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Background: The working memory (WM) system is recognized as a crucial cognitive function that underpins the acquisition of new knowledge and the development of foundational skills during childhood. Children's early literacy and numeracy skills lay the foundation for future academic success in reading and mathematics. While previous research has established a link between WM and early literacy as well as numeracy, the specific contributions of different WM components to the development of various skills in kindergarten-aged children remain unclear. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between distinct profiles of WM and academic achievements in early literacy and numeracy among kindergarten children. Method: A battery of memory tests (simple WM and complex WM) were administered to a cohort of 250 kindergarten children aged between five and seven years. Additionally, a range of tasks assessing mathematical and language skills were administered. Results: Our findings align with our initial hypotheses, revealing differences between profiles of simple WM and complex WM in relation to early mathematics and language skills. Generally, children who exhibited higher WM abilities outperformed their peers who had lower WM capabilities. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the critical role of WM in early childhood education. Children with limited WM function are at a heightened risk of academic underachievement. Furthermore, both components of WM—simple WM and complex WM—emerge as influential factors in shaping children's proficiency in early literacy and numeracy skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in socioeconomic differences in academic motivation has been longstanding. However, previous research has often treated both low- and high-SES students as homogenous groups. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the developmental trajectory profiles of mathematics motivation during early adolescence, with a focus on variations within and across SES groups. Multigroup latent class growth analysis was used on a sample of 3718 early adolescents in China (initial Mage was 9.40 ± 0.52 years; 48.0% girls) across 2 years from grades 4 through 6. The analysis identified three distinct self-determined mathematics motivation trajectory profiles within each SES group: a good-quality profile (i.e., initially high autonomous but low controlled), a high-quantity profile (i.e., initially high both autonomous and controlled), and a low-quantity profile (i.e., initially low both autonomous and controlled). A greater proportion of low-SES students were observed within the low-quantity profile than within the good-quality profile. The study found that the failure-is-enhancing view was a protective factor against two relatively maladaptive motivational trajectory profiles (i.e., high-quantity profile and low-quantity profile), irrespective of socioeconomic background. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing motivational interventions for early adolescents that consider both structural factors (e.g., socioeconomic backgrounds) and psychological factors (e.g., failure beliefs), to foster students' academic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the association of structured and unstructured extracurricular activities on academic achievement for youth with a history of child welfare system involvement. Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being II (NSCAW II) and fixed effects ordinary least squares regression models we examine this association for 905 youth aged 11–17 years old. We find that even moderate levels of participation in structured extracurricular activities are associated with improvements in both math and reading achievement. Specifically, moving from non-participation to involvement in structured activities leads to a 4.46-point increase in applied problem solving and a 2.99-point increase in letter-word identification scores, net of the other controls. These findings suggest that children and youth with child welfare system involvement can benefit from participation in structured activities. This finding is significant in light of federal policy recognizing the importance of "normalizing" activities that enhance the well-being of children and youth in the child welfare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been discovered that incorporating technology into geometry instruction improves students' abilities and attitudes. GeoGebra Software is effective at motivating teachers to use technology as a supplement to enhance students' mathematical learning potential. The current study sought to ascertain the effects of GeoGebra software on secondary school students' performance as well as teachers' and students' attitudes toward 3-dimensional geometry. A sample of 84 Senior Five students in upper secondary school from Kicukiro and Musanze District was chosen purposively. The selected sample was divided into two groups for the quasi-experimental design, with the control group having 44 students and the experimental group having 40 students. Additionally, two teachers were chosen to involve in the study. Students in the experimental group used GeoGebra software to study 3D geometry, whereas students in the control group received traditional geometry instruction. The data was collected quantitatively, with both groups taking pre-and post-tests. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS v.25. