Perpustakaan Digital ITB

tRecent research examining children’s early mathematical abilities has focused primarily on number andoperations (e.g., counting, addition) with considerably less attention directed to the role of other pos-sible dimensions of early mathematical abilities, such as, measurement, geometry, and patterning. Thecurrent study examined the dimensionality of informal mathematical abilities by conducting categoricalconfirmatory factor analysis (CCFA) using data from a large sample of preschool children from low-income families (N = 1630; Mean age = 4.46 years, SD = .37) using the Child Math Assessment (CMA; Klein& Starkey, 2004). The best fitting model consisted of four factors that include Number and Operations,Measurement, Geometry, and Patterning, with the Number and Operations factor explaining commonvariance in three first-order factors of Numbering, Operations, and Relations. These findings support theview that informal mathematical knowledge is a multi-dimensional construct that includes of these sep-arable dimensions. Additionally, a Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model was used to determine ifmathematical ability differed for male and female preschoolers on each of the four factors or on each ofthe 35 items of the CMA. Results showed no differences for mathematical abilities between males andfemales at this age. Future research and curricular implications are discussed.