Assessing Cognitive Diversity: Implications for Hispanic, Native American, and White Children's Mathematics Learning

该项目旨在提供对支持文化和语言不同儿童学习的认知和评估条件的新理解。这项研究将检验一些流行的关于数学成绩差异原因的迷思。本研究的理论来源于认知科学理论、建构主义学习理论和社会文化学习理论，从而研究认知过程和文化语境之间的相互作用。将设计多种形式的评估。它将展示评估形式和设计是否影响对表现的衡量，反映学生语言和文化背景的不同评估方法如何影响表现，并将进行多变量分析以检测其他表现因素。这项研究的目标之一是对四到八年级学生数学成绩的几个解释因素进行系统的检验。

This project seeks to provide new understanding of the cognitive and assessment conditions that support learning of culturally and linguistically diverse children. The study would examine some prevailing myths about the cause of differences in mathematics performance. The theory for the study is drawn from cognitive science theory, constructivism, and socio-cultural theories of learning and thus investigates the interaction among cognitive processes and the cultural context. Multiple forms of assessments would be designed. It will show whether assessment formats and design influence the measurement of performance, how different assessment methods that reflect the linguistic and cultural background of students affect performance, and it will conduct multivariate analyses to detect other performance factors. One goal of the study is to provide systematic examination of several explanatory factors of student achievement in mathematics for grades 4 to 8.