The EarlyMath project (2021-2026) studies children’s early development of mathematical skills, motivation and emotions in interaction with learning environments. We want to understand better why the learning of basic mathematical skills is challenging for ten to twenty percent of children. This knowledge is needed for developing the means of early identification, as well as forms of support for childcare clinics, for early childhood education and care (ECEC) and for parents.
Earlymath project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 101002966).
The following figure illustrates the study outline:
In EarlyMath-Baby study we are following children’s development from birth. 136 families expecting a baby were recruited in the baby sample. The sample comprises of families of parents or close relatives with difficulties in learning mathematics as well as families without mathematics learning challenges.
The study investigates the intergenerational transmission of mathematical skills, and that is why also parents were invited to participate in their own skill assessments and EEG measurement.
Even newborns are able to observe differences in quantities, and during their first years of life the children start to learn related concepts and skills. It’s important to understand how early capacities are connected to the development of mathematical skills later in childhood. With the current funding the follow-up will continue until the age of 3.5 years, but the ultimate goal is to continue following the same children and their families until school age.
During the child’s first research visit, about two to three weeks after due date, EEG (electroencephalography) was measured to explore how the brains of newborn infants’ process discrete and continuous magnitudes. At the age of six months, another EEG measurement was conducted, and by comparing the brain responses of these two EEG measurements, the development in the brain processing of magnitudes during the babies’ first months of life can also be investigated.
Mathematical skills develop in close interaction with the environment both at home and in early childhood education and care (ECEC), so we have been also be asking about children’s interest in different activities and features of their learning environments.
EarlyMath-Toddler study is following the development of about 500 under school-age children from two and a half years to five and a half years. Study participants were invited through day care centres.
Toddlers’ early math skill development is studied in close concert with other cognitive skills and the children’s interest in and spontaneous focusing on numerosity and number symbols. We are also interested in understanding the extent to which parents’ mathematical skills predict children’s mathematical development. Therefore we also invited children’s parents to participate in their own skill assessments.
Mathematical skills develop in close interaction with the environment both at home and in early childhood education and care (ECEC). The home environment and children’s interest in math are examined with parental questionnaires. The ECEC environment is another important part of daily life for the vast majority of children, making it meaningful for the development of mathematical skills. For this reason, we invited also the ECEC groups to take part in the observational study. The observations gathered at ECEC centres providing information on the quality of interaction between ECEC personnel and children as well as on the ways in which the centres introduce young children to mathematics.
Data gathering proceeds along a similar timeline on a yearly basis:
Data gathering proceeded along a similar timeline in 2021-2023:
In 2015 the longitudinal study Interaction, Development and Learning (VUOKKO) was launched at the University of Jyväskylä. The study follows the development and learning of about 200 children from Central Finland from the time they are toddlers (2- to 3-year-olds) to the first year of primary education.
Through funding for EarlyMath, the VUOKKO study expands to the second and third grade (consequently forming the Earlymath-School sample), where the participating children’s mathematical skills and motivation are followed. In addition, we invited the children’s class teachers to take part in the classroom observations. Observations in the classroom help us to better understand how mathematics teaching as well as the quality of interaction between teachers and children affect the development of mathematical skills at school. Children’s parents were also invited to participate so as to investigate the role of home environment, parents’ mathematical skills, beliefs, and emotions in the development of children’s mathematical skills, emotions and motivation.
