Effects of multisensory input on numerical representations of diverse-SES preschoolers

在当今社会，数学能力是成功的关键。一个孩子早期识别符号、阅读数字、计数和辨别数量的能力都预示着后来的数学成就。考虑到早期数学成绩的这些预测性，找到增强早期学生数字理解的方法至关重要。同样重要的是要确定哪些人群可能从早期学习增强方法中受益最多。本研究将探讨多感官数值输入是否能提升不同社会经济地位（SES）背景的学龄前儿童的数值推理表现。幼儿园入学后，数值性能的学前儿童从较低的SES背景往往低于较高的SES背景的同龄人。在幼儿园开始时，较强的数学能力有助于减少低社会经济地位儿童未来数学成绩的差异，因此，开发帮助低社会经济地位学龄前儿童更有效地完成算术任务的方法至关重要。本研究通过一系列基于计算机的实验室实验解决了以下研究问题：与单一感觉相比，为学龄前儿童提供多感觉的数字信息是否能提高他们将符号数字表征映射到非符号数字表征的能力？它是否有助于他们进行基本的算术计算，如加法和减法？数据分析还将确定是否有任何这样的影响是由SES介导的，调查是否多感官信息的数字差异提高数值性能较低的SES学龄前儿童。实验将进一步揭示是否表现在多感官非符号和符号数字任务的相关性。结果将提供重要的知识，早期数学学习的典型发展中国家的人口从不同的SES背景。这项研究将为理解数字思维在正式的校本学习之前的可塑性铺平道路，最终目标是在幼儿园之前提供更有效的算术经验。为了建设一个STEM能力强的社会，所有孩子进入学校时都要为数学成绩做好准备，这一点很重要。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Being mathematically competent in today’s society is critical for success. A child’s early ability to recognize symbols, read numerals, count, and discriminate quantities all predict later mathematics achievement. Considering these predictive qualities of early math achievement, it is crucial to identify ways of enhancing early student numerical understanding. It is also important to determine which populations may benefit most from early learning enhancement methods. This project will investigate whether multisensory numerical input enhances numerical reasoning performance in preschoolers recruited from diverse socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Upon kindergarten entry, the numerical performance of preschoolers from lower SES backgrounds is often lower than that of higher SES background peers. Strong math proficiency at the start of kindergarten helps lessen future discrepancies in math achievement among low SES children, so it is crucial to develop ways of aiding low SES preschool children in performing more effectively on numeracy tasks.This study addresses the following research questions through a series of computer-based laboratory experiments: Does providing preschool children with multisensory, compared to unisensory, information about number improve their abilities to map symbolic to nonsymbolic numerical representations? Does it help them to perform basic arithmetic computations like addition and subtraction? Data analyses will also determine whether any such effects are mediated by SES, investigating whether multisensory information about number differentially boosts numerical performance for lower SES preschoolers. The experiments will further reveal whether performance on multisensory nonsymbolic and symbolic number tasks is correlated. Results will provide important knowledge about early mathematics learning in typically developing populations from diverse SES backgrounds. This research will pave the way for understanding the malleability of numerical thinking prior to formal, school-based learning, with the ultimate goal of providing more effective numeracy experiences before kindergarten. In order to build a STEM-competent society, it is important that all children enter school ready for math achievement.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.