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in students' performance between the groups in favour of the experimental group. Furthermore, both teachers' and students' attitudes were improved. These findings support GeoGebra's efficacy in increasing student achievement as well as teachers' and students' attitudes toward 3-D geometry. However, there was no statistically significant difference in attitudes between male and female students, according to the study. Therefore, we advise adding GeoGebra to mathematics curricula across all grade levels in Rwanda, with a focus on geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To master the secondary–tertiary transition into fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), academic self-beliefs play a pivotal role, especially those related to learning mathematics. The framework of expectancy-value theory has been used widely in primary and secondary education and partly in tertiary education to assess the self-beliefs of students in terms of expectancy of success and perceived value of mathematics. Based on this framework, we measured how the intrinsic value, the attainment value, the utility value, and the cost of learning mathematics as well as the expectancy of success when learning mathematics developed during the secondary–tertiary transition of students into STEM fields. Data were collected in a quantitative repeated-measures questionnaire study with two measurement points (measurement point 1: n = 710, measurement point 2: n = 487, listwise: n = 409). We conducted a latent profile analysis to identify the prevalent patterns of mathematics self-beliefs, called profiles, at each of the two measurement points. We studied the relation of these profiles to prior education, achievement at school, and achievement at university. By performing a latent transition analysis, we determined the probabilities of transitioning from the initial profiles to the posterior profiles. Results: Our analysis revealed four distinct prevalent profiles at each measurement point, ranging from highly favorable (i.e., high expectancy, high value, low cost) to highly unfavorable with respect to learning mathematics. The profiles with favorable manifestations remained stable over time, while those with undesirable manifestations deteriorated further. We observed a sharp increase in cost across all profiles. Prior achievement correlated strongly with profile membership. Conclusions: The expenditure of time and energy increased sharply during the secondary–tertiary transition, independently of the students' initial motivational patterns. The perceived utility of mathematics for potential future careers was shown to be a significant source of motivation. The role of mathematics in future careers should thus be made visible in university teaching. Keeping the detrimental development of initially undesirable motivational profiles in mind, university teachers should create ample opportunities for students to gain a sense of accomplishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS), previously referred to as sluggish cognitive tempo, is a set of symptoms characterized by excessive daydreaming, mental fogginess, and slowed behavior/thinking. Studies examining the association between CDS and academic functioning have reported mixed findings and have relied upon limited measures of CDS, broad ratings of academic impairment, and/or focused only on elementary-aged children. The current study examined the relationship between CDS and academic functioning in adolescents using a comprehensive, multi-informant, multi-method design. Participants were 302 adolescents (Mage = 13.17 years; 44.7% female; 81.8% White; 52% with ADHD) recruited in the fall of their 8th grade. Above and beyond ADHD inattentive symptoms, CDS symptoms were related to poorer homework performance, lower math fluency, and lower daily academic motivation across multiple informants, and teacher-reported CDS symptoms were related to lower grades. Findings were not moderated by ADHD diagnosis, suggesting that associations between CDS and academic outcomes do not differ for adolescents with and without ADHD. Findings demonstrate that CDS symptoms are uniquely associated with daily academic difficulties as well as global indices of academic performance. These findings have implications for assessing and monitoring CDS symptoms in interventions aiming to improve the academic functioning in adolescents with and without ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This empirical study aims to investigate the association between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement gaps among students in Grades 4, 8, and 12, utilizing data from the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The study also considers student-level (e.g., mathematics self-efficacy, gender, race/ethnicity) and school-level (e.g., school location, proportion of underrepresented students) demographics to provide a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to mathematics achievement gaps. Methods: A two-level cross-sectional multilevel modeling approach was employed to analyze the variance in mathematics achievement, partitioning it into within- and between-school components. This approach allowed for an examination of association between mathematics self-efficacy and achievement gaps while considering various student and school characteristics. The rationale behind this methodology lies in its ability to capture the hierarchical nature of educational data and provide a nuanced understanding of the factors associated with mathematics achievement. Results: The analysis of the NAEP data revealed substantial variability in mathematics achievement across schools in the United States at all grade levels. Furthermore, mathematics self-efficacy emerged as a robust predictor of students' mathematics achievement, exhibiting significant effect sizes for Grades 4, 8, and 12. Remarkably, when students' mathematics self-efficacy was held constant, the mathematics achievement gaps among different student subgroups by gender, race/ethnicity, ELL, IEP, NSLP status narrowed, highlighting the importance of self-efficacy in addressing these disparities. The study also identified the presence of significant school contextual effects, further emphasizing the role of the educational environment in shaping mathematics achievement. Conclusions: This study underscores the critical role of mathematics self-efficacy in influencing mathematics achievement gaps among students. By acknowledging the association between self-efficacy beliefs and mathematics achievement, policymakers and educators can develop targeted interventions to enhance students' confidence and motivation in mathematics, ultimately promoting equitable educational outcomes. The findings also emphasize the significance of school-level factors, calling for comprehensive approaches that consider both individual and contextual factors in narrowing achievement gaps. The implications of adopting a self-efficacy perspective to address mathematics achievement gaps extend to educational policy, curriculum development, and instructional practices, ultimately fostering more inclusive and effective mathematics education for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is