Associations of Number Line Estimation With Mathematical Competence: A Meta‐analysis. Issue 5 (10th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schneider, Michael; Merz, Simon; Stricker, Johannes; De Smedt, Bert; Torbeyns, Joke; Verschaffel, Lieven; Luwel, Koen
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 89:Issue 5(2018)
• Page Start: 1467
• Page End: 1484
• Publication Date: 2018-04-10
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : The number line estimation task is widely used to investigate mathematical learning and development. The present meta‐analysis statistically synthesized the extensive evidence on the correlation between number line estimation and broader mathematical competence. Averaged over 263 effect sizes with 10, 576 participants with sample mean ages from 4 to 14 years, this correlation was r = .443. The correlation increased with age, mainly because it was higher for fractions than for whole numbers. The correlation remained stable across a wide range of task variants and mathematical competence measures (i.e., counting, arithmetic, school achievement). These findings demonstrate that the task is a robust tool for diagnosing and predicting broader mathematical competence and should be further investigated in developmental and experimental training studies.