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Developing Mathematics Knowledge
Author(s) -
RittleJohnson Bethany
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
child development perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1750-8606
pISSN - 1750-8592
DOI - 10.1111/cdep.12229
Subject(s) - procedural knowledge , flexibility (engineering) , descriptive knowledge , process (computing) , knowledge management , concept learning , knowledge level , psychology , implicit knowledge , mathematics education , computer science , domain knowledge , mathematics , statistics , operating system
Developing strong knowledge about mathematics is important for success academically, economically, and in life, but many children fail to become proficient in math. Research on the developmental relations between conceptual and procedural knowledge of math provides insights into the development of knowledge about math. First, competency in math requires children to develop conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and procedural flexibility. Second, conceptual and procedural knowledge often develop in a bidirectional, iterative fashion, with improvements in one type of knowledge‐supporting improvements in the other, as well as procedural flexibility. Third, learning techniques such as comparing, explaining, and exploring promote more than one type of knowledge about math, indicating that each is an important learning process. Researchers need to develop and validate measurement tools, devise more comprehensive theories of math development, and build more bridges between research and educational practice.