Associative Mechanisms of Cognitive Arithmetic

认知算术的联想机制

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04005
• 负责人: Campbell, Jamie
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=716764
• 关键词: Associative; Mechanisms; Cognitive; Arithmetic

The success of Canada's rapidly evolving knowledge- and technology-based economies will depend increasingly upon the mathematical competence of its citizens. Numeracy may be more critical even than literacy in terms of socio-economic opportunities. At present, Canadians' basic mathematical skills are, on average, relatively weak compared to many countries. This motivates experimental research into the basic cognitive processes that underlie mathematical skills. Recent findings in both normal and impaired arithmetic development have identified susceptibility to memory interference (confusions of related information in memory) as a critical factor in individual differences in arithmetic learning. For example, Canadian students are more susceptible to arithmetic memory interference effects than are Chinese students, who also generally have better arithmetic skills compared to Canadians. Understanding the interference process therefore is central to understanding the nature and acquisition of arithmetic skills. Indeed, memory interference undoubtedly is the reason that the basic arithmetic facts are notoriously difficult to memorize. The purpose of my program of research is to develop a detailed theory and computer model of adults' memory systems for the fundamental arithmetic operations, including simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These operations provide the conceptual foundations upon which higher-order mathematical skills are built. My research will investigate the organization of the component processes for elementary arithmetic memory and how these are related to the problem of interference. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms of interference as they are manifest in adults' arithmetic performance will shed light on ways to mitigate interference during learning. A comprehensive theory of skilled associative memory for all four elementary arithmetic operations is the ultimate goal of this research, and its realization will provide a rigorous scientific foundation for cognitive arithmetic theory and for future advances in basic mathematics education in Canada.

加拿大快速发展的以知识和技术为基础的经济的成功将越来越依赖于其公民的数学能力。就社会经济机会而言，计算能力甚至可能比识字更为重要。目前，加拿大人的基本数学技能与许多国家相比，平均而言相对较弱。这激发了对数学技能背后的基本认知过程的实验研究。最近对正常和受损算术发展的研究发现，对记忆干扰（记忆中相关信息的混淆）的易感性是算术学习个体差异的一个关键因素。例如，加拿大学生比中国学生更容易受到算术记忆干扰效应的影响，而中国学生的算术技能也普遍优于加拿大学生。因此，理解干扰过程对于理解算术技能的本质和获得至关重要。事实上，记忆干扰无疑是基本算术事实难以记忆的原因。我的研究计划的目的是开发一个详细的理论和计算机模型的成人记忆系统的基本算术运算，包括简单的加法，减法，乘法和除法。这些运算提供了建立高阶数学技能的概念基础。我的研究将调查初级算术记忆的组成过程的组织，以及它们与干扰问题的关系。对干扰机制的详细了解，因为它们在成人的算术表现中表现出来，将有助于减轻学习过程中的干扰。本研究的最终目标是建立一个全面的四种基本算术运算的熟练联想记忆理论，它的实现将为认知算术理论和加拿大基础数学教育的未来发展提供严谨的科学基础。