NUMBER SENSE DALAM MEMECAHKAN MASALAH MATEMATIKA PADA MAHASISWA IKIP PGRI PONTIANAK

Number sense is a person towards numbers, number sense is needed for students in the process of learning mathematics. Students with good number sense will be able to use their knowledge of numbers in solving mathematical problems. Therefore, it is necessary to do about how students use their number sense skills in mathematical problem situations. This study aims to determine how the number sense of students in solving mathematical problems. This type of research is qualitative research. The method used is a descriptive method in the form of case study research. The subjects in this study were IKIP PGRI Pontianak students who came from the mathematics education study program which collected 8 people. The instruments used in this study were test questions and interviews. From the results of data analysis and subject representation in displaying number sense in each C1-C5 component, the researcher concluded that all subjects had good number sense, seen from all who had number sense with a percentage of more than 60%.

Designing interactive games for improving elementary school students’ number sense

Number sense is an essential primary mathematics material in elementary school that students must master. Learning media may be utilized in elementary schools' teaching and learning process to engage and inspire students to participate in learning activities, particularly mathematics. Therefore, the researchers designed an interactive game using Genially to improve students' number sense. The ADDIE development model was applied in the research and development procedure. In this research, the ADDIE development model began by analyzing problems related to the mathematics learning process in elementary schools, analyzing the environment and work situation, designing an interactive game, developing the game based on validation results from three media experts and two concept experts, and conducting a one-on-one trial. The product feasibility was tested on 46 students who were divided into two classes. Class B served as the experimental class, while Class A served as the control class. The interactive game's validation findings showed that the developed interactive learning media was practical and useful. As a result of the implementation, the experimental class students' grasp the material better than the control class.

Making sense of the relation between number sense and math

While several studies have shown that the performance on numerosity comparison tasks is related to individual differences in math abilities, others have failed to find such a link. These inconsistencies could be due to variations in which math was assessed, different stimulus generation protocols for the numerosity comparison task, or differences in inhibitory control. This within-subject study is a conceptual replication tapping into the relation between numerosity comparison, math, and inhibition in adults (N = 122). Three aspects of math ability were measured using standardized assessments: Arithmetic fluency, calculation, and applied problem solving skills. Participants’ inhibitory skills were measured using Stroop and Go/No-Go tasks with numerical and non-numerical stimuli. Finally, non-symbolic number sense was measured using two different versions of a numerosity comparison task that differed in the stimulus generation protocols (Panamath; Halberda, Mazzocco & Feigenson, 2008, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07246; G&R, Gebuis & Reynvoet, 2011, https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-011-0097-5). We find that performance on the Panamath task, but not the G&R task, related to measures of calculation and applied problem solving but not arithmetic fluency, even when controlling for inhibitory control. One possible explanation is that depending on the characteristics of the stimuli in the numerosity comparison task, the reliance on numerical and non-numerical information may vary and only when performance relies more on numerical representations, a relation with math achievement is found. Our findings help to explain prior mixed findings regarding the link between non-symbolic number sense and math and highlight the need to carefully consider variations in numerosity comparison tasks and math measures.

The effect of gender stereotypes on young girls’ intuitive number sense

Despite the global importance of science, engineering, and math-related fields, women are consistently underrepresented in these areas. One source of this disparity is likely the prevalence of gender stereotypes that constrain girls’ and women’s math performance and interest. The current research explores the developmental roots of these effects by examining the impact of stereotypes on young girls’ intuitive number sense, a universal skill that predicts later math ability. Across four studies, 762 children ages 3–6 were presented with a task measuring their Approximate Number System accuracy. Instructions given before the task varied by condition. In the two control conditions, the task was described to children either as a game or a test of eyesight ability. In the experimental condition, the task was described as a test of math ability and that researchers were interested in whether boys or girls were better at math and counting. Separately, we measured children’s explicit beliefs about math and gender. Results conducted on the combined dataset indicated that while only a small number of girls in the sample had stereotypes associating math with boys, these girls performed significantly worse on a test of Approximate Number System accuracy when it was framed as a math test rather than a game or an eyesight test. These results provide novel evidence that for young girls who do endorse stereotypes about math and gender, contextual activation of these stereotypes may impair their intuitive number sense, potentially affecting their acquisition of formal mathematics concepts and developing interest in math-related fields.

Role of Lateral Inhibition on Visual Number Sense

Lateral inhibition is a basic principle of information processing and widely exists in the human and animal nervous systems. Lateral inhibition is also involved in processing visual information because it travels through the retina, primary visual cortex, and visual nervous system. This finding suggests that lateral inhibition is associated with visual number sense in humans and animals. Here, we show a number-sensing neural network model based on lateral inhibition. The model can reproduce the size and distance effects of the output response of human and animal number-sensing neurons when the network connection weights are set randomly without adjustment. The number sense of the model disappears when lateral inhibition is removed. Our study shows that the first effect of lateral inhibition is to strengthen the linear correlation between the total response intensity of the input layer and the number of objects. The second one is to allow the output cells to prefer different numbers. Results indicate that lateral inhibition plays an indispensable role in untrained spontaneous number sense.

Making Sense of Number

Making Sense of Number is a concise introduction to personal and professional numeracy skills, helping readers to become more mathematically competent. It includes relevant content to assist pre-service teachers to improve numeracy for the classroom or to prepare for LANTITE, as well as support for practising teachers to develop their understanding and skills in numeracy. Making Sense of Number focuses on number sense as a conceptual framework for understanding mathematics, covering foundational areas of mathematics that often cause concern such as multiplication, fractions, ratio, rate and scale. The authors use real-world examples to explain mathematical concepts in an accessible and engaging way. Written by authors with over 30 years' experience teaching mathematics at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, Making Sense of Number is an essential guide for both pre-service teachers and those looking to improve their understanding of numeracy.