Project erStMaL
What is erStMaL?
The study erStMaL (early Steps in Mathematics Learning) investigates the mathematical cognitive development of children with regard to their migration background in the form of a longitudinal study. It is planned to follow children from the age of three, if possible, until the third year of primary school. The first survey period covers only kindergarten children.
Mathematical thinking stems from processes of comprehension, which find expression among others in a child's development of concepts, which is part of the overall process of language acquisition. Therefore, a theoretical connection can be established to children's speech development.
In the IDeA center, this link becomes manifest in the collaboration between the Projects erStMaL and MILA.
Project aims
The aim of the project is to reconstruct the development of mathematical thinking, which is concerned with the handling of numbers, dates and chance, with dimensions and measurement, with geometrical forms and bodies as well as patterns and structures. Social-constitutive elements find particular consideration as an integral part of the development of individual thinking.
Research design/ research method
The socio-constitutive elements in the development of mathematical thinking are investigated in three different basic settings, for which specific situations of play and exploration have been developed.
An example of such a situation from the area "handling of patterns" is the following of foot-hand tracks, the placing and invention of tracks with "track cards" and the continuation of given foot-hand tracks by means of "track cards" (see picture).
In such situations it is also possible to work with materials, like plasticine, blocks and everyday objects. Children can use these materials to form, build or sort.
In the familiar context of the kindergarten, situations with and without educators are initiated every six months:
- Children tandem and child groups (3-4 children)
Here age-homogeneous children tandems and groups as well as age-heterogeneous child groups work with animating materials in specifically developed play and exploration situations; the situation is supervised by a member of the research team. - Educators with children tandems and groups
Educators create situations for age-homogeneous children tandems and groups without animating material provided by the research team. The educators are required not to use instruction-based support materials and programs.
Furthermore, once a year situations are created which allow children to explore mathematical themes together with their parents.
The described settings are videotaped and analyzed with the help of different qualitative methods (e.g., methods of conversation analysis, qualitative content analysis, argumentation analysis). In addition, standardized tests for measuring the development of mathematical concepts and basic cognitive skills are used.
Scientific coordinators
Prof. Dr. Götz Krummheuer
Prof. Dr. Rose Vogel
Jun. Prof. Dr. Birgit Brandt
Melanie Huth
Anna Hümmer
Ergi Acar