substantial evidence of the association between multiple parental involvement and mathematical performance, but the long-term features of these links remain unclear, in particular in China. This study investigated the 8-year trajectory of mathematical performance, and its associations with five forms of parental involvement. The sample consisted of 645 adolescents (50.39% girls; Mage = 10.5 years, SD = 0.50). Latent growth curve modeling showed upward linear growth in mathematics performance. Among five forms of parental involvement, parental educational expectation was the most powerful predictor. Gender differences and similarities were also found in the family-education nexus. The parental expectation was positively associated with their initial performance in mathematics across gender. The predicting roles of parent-child discussion about school and parental TV controls on the baseline level of mathematical performance and the association between parental expectation and the slope of mathematical performance were only identified among boys. This study highlighted the varied impacts of parental involvement on schooling at different developmental stages, and provided important implications for optimizing parenting and schooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher expectations not only relate positively to student achievement, but also to student beliefs such as their self-concept. Nevertheless, most studies focus on the relations with student achievement, followed by studies on beliefs. Beliefs are a significant determinant of academic success and can include student self-concept or emotions, such as anxiety. The extent to which anxiety can be influenced by teacher expectations has been investigated in very few studies. This paper examined how teacher expectations related to changes in student achievement, self-concept, and anxiety in mathematics within a school year. The data were from a longitudinal study "Outcomes of teacher education", funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation and based on 28 teachers and 509 primary school students. Teacher expectations were operationalized using the residual approach. Student mathematics achievement was assessed via a standardized mathematics test and their self-concept as well as their mathematics anxiety via a questionnaire. The multi-level structure was considered in the analyses, because the interclass-correlation of student mathematics achievement exceeded the critical value of 10%. The results showed that teacher expectations were positively related to student achievement as well as self-concept and negatively related to anxiety towards mathematics. The change in the explained variance was small (self-concept and anxiety) to large (achievement). The results extend findings on the expectation effect in the classroom, as they focus not only on student achievement but also on student beliefs and are discussed regarding their significance for academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within the pediatric population, a positive self-concept is associated with better academic achievement. Children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at risk for lower quality of life and academic underachievement. Little is known about self-concept among children with CKD and how self-concept influences academic achievement. The objectives of the present study were to (1) describe patient-reported self-concept among children with CKD and (2) evaluate the relationship between self-concept and academic performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 23 children, aged 6–16 years, with mild to moderate CKD (cause of disease due to congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract) and 26 age-matched comparators. Participants completed the Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-4). Linear regression models were used to evaluate self-concept as a predictor of academic achievement in the CKD cohort. Results: Self-concept ratings were comparable between children with CKD and non-CKD comparators; however, academic achievement trended lower for the CKD patients on measures of arithmetic (estimate = − 0.278, 95% confidence interval (CI) [− 0.530: − 0.026], t(45) = − 1.99, p = 0.053). All of the SDQ domains predicted WRAT-4 arithmetic performance, such that higher scores on the SDQ were associated with higher scores in mathematics. Kidney function did not have an effect on the relationship between self-concept and academic achievement. Conclusions: Despite the presence of a chronic disease, children with CKD endorse a positive self-concept. Positive self-concept may predict academic success in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kindergarteners' numerical abilities are fundamental to their future academic development. The cognitive correlates of numerical abilities remain in debate. The present study examined whether non-verbal number sense and literacy could persistently predict kindergarteners' numerical abilities. A large-scale sample consisting of 930 children aged from 5.0 to 6.9 years were assessed for numerical abilities (addition and subtraction), non-verbal number sense (numerosity comparison), literacy (character reading), and general cognitive processing (word span, rapid automatized naming, mental rotation, figure matching and rhythm). The results showed that, after controlling for all other aspects of cognitive processing available, non-verbal number sense did not correlate with numerical abilities, while literacy was a stable cognitive predictor of numerical abilities in both age groups. And rapid automatized naming (RAN) was the most powerful cognitive predictor in the 6 years of age group. Further dominance analysis also showed that literacy was the most important predictor of numerical performance in the 5 years of age group and was next only to RAN in the 6 years of age group. The results suggest that literacy rather than non-verbal number sense is a unique cognitive correlate for kindergartener's numerical abilities. We argue that increased focus on natural language, especially literacy, may help to improve kindergarteners' math ability. Highlights: A large-scale sample consisting of 930 Chinese children aged from 5.0 to 6.9 years were assessed for numerical abilities, non-verbal number sense, literacy, and general cognitive processing. The link between non-verbal