Contributions of the psychology of mathematical cognition in early childhood education using apps.

Educational interventions are necessary to develop mathematical competence at early ages and prevent widespread mathematics learning failure in the education system as indicated by the results of European reports. Numerous studies agree that domain-specific predictors related to mathematics are symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison, as well as, number line estimation. The goal of this study was to design 4 digital learning app games to train specific cognitive bases of mathematical learning in order to create resources and promote the use of these technologies in the educational community and to promote effective scientific transfer and increase the research visibility. This study involved 193 preschoolers aged 57-79 months. A quasi-experimental design was carried out with 3 groups created after scores were obtained in a standardised mathematical competence assessment test, i.e., low-performance group (N = 49), high-performance group (N = 21), and control group (N = 123). The results show that training with the 4 digital learning app games focusing on magnitude, subitizing, number facts, and estimation tasks improved the numerical skills of the experimental groups, compared to the control group. The implications of the study were, on the one hand, provided verified technological tools for teaching early mathematical competence. On the other hand, this study supports other studies on the importance of cognitive precursors in mathematics performance.

Individual differences in general and specific cognitive precursors in early mathematical learning / Diferencias individuales en los precursores cognitivos generales y específicos del aprendizaje matemático temprano

Background: The acquisition of mathematical abilities is associated not only with several academic aptitudes but also with the development of particular cognitive skills. This study analysed the role of the general and specific domain precursors of informal mathematical thinking. Method: A total of 109 4-year-old children (M = 59.30 months; SD = 3.56) participated in the study, in which the participants’ informal math and cognitive variables were assessed. A stepwise regression model was calculated. Results: The complex inferential model evidenced the role of the three general-domain variables analysed, in addition to numerical estimation as a specific-domain variable. 48.5% of participants’ variability in informal mathematical thinking, evaluated with the TEMA-3 test, was explained by three of the general domain precursors: working memory, processing speed and receptive vocabulary; as well as by estimation, a specific-domain precursor. The model showed a higher explanatory statistical weight for boys (48.9%) than girls (37.5%). Conclusions: The model indicated that working memory and processing speed were the main predictors of informal mathematical thinking at the age of four. A joint remedial or preventative intervention, taking into account predictors of the specific and general domains, could be the optimal option to improve achievement in mathematics

Antecedentes: la adquisición de habilidades matemáticas está asociada no solo con aptitudes académicas, sino también con el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas específicas. Este estudio analizó el papel de los precursores del dominio general y específico en el pensamiento matemático informal. Método: un total de 109 niños de 4 años participaron en el estudio (M= 59.30; SD= 3.56). Se evaluaron el pensamiento matemático informal con la prueba TEMA-3, y diferentes variables cognitivas. Resultados: tras la realización de un análisis de regresión por pasos, el modelo inferencial evidenció que el 48,5% de la variabilidad de los participantes en el pensamiento matemático informal fue explicado por la memoria de trabajo, velocidad de procesamiento y vocabulario receptivo, así como por la estimación. El modelo indicó que la memoria de trabajo y la velocidad de procesamiento fueron los principales predictores del pensamiento matemático informal a la edad de cuatro años. Mostró también un mayor peso estadístico explicativo para los niños (48,9%) que para las niñas (37,5%). Conclusiones: los datos sugieren que una intervención conjunta correctiva o preventiva, teniendo en cuenta los factores predictivos de los dominios específicos y generales, podría ser la opción óptima para mejorar el rendimiento en matemáticas en niños en riesgo de tener dificultades en esta materia

Individual differences in general and specific cognitive precursors in early mathematical learning.

BACKGROUND: The acquisition of mathematical abilities is associated not only with several academic aptitudes but also with the development of particular cognitive skills. This study analysed the role of the general and specific domain precursors of informal mathematical thinking. METHOD: A total of 109 4-year-old children (M = 59.30 months; SD = 3.56) participated in the study, in which the participants' informal math and cognitive variables were assessed. A stepwise regression model was calculated. RESULTS: The complex inferential model evidenced the role of the three general-domain variables analysed, in addition to numerical estimation as a specific-domain variable. 48.5% of participants' variability in informal mathematical thinking, evaluated with the TEMA-3 test, was explained by three of the general domain precursors: working memory, processing speed and receptive vocabulary; as well as by estimation, a specific-domain precursor. The model showed a higher explanatory statistical weight for boys (48.9%) than girls (37.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The model indicated that working memory and processing speed were the main predictors of informal mathematical thinking at the age of four. A joint remedial or preventative intervention, taking into account predictors of the specific and general domains, could be the optimal option to improve achievement in mathematics.

