Examining Potential Causal Connections and Mechanisms between Children's Block Play and Mathematics Learning

检查儿童积木游戏与数学学习之间的潜在因果关系和机制

• 批准号: 2309657
• 负责人: Sara Schmitt
• 金额: $ 134.74万
• 依托单位: University of Oregon Eugene
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-12-15 至 2024-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2309657&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Examining; Potential; Causal; Connections; Mechanisms

The purpose of this project is to further develop, refine, and evaluate a research-based STEM learning tool (i.e. block play) that tests theories of mathematical learning. Block play is common in preschool settings and is a context in which mathematics skill development may occur. Although a growing body of work has linked block play to mathematical development, there remains little causal evidence to support these relationships. The first objective of the project is to empirically evaluate the impacts of different types of block play on children’s mathematics. The second objective is to evaluate the extent to which children’s mathematical language (spatial and quantitative), spatial skills, and executive function are mechanisms that link block play with children’s mathematical learning. Results from this study will contribute to the theoretical understanding of how and why block play may influence the development of early mathematics, a key component of STEM and school readiness. Finally, this study will advance the research base about low-cost, feasible, and effective strategies for improving childrens’ mathematics learning. To meet the goals of this project, the project team will conduct a randomized controlled trial in which children from low-income backgrounds will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: unstructured block play, semi-structured block play, or a business-as-usual control group. The block play sessions will be conducted with small groups of children and will be video recorded. It is hypothesized that children who participate in either of the block play conditions will demonstrate greater gains in mathematics compared to children in the business-as-usual condition. Further, it is expected that children in the semi-structured block play condition will experience greater gains in mathematics relative to children in the unstructured condition. The team will also test the extent to which mathematical language ability, spatial ability, and executive function are potential mechanisms that may underlie the association between block play and mathematics. It is hypothesized that gains in mathematical language and spatial skills will mediate the links between both intervention conditions and gains in mathematical learning. However, it is possible that executive function will only be a mechanism between the semi-structured block play condition and mathematics. The project will integrate research findings into classroom instruction, engage in-service teachers in intervention development, provide an early mathematics teacher training, and make all intervention materials publicly available. This project is supported by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, which supports work that advances fundamental research on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development, with co-funding by the Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program.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.

该项目的目的是进一步开发，完善和评估一种基于研究的STEM学习工具（即块游戏），该工具测试了数学学习理论。块游戏在学龄前很常见，是可能发生数学技能开发的环境。尽管越来越多的工作将障碍物与数学发展联系在一起，但几乎没有因果证据支持这些关系。该项目的第一个目的是经验评估不同类型的障碍物对儿童数学的影响。第二个目标是评估儿童的数学语言（空间和定量），空间技能和执行功能的程度是将障碍与儿童数学学习联系起来的机制。这项研究的结果将有助于理论上了解块障碍如何以及为什么会影响早期数学的发展，这是STEM和学校准备的关键组成部分。最后，这项研究将提高有关改善儿童数学学习的低成本，可行和有效策略的研究基础。为了满足该项目的目标，项目团队将进行一项随机对照试验，在该试验中，来自低收入背景的儿童将被随机分配到三个条件之一：非结构化块游戏，半结构化障碍游戏或业务与惯常的对照组。块游戏将与一小群儿童一起进行，并将记录由视频录制。可以假设，与业务惯常情况下的儿童相比，参加任何一个障碍条件的儿童将表现出数学的增长。此外，预计半结构化障碍条件下的儿童​​相对于在非结构化状态下的儿童会带来更大的数学增长。该团队还将测试数学语言能力，空间能力和执行功能的程度，是可能构成障碍物和数学之间关联的潜在机制。假设数学语言和空间技能的收益将调解干预条件和数学学习中的收益之间的联系。但是，执行功能可能仅是半结构化障碍物条件和数学之间的一种机制。该项目将将研究结果纳入课堂指导，参与服务教师的干预开发，提供早期数学教师培训，并公开使所有干预材料公开可用。 This project is supported by the EHR Core Research (ECR) program, which supports work that advances fundamental research on STEM learning and learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development, with co-funding by the Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed honestly of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.