The DOI matches its Crossref record; 56 of the 58 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Factors affecting the process of proficient mental addition and subtraction: case studies of flexible and inflexible computers
Open accessAbstract
The relationship between mental computation and number sense is complex: mental computation can facilitate number sense when students are encouraged to be flexible, but flexibility and number sense is neither sufficient nor necessary for accuracy in mental computation. It is possible for familiarity with a strategy to compensate for a lack of number sense and inefficient processes. This study reports on six case studies exploring Year 3 students’ procedures for and understanding of mental addition and subtraction, and understanding of number sense and other cognitive, metacognitive, and affective factors associated with mental computation. The case studies indicate that the mental computation process is composed of four stages in which cognitive, metacognitive and affective factors operate differently for flexible and inflexible computers. The authors propose a model in which the differences between computer types are seen in terms of the application of different knowledges in number facts, numeration, effect of operation on number, and beliefs and metacognition on strategy choice and strategy implementation.
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“In the particular context of number equalities, we promoted this flexibility of thinking by directing students' attention to relations and restraining their computational tendency, rather than teaching them a set of strategies which have proven to have a negative impact on the development of flexibility in other contexts [32].”
From Third Grade Students’ Use of Relational Thinking (2021) · cites this paper as [32]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Heirdsfield, A. M., & Cooper, T. J.
- Affiliations
- Queensland University of Technology (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Heirdsfield, Ann M.
- ORCID
- Heirdsfield, Ann M.
- Venue
- The Journal of Mathematical Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2004-01
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 443-463
- ISSN
- 0732-3123 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2156159029
- Cited by
- 78
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The Journal of Mathematical Behavior (publishedVersion)
- QUT ePrints (Queensland University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Social Sciences › Education › Mathematics Education and Pedagogy
- Social Sciences › Education › Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques
- Keywords
- mental arithmetic, mental addition, number sense, strategy selection, metacognition, emotional factors, number facts, numeration, strategy implementation
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