Hickendorff, Marian

Mathematical proficiency in primary education: Cognitive processes and predictability

Hickendorff

Marian Hickendorff (PhD student)
Methodology and Statistics Unit, Department of Psychology
Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University

Promotores: Prof. dr W.J. Heiser (Leiden University), dr C.M. van Putten (Leiden University), dr N.D. Verhelst (Cito)

Project running from: 1 January 2006 – 1 January 2011

Summary:
General aim of this project is to systematically describe and analyze mathematical proficiency in primary education. Reform in mathematics education and changes in mathematical achievement give rise to the need for this research. The present study aims at going beyond analysis of pure achievement, in the following way: by applying advanced data analysis techniques which have an opportunity to include predictor variables and by extending the type of data analyzed with information on the cognitive processes involved in solving mathematical problems. So, several advanced data analyses will be conducted in which the effects of predictor variables are included, on data with information on cognitive processes in addition to correct/incorrect scoring to get robust substantive conclusions. The research objectives lie in two domains. Primary objectives are in the domain of mathematics education, where exploratory analyses followed by carefully set up data collections should lead to a deeper understanding of the processes involved in and the predictability of mathematical proficiency. In the domain of psychometrics, three data analysis techniques aimed at exploration of the data will be compared, and the validity of the construct .mathematical proficiency. will be explored by focusing on the response processes.

Date of defence:  25 october 2011
Title of thesis:   Explanatory latent variable modeling of mathematical ability in primary school: Crossing the border between psychometrics and psychology
ISBN:   978-90-8891-326-6