ERIC Number: EJ1393909
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-3920
EISSN: EISSN-1467-8624
Available Date: N/A
Associations and Indirect Effects between LEGO® Construction and Mathematics Performance
McDougal, Emily; Silverstein, Priya; Treleaven, Oscar; Jerrom, Lewis; Gilligan-Lee, Katie A.; Gilmore, Camilla; Farran, Emily K.
Child Development, v94 n5 p1381-1397 Sep-Oct 2023
There is a known association between LEGO® construction ability and mathematics achievement, yet the mechanisms which drive this association are largely unknown. This study investigated the spatial mechanisms underlying this association, and whether this differs for concrete versus digital construction. Between January 2020 and July 2021, children aged 7-9 years (N = 358, 189 female, ethnicity not recorded) completed spatial and mathematics tasks, and either a concrete or digital Lego construction task. Mediation analyses examining direct and indirect pathways (through spatial skills) between Lego construction ability and mathematics explained 8.4% to 26.6% of variance in mathematics scores. Exploratory moderated mediation analyses revealed that only the indirect path through mental rotation differed between Lego conditions. Findings are discussed in relation to theories of spatial-numerical associations and the potential of Lego training for mathematics improvement.
Descriptors: Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Education, Manipulative Materials, Spatial Ability, Mathematics Skills, Teaching Methods, Educational Technology, Construction (Process), Instructional Effectiveness
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/9w83v/?view_only=5d2274aa2ed7492bac62277a6064ce91
Author Affiliations: N/A