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Research
Research is essential to the improvement of early childhood mathematics education. Teaching practice based on sound research has a positive impact for all Australian children, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The following links provide some insight into the research that has been conducted.
Do you know of a good research paper? To share it with your colleagues, please email connectwithmaths@aamt.edu.au with the link and a brief description.
A Good Start to Numeracy: Effective Numeracy Strategies from Research and Practice in Early Childhood
Brian Doig, Barry McRae & Ken Rowe
This report is designed to provide early childhood professionals and parents with a basis for identifying effective numeracy strategies, by providing an overview of the research and practice in early childhood numeracy in the home, the pre-school, and the early years of school.
Dialogue on Early Childhood Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education
This paper reports on the creation of a learning community of early childhood practitioners and researchers. It arose from a forum on Early Childhood Science, Mathematics and Technology Education convened by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Early Childhood Mathematics Education Research: What is Needed Now?
Bob Perry & Sue Dockett
Are mathematics education researchers studying the aspects of the field that have been identified for further research? This paper provides the beginnings of a discussion around this question by highlighting particular Australasian early childhood mathematics education research endeavours and linking them to recent statements calling for further research in the field.
Note: links directly to PDF (80 KB)
Early Childhood Teachers' Misconceptions about Mathematics Education for Young Children in the United States
This article discusses nine common misconceptions about learning and teaching mathematics for young children that were widespread among prospective and practicing early childhood teachers in the United States.
iPlay, iLearn, iGrow
Nicola Yelland & Caja Gilbert
This report presents the findings from a project that used tablet technology with young children (aged 2 to 6 years of age) in three different early childhood settings. The project was designed to explore the possibilities for learning in each setting to determine if the use of tablets is appropriate for this age group.
Note: links directly to PDF (3 MB)
Learning Stories and Children’s Powerful Mathematics
Bob Perry, Sue Dockett & Elspeth Harley
Published in Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP) vol. 9 no. 2
This paper reports work done with preschool educators as part of a research project. It traces how 'powerful ideas' in mathematics were identified in current preschool practice, how they were linked to the Developmental Learning Outcomes in the mandatory curriculum documents, and how the technique of learning stories (narrative assessment) was established as a valid assessment regime compatible with key principles of preschool education. The professional development focus on children’s powerful mathematical ideas, combined with action research that encouraged educators to identify these ideas within children’s experiences and to document these through learning stories, form the basis of this paper.
Mathematics Education in the Early Years: Building Bridges
Glenda Anthony & Margaret Walshaw
Published in Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Vol. 10 No. 2
Aligned with the enhanced international commitment to early childhood education, recognition of the importance of providing young children with opportunities to develop mathematical understandings and skills is increasing. Focused on people, relationships and the learning environment, this article draws on a synthesis of research on effective pedagogical practices to describe effective learning communities that can enhance the development of young children's mathematical identities and competencies.
Mathematics in Early Childhood: Exploring the Issue
Nicola Simmons
This paper explores a number of issues relating to mathematics within children’s play experiences in early childhood settings. In particular, what makes mathematical experiences both meaningful and purposeful is considered within the framework of play, as promoted by Te Whariki. In doing so both traditional/instructional and investigative teaching/learning approaches to mathematics and related theories of learning will be briefly examined.
Note: links directly to .doc (67 KB)
Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity
Christopher T. Cross, Taniesha A. Woods & Heidi Schweingruber (Eds)
This report summarises the now substantial literature on learning and teaching mathematics for young children in hopes of catalysing a similar effort in mathematics to that achieved in supporting children's literacy.
Play and Mathematics
Bob Perry & Sue Dockett
Early childhood education draws on a long tradition of play-based curricula. In contrast, mathematics is often regarded as a formal academic subject found in school curricula. Neither of these positions is absolute. Play is an important vehicle for young children’s learning, though it is not the only way that young children learn. Mathematics is also a focus of young children’s learning and, indeed, young children have developed a wide range of significant and powerful mathematics understandings well before they start formal schooling. Many of these understandings will have developed and been refined through play.
Note: need to download PDF from webpage.
Playing with Mathematics: Implications from the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum
Bob Perry & Sue Dockett
Published in Mathematics: Traditions and [New] Practices
After an introduction to the current conceptions of play in early childhood settings, this paper considers what The Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum say about play and mathematics learning in the home and preschool, and the early years of school. It analyses similarities and differences in the two documents with regard to their philosophies about play as pedagogy for the learning of mathematics.
Note: links directly to PDF (422 KB)
"Smart Start: Creating new contexts for learning in the 21st century"
"Smart Start: Creating new contexts for learning in the 21st century" presents the findings from the second phase of a project that was designed to explore the ways in which tablet technologies can be used to extend learning in early childhood settings.
Nicola Yelland, Professor of Education and Caja Gilbert, Research Officer from Victoria University, Melbourne undertook research on behalf of IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program. This report presents the findings from the second phase of a project that was designed to explore the ways in which tablet technologies can be used to extend learning in early childhood settings.In the first report (Yelland & Gilbert, 2013) it was indicated that the project was designed to build on the successful IBM KidSmart Early Learning Program by exploring the potential of tablet technologies for knowledge building, meaning making and learning in the early years.
Supporting Young Children’s Mathematics Learning as They Transition to School
Ngaire Davies
This paper investigates how the mathematics content, understanding and practices of the new entrant classroom align with the learning children experience within early childhood settings. In particular it reports on the supportive practices provided by two schools for young children’s mathematical learning as they begin school.
Note: links directly to PDF (615 KB)
What Does Research Say About Early Childhood Education?
S. Bredekamp, R. A. Knuth, L. G. Kunesh & D. D. Shulman
Understanding and applying research findings from early education to classroom practice is an important step in achieving effective child outcomes. Program administrators, educators, and researchers can find clear examples of educational research findings that inform classroom practice. Basic theoretical principles of child development and learning form the foundation for quality early childhood programs.
Young Children Are Powerful Mathematicians
Bob Perry
Have you ever thought about the mathematics that there is in your life? What about the mathematics that there is in the lives of your children? Mathematics is all around us and we 'do' mathematics every hour of every day.
Young Children as Powerful Mathematicians
Bob Perry, Sue Dockett & Elspeth Harley
Published in Engaging the Australian Curriculum Mathematics: Perspectives From the Field (Chapter 8)
This chapter introduces the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) and summarises what it has to say about mathematics learning and continuity of learning between preschool and primary school. As well, it discusses the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and its perspective on such continuity of learning. Using a Numeracy Matrix developed by the authors with early childhood educators in South Australia, the chapter explores pedagogical links between the EYLF and the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. Examples of children’s mathematical thinking at both preschool and primary school and of teachers’ documentation of this thinking will be used to explore issues of continuity of mathematics learning.
Note: links directly to entire book (9.3 MB PDF)
