mathematics outcomes in the U.S. sample. These results indicate possible different processes and parental roles for children’s mathematics outcomes between the two countries, but highlight the importance of home numeracy environments on children’s mathematics outcomes in both countries.

Authors

• Kyong-Ah Kwon, University of Oklahoma
  Non-Presenting Author

• Haesung Im, Duksung women’s university
  Presenting Author

• Amber Beisly, University of Oklahoma
  Non-Presenting Author