Studies concerned with the synchronous emergence prediction of Piaget's structures-of-the-whole principle are discussed in conjunction with three groups of concrete-operational skills: (1) transitivity/conservation/class inclusion; (2) double classification/double seriation; and (3) ordinal, cardinal, and natural number concepts. Findings show…

This paper proposes a method for teaching number applying the conservation theory of Piaget in the classroom. It is suggested that number facts cannot be taught by social transmission, since there is a fundamental distinction between logico-mathematical and social knowledge. Conservation cannot be taught to non-conservers, but there are ways to…

Forty-three preschoolers learned the concept of one-to-one correspondence by matched discovery, expository, or observational learning. The groups did not differ on short-term recall and near transfer, but the discovery group excelled on far transfer and delayed recall. The effect of guided discovery on broader learning outcomes was also discussed.…

Investigated was the effect of prior experiences on the acquisition of number conservation by 10 mildly and 10 moderately retarded students (7-16 years old). (CL)

Discussed is research which shows, in contrast to the dominant impression given by Piaget's work, that before the onset of schooling the young child possesses several kinds of fundamental "intuitions" concerning numbers. (Author/TG)

Three experiments explored the developmental relationship between counting and number conservation in children from three to six years old. Results indicated that there was a close relationship between the two; that only the oldest children gave evidence of conserving; and that, in general, there is evidence of protracted development in young…

This document focuses on research on the relation between children's use and understanding of counting as a symbol system for number and the development of number conservation concepts. An underlying assumption is that a better match between mathematics curricula and the educational needs of children will be facilitated by learning more about the…

The pamphlet examines the kinds of play that are useful in developing the basis for later abstract thinking--specifically the development of mathematical concepts. The mathematical concepts included are numbers, conservation, one-to-one correspondence, counting and sequencing, ordering, sorting and classification, sorting and sets, and equivalence…

Eighteen research reports related to mathematics education are abstracted and analyzed in this publication. Three of the reports deal with aspects of learning theory, seven with topics in mathematics instruction (problem solving, weight, quadratic inequalities, probability and statistics, area and volume conservation, cardinality), five with…

The role of language in conservation tasks and the development of the concept of conservation of quantity in young children are investigated in this study. A total of 50 children, aged 3.0 to 4.7 years, were divided into three groups according to age with a large number clustered around age 4.0 years. Children were randomly assigned to one of two…

Examines the effects of cultural and educational variables on the development of number conservation among Baoule (agricultural group) children and Dioula (merchant group) children. Results suggest that both school and a merchant culture provide for acquisition of a mature number concept, supporting the "functional learning systems"…

This study investigates the development of mathematical ability and understandings and explores the use of math games as part of a global model of preschool program evaluation. Eighty-three children (aged 3 3/4 to 4 years) enrolled in several programs in the Mt. Druitt Early Childhood Project, North Ryde, Australia, participated in the study.…

The papers in this document represent preliminary results of a study which is part of a 3-year project being conducted by the Educational Testing Service in cooperation with the New York City Board of Education, with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. This document is divided into seven sections: (1) Introduction, (2)…

Describes longitudinal study of the development of understanding of two logical properties of number by 36 children during the first three years of primary school in Glasgow. Piagetian tests and number skills tests were administered to explore the acquisition of number as class and number as order concepts. (Author/LRW)

Research supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation.