A one-year classroom-randomized trial of mental abacus instruction for first- and second-grade students
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Barner, David
Athanasopoulou, Angeliki
Chu, Junyi
Lewis, Molly
Marchand, Elisabeth
Schneider, Rose
Frank, Michael
Abstract / Description
Mental Abacus (MA) is a popular arithmetic technique in which students learn to solve math problems by visualizing a physical abacus structure. Prior studies conducted in Asia have found that MA can lead to exceptional mathematics achievement in highly motivated individuals, and that extensive training over multiple years can also benefit students in standard classroom settings. Here we explored the benefits of shorter-term MA training to typical students in a US school. Specifically, we tested whether MA (1) improves arithmetic performance relative to a standard math curriculum, and (2) leads to changes in spatial working memory, as claimed by several recent reports. To address these questions, we conducted a one-year, classroom-randomized trial of MA instruction. We found that first-graders students struggled to achieve abacus expertise over the course of the year, while second-graders were more successful. Neither age group showed a significant advantage in cognitive abilities or mathematical computation relative to controls, although older children showed some hints of an advantage in learning place-value concepts. Overall, our results suggest caution in the adoption of MA as a short-term educational intervention.
Keyword(s)
Math education mental arithmetic mental abacus spatial working memory place valuePersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2018-01-30
Journal title
Journal of Numerical Cognition
Volume
3
Issue
3
Page numbers
540–558
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Barner, D., Athanasopoulou, A., Chu, J., Lewis, M., Marchand, E., Schneider, R., & Frank, M. (2018). A one-year classroom-randomized trial of mental abacus instruction for first- and second-grade students. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(3), 540–558. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i3.106
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jnc.v3i3.106.pdfAdobe PDF - 1.07MBMD5: 24030a51cdfbf47b0382b88a3ca8f84b
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Barner, David
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Athanasopoulou, Angeliki
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Chu, Junyi
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Lewis, Molly
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Marchand, Elisabeth
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Schneider, Rose
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Frank, Michael
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T11:42:49Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T11:42:49Z
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Date of first publication2018-01-30
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Abstract / DescriptionMental Abacus (MA) is a popular arithmetic technique in which students learn to solve math problems by visualizing a physical abacus structure. Prior studies conducted in Asia have found that MA can lead to exceptional mathematics achievement in highly motivated individuals, and that extensive training over multiple years can also benefit students in standard classroom settings. Here we explored the benefits of shorter-term MA training to typical students in a US school. Specifically, we tested whether MA (1) improves arithmetic performance relative to a standard math curriculum, and (2) leads to changes in spatial working memory, as claimed by several recent reports. To address these questions, we conducted a one-year, classroom-randomized trial of MA instruction. We found that first-graders students struggled to achieve abacus expertise over the course of the year, while second-graders were more successful. Neither age group showed a significant advantage in cognitive abilities or mathematical computation relative to controls, although older children showed some hints of an advantage in learning place-value concepts. Overall, our results suggest caution in the adoption of MA as a short-term educational intervention.en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationBarner, D., Athanasopoulou, A., Chu, J., Lewis, M., Marchand, E., Schneider, R., & Frank, M. (2018). A one-year classroom-randomized trial of mental abacus instruction for first- and second-grade students. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(3), 540–558. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i3.106en_US
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ISSN2363-8761
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1271
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1463
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i3.106
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Keyword(s)Math educationen_US
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Keyword(s)mental arithmeticen_US
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Keyword(s)mental abacusen_US
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Keyword(s)spatial working memoryen_US
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Keyword(s)place valueen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleA one-year classroom-randomized trial of mental abacus instruction for first- and second-grade studentsen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue3
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Journal titleJournal of Numerical Cognition
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Page numbers540–558
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Volume3
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record