Algebra Study, 2016-2021

In 2021, we completed a project designed to examine the critical skills for Algebra readiness and success. In a collaboration with Columbia Public Schools, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, we assessed pre-algebra skills at the end of 6th grade, and have followed these participants through the end of 9th grade. We determined which pre-algebra skills predict success or failure in High School Algebra, and basic fraction skills and an understanding of mathematics equality (e.g., the meaning of ‘=’) accounted for a large portion of the predictors.

We developed a screening measure for use in 6th grade. This will allow for very fine-tuned individual instruction on the skills that need development, and better algebra readiness. The project was directed by Dr. David Geary, MU Department of Psychological Sciences, in collaboration with Dr. John Lannin in the MU Department of Learning, Teaching, & Curriculum.

Research Articles from the Study

  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., & Nugent, L. (2021). Boys' visuospatial abilities compensate for their relatively poor in-class attentive behavior in learning mathematics. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 211, Article 105222. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105222
  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., & Nugent, L. (2023). Boys' advantage in solving algebra word problems is mediated by spatial abilities and mathematics anxiety. Developmental Psychology, 59(3), 413–430. doi: 10.1037/dev0001450
  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., Ünal, Z. E., & Greene, N. R. (2023). Sex differences and similarities in relations between mathematics achievement, attitudes, and anxiety: A seventh-to-ninth grade longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 115(5), 767–782. doi: 10.1037/edu0000793
  • Lannin, J. K., Austin, C., & Geary, D. C. (2023). Developing Meaning for Mathematical Expressions. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 116(8), 598–603. doi: 10.5951/MTLT.2022.0234
  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., & Ünal, Z. E. (2023). Sex differences in developmental pathways to mathematical competence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 115, 212–228. doi: 10.1037/edu0000763
  • Ünal, Z. E., Ala, A. M., Kartal, G., Özel, S., & Geary, D. C. (2023). Visual and symbolic representations as a component of algebraic reasoning. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 9(2), 327–345.
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  • Ünal, Z. E., Forsberg, A., Geary, D. C., & Cowan, N. (2022). The role of domain-general attention and domain-specific processing in working memory in algebraic performance: An experimental approach. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 48, 348–374. doi: 10.1037/xlm0001117
  • Geary, D. C., Scofield, J. E., Hoard, M. K., & Nugent, L. (2021). Boys' advantage on the fractions number line is mediated by visuospatial attention: Evidence for a parietal-spatial contribution to number line learning. Developmental Science, 24, e13063. doi: 10.1111/desc.13063
  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., & Scofield, J. E. (2021). In-class attentive behavior, spatial ability, and mathematics anxiety predict across-grade gains in adolescents' mathematics achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113, 754–769. doi: 10.1037/edu0000487
  • Scofield, J. E., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., LaMendola, J. V., & Geary, D. C. (2021). Mathematics clusters reveal strengths and weaknesses in adolescents' mathematical competencies, spatial abilities, and mathematics attitudes. Journal of Cognition and Development, 22, 695–720. doi: 10.1080/15248372.2021.1939351
  • Geary, D. C., Hoard, M. K., Nugent, L., Chu, F. W., Scofield, J. E., & Hibbard, D. F. (2019). Sex differences in mathematics anxiety and attitudes: Concurrent and longitudinal relations to mathematical competence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 111, 1447–1461.