Robert Siegler

The purpose of this project is to identify optimal instructional approaches for improving elementary and middle school students' understanding of fraction magnitudes and middle school students' and pre-service teachers' understanding of fraction arithmetic. Fraction understanding is critical for success in algebra, trigonometry, chemistry, physics, and other mathematics and science subject areas, yet many students struggle to acquire adequate proficiency with fractions. In this project, the ...

This postdoctoral program trained three fellows on contemporary theories of and methods for studying cognitive development.

The ability to estimate numerical magnitude is important, not only because of its role in mathematical thinking but also because it is a part of daily life. Estimation is also related to other aspects of mathematical ability, including arithmetic skill, conceptual understanding of computational procedures, and math achievement test scores. Preliminary evidence suggests that increasing young children's use of appropriate representations of numerical magnitudes can improve their estimation a...

In this project, the researchers further refined and tested mathematic interventions that were developed in their prior research. These interventions aimed to increase children's abilities to discriminate between the magnitudes of numbers decreases sharply as these magnitudes increase. The researchers' preliminary evidence suggested that increasing young children's use of appropriate representations of numerical magnitudes would improve their estimation and, by extension, their math achievem...

In this project, researchers explored how differences in initial conceptual understanding affect children's learning of mathematics and science. Additionally, researchers planned to test alternative instructional strategies to improve learning that addressed these differences.