number sense and children's numerical abilities did not survive after controlling for other cognitive processing. Literacy rather than non-verbal number sense is a stable cognitive correlate for kindergartener's numerical abilities in 5.0–6.9 years old kindergarteners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Future of Families and Child Wellbeing data (N = 4488, waves collected between 2001 and 2010), the current study examined mothers' and fathers' trajectories of engagement in learning activities (e.g., reading, storytelling, playing with toys) from infancy to age 5, predictors of the trajectories (family poverty, coresidence, child temperament), whether those trajectories predicted children's academic skills (vocabulary knowledge, reading, and math ability) at age 9, and moderators of the trajectories. Mothers' and fathers' learning activities decreased significantly over time as children got older, and rates of decline were greater when families experienced poverty and were nonresident. Children's academic skills were significantly lower when mothers and fathers reported higher rates of decline in learning activities during early childhood; effect sizes were small. Highlights: Examined both mothers' and fathers' learning activity trajectories from infancy to age 5. Found that mothers' and fathers' engagement in learning activities decreased significantly from infancy to age 5. Children's academic skills were significantly lower when mothers and fathers reported higher rates of decline in learning activities during early childhood; effect sizes were small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined whether sport participation in preschool was related to executive functioning (EF) and academic outcomes (i.e., math, language, literacy) in the fall and spring of kindergarten, as well as whether EF in the fall of kindergarten mediated the relation between sport participation in preschool and academic outcomes in the spring of kindergarten. The sample was drawn from a state-funded prekindergarten program evaluation (n = 120 children; mean age at baseline = 57.63 months, female = 47%, mean monthly family income = $1636.92). Parents reported on child sport participation in the spring of the child's preschool year. Children were directly assessed on EF and academic achievement in the fall and spring of kindergarten. Results revealed that sport participation in preschool only predicted literacy in the spring of kindergarten. There was no evidence that EF mediated the relation between sport participation and academic outcomes. Implications and future directions are discussed. Highlights: Preschool sport participation may predict specific academic skills in kindergarten. Executive functioning did not mediate the relation between sport and academic skills. Varied conceptualizations of sport may inform relations between sport and cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimensional comparisons—i.e., comparisons between achievements in different domains—have to date been examined particularly between students' achievements in different school subjects. Numerous studies have documented that dimensional comparisons between mathematical and verbal achievements significantly affect students' mathematical and verbal self-concepts. However, dimensional comparisons also take place and affect self-evaluations in other contexts. The present study is the first to examine indications of dimensional comparisons between faculty members' research and teaching achievements. For this purpose, we extended the reciprocal I/E model, which describes the relations between mathematical and verbal achievements and self-concepts over time, to the domains of research and teaching. We examined our generalized reciprocal I/E model in a sample of 681 faculty members from German universities by considering their research and teaching achievements and self-concepts at four measurement points over two years. Results of cross-lagged analyses indicated positive dimensional comparison effects: The participating faculty members reported higher (lower) research and teaching self-concepts after high (low) achievement not only in the same domain, but also in the other domain. This core finding has important implications for our knowledge of the impact of dimensional comparisons in the formation of domain-specific self-concepts, as well as for the debate about the research–teaching nexus, as it suggests a strong link between research and teaching in terms of self-assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various independent variables affect or have a relationship with students' mathematics academic achievement theoretically, practically, and statistically. These variables include the learning needs of students, use of general teaching principles, and learning strategies. This study aims to examine the predictive level of learning needs, learning strategies, and general teaching principles variables on eight-grade students' mathematics academic achievement with a structural equation model. Eight hypotheses were established and tested with structural equation modeling (SEM) that are appropriate for the goal of the research and are based on the theoretical basis. This study was conducted using the relational survey model. The SEM is appropriate for testing the accuracy of hypotheses developed or the rate at which independent variables explain and affect the dependent variable. The study group consists of 301 eighth-grade students studying at the secondary school. The research data were collected through the Learning Needs Scale, the Learning Strategies Scale, the Use of General Teaching Principles Scale, and the Mathematics Academic Achievement Test. The collected data were analyzed using EFA, CFA, and SEM. SEM goodness of fit was confirmed by fit values X2/sd, GFI, CFI, NFI, AGFI, RMSEA, and SRMR. It was discovered that learning needs affected the use of general teaching principles, the use of learning strategies, and mathematics academic achievement positively and significantly. Besides, the use of general teaching principles and the use of learning strategies affected mathematics academic achievement positively and significantly. Moreover, learning needs, the use of general teaching principles, and learning strategies together significantly explained mathematics academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]