Shape Up Preschoolers Geometric Sense Predicts Future Mathematics Achievement

描述（由申请人提供）：这项纵向研究的目的是评估36至38个月大的儿童对基本几何空间和形状概念的认识，以预测50至52个月大时的标准化和规范化数学和空间评估，因为儿童即将入学。这项研究填补了我们理解的重大空白：a）早期几何能力与入学时数学准备的关系; B）儿童获得几何形式及其属性敏感性的过程;以及c）社会经济地位对基础STEM能力发展的贡献。拟议中的研究代表了一个原始的方法来表征几何空间知识的关系，数学能力在学龄前儿童，是一个重要的先决条件，创造几何知识的课程干预。这项研究是推动了这一事实，即这两个头开始学前成果框架和全国理事会的数学教师，课程协调中心幼儿园确定所需的具体能力，在数学上取得成功：“的能力，识别，比较，并命名常见的形状.把形状放在一起，拆开形状，“和”建立图片和设计相结合的二维和三维形状。“因此，我们的研究直接解决了这些技能的发展，这些技能被广泛认为是开始一个孩子在STEM学习的成功轨迹至关重要。第一项研究是在36至38个月的儿童中进行的，询问儿童对几何形状的了解。这项措施将探索学龄前儿童的几何形状和他们的名字在不同的视觉表示的知识。再加上眼睛注视跟踪技术，我们将能够访问他们的认知的产品和过程。本研究的核心是开发一种新的几何空间任务，旨在评估儿童在空间中操纵几何形状的能力。这些任务比通常评估的更早地评估儿童的几何技能。此外，还将评估词汇和数感，以提供智商和数学知识控制。这些儿童将在14个月后，当他们年龄在50至52个月之间时再次访问。在这个后续会议中，孩子们将得到一套验证评估，涵盖数学能力，一般智力和视觉空间能力。在这两个点上的表现将回归，以评估新的几何空间电池预测数学能力的能力。这项研究的重要性有三个方面。首先，它建立了早期的几何空间能力的数学能力入学前的贡献。其次，这些研究结果将为支持STEM学科的学前课程的开发提供基于证据的支持。最后，这项工作有助于身体的性别和社会经济因素的几何，空间和数学知识和能力的研究。 公共卫生相关性：关于幼儿的几何概念知识与他们的数学能力之间的关系，人们知之甚少。这项研究跟踪了一组学龄前儿童14个月的过程，并使用一套涉及操纵二维和三维形状的创新新任务来评估他们的几何和数学能力的发展。这项研究的结果为创建学前课程奠定了基础，这些课程可以在幼儿园之前提高幼儿的几何空间技能，从而使他们在科学，技术，工程或数学方面取得良好的进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this longitudinal research is to develop an assessment of 36- to 38-month-old children's knowledge of fundamental geometric spatial and shape concepts in order to predict to standardized and normed mathematical and spatial assessments at the age of 50 to 52 months, as children are on the verge of entering school. This study fills significant gaps in our understanding of a) the relation of early geometric competence to math readiness at school entry; b) the process by which children gain sensitivity to geometric forms and their properties; and c) the contribution of socioeconomic status to the development of foundational STEM abilities. The proposed research represents an original approach to characterizing the relation of geometric-spatial knowledge to mathematical ability in preschool children and is a critical prerequisite to the creation of curricular interventions on geometric knowledge. This study is impelled by the fact that both the Head Start Preschool Outcomes Framework and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten identify specific competencies needed for success in mathematics: "the ability to recognize, compare, and name common shapes...put together and take apart shapes," and "build pictures and designs by combining two- and three-dimensional shapes." Thus, our research directly addresses the development of those skills broadly considered to be crucial to starting a child on a successful trajectory of STEM learning. The first study, conducted when children are between 36 and 38 months, asks what children know about geometric forms. This measure will explore preschoolers' knowledge of geometric shapes and their names across diverse visual representations. Coupled with eye gaze-tracking technology we will be able to access both the product and process of their cognition. Central to this research is the development of a novel battery of geometric-spatial tasks designed to assess the ability of children to manipulate geometric forms in space. These tasks access children's geometric skills earlier than has been commonly evaluated. Additionally, vocabulary and number sense will be evaluated to provide IQ and mathematical knowledge controls. These children will then be revisited 14 months later when they are between the ages of 50 to 52 months. In this follow-up session, the children will be given a suite of validation assessments spanning mathematical ability, general intelligence, and visual-spatial ability. Performance at both points will be regressed to evaluate the ability of the novel geometric-spatial battery to predict mathematical ability. The substantial importance of this study is three-fold. First, it establishes the contribution of early geometric-spatial abilities to mathematical abilities prior to school entry. Second, these findings will provide evidence-based support for the development of preschool curricula supporting the STEM disciplines. Finally, the work contributes to the body of research on gender and socioeconomic factors in geometric, spatial, and mathematical knowledge and ability. Public Health Relevance: Little is known about how young children's knowledge of geometric concepts relates to their mathematical abilities. This study follows a group of preschoolers over the course of 14 months and assesses the development their geometric and mathematical ability using a suite of innovative new tasks involving manipulating two- and three-dimensional shapes. The results of this study set the foundation for the creation of preschool curricula that can enhance young children's geometric-spatial skills prior to kindergarten thus starting them on a good foot forward in science, technology, engineering, or math.