Coming Together: R&D and Children's Entertainment Company in Designing APPs for Learning Early Math.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have an increasing influence on the way we interact, learn, and live. The increase in teaching and learning methodologies that are mediated by ICT in the field of education and in the domestic settings encourages the design of new effective technological tools, supported by scientific research and development to improve student learning. The challenge psychology is facing in the education field is to promote those technologies and make them available to the education community. Technologies also would produce attractive items for users and realistic commercial issues for businesses. This also allows an effective transfer for scientific work, providing visibility to Research and Development. In this context, the main aim of the article is to describe the process to get an agreement between Babyradio (a children's entertainment company: https://babyradio.es/) and our research team, starting a collaborative work between two groups of people (Babyradio's technical designer and Psychologist-Engineers software designer), in order to create several educative applications (APPs) in the field of early mathematics cognition. The institutional framework of the relationship of the R&D project and a children's entertainment company is described. The article also focuses on experience in Psychology, Technological Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. In considering the efficiency of the agreement, we present different APPs designed for tablets and smartphone devices, adapted to the different operating systems (IOS, Android, Windows). APPs are designed to instill the cognitive fundamentals associated with early math learning for students aged 4 to 7 years. The study developed after this babyradio-university enterprise agreement contributes to the development of mathematics skills in children, aged 4-7 years, so that they can successfully meet the mathematics school requirements; it also contributes to encouraging a more positive attitude toward mathematics. This study also suggests how the education system and software and educational content developers' companies would manage verified instructional APPs, with a more realistic commercial perspective.

Different Methods for Long-term Systematic Assessment of Challenging Behaviors in People with Severe Intellectual Disability.

The aim of this study was to compare the advantages and disadvantages of different behavioral assessment procedures with the purpose of design a long-term assessment procedure that brings together the benefits observed. The study involved four adults with severe and profound intellectual disabilities and severe behavioral problems. A behavioral assessment has been carried out with Scatter Plot, Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence record sheets and, finally, The Observer XT. We conducted a comprehensive assessment of challenging behavior of each participant, by reviewing bio-psychosocial records, interviewing family and direct caregiver staff, as well as direct observation. A large inter-subject behavior variability and instability of intra-subject behavior were found, raising questions about the election of the period to evaluate. The first evaluation level highlighted information about stability of behavior, the second level stand out the context in which it occurs and the third level detailed the different topographies of each behavioral category. The results suggest the desirability of a continuous assessment by combining these three levels for adjusting to the specific characteristics of behavior. We suggest the need of designing a single behavioral assessment procedure that includes the benefits observed in each of the instruments used.

[Biomarkers of cervical carcinogenesis associated with genital human papillomavirus infection]. / Indicadores de Prognóstico da Carcinogénese do Colo do Útero Associada à Infeção por Vírus do Papiloma Humano.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types is a necessary cause for cervical cancer development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of different molecular markers for cervical carcinogenesis, and to assess their association with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 378 cervical samples from women attending to primary Health Clinics of the National Health Service and Gynaecological Outpatient Clinics and referred for HPV testing were analyzed between between January 2007 and December 2010. According to cytological diagnosis, five groups were defined: normal, ASCUS, LSIL, HSIL, and ICC. For the determination of viral DNA physical status was performed by using a real-time PCR methodology, over expression of E6/E7 mRNA NASBA amplification was performed with the NucliSENS EasyQ HPV assay and viral load was determined by a real-time PCR. HPV status was studied in relation to lesion severity. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS software 16.0 and Chi-Square test. RESULTS: No significant statistical differences were found between the physical status of HPV 16 or 18 and lesion severity. Overexpression of E6/E7 mRNA increased with lesion severity. Viral load was significantly associated with the development of cervical intraepithelial lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggests that viral integration for HPV 16 seems to be an early event on cervical carcinogenesis, not being suitable as a molecular marker. E6/E7 mRNA and viral load can be more valuable approaches to use as biomarkers in the prevention of cervical cancer development.

Introdução/Objetivos: A infeção persistente pelo Vírus do Papiloma Humano de alto risco (HPVar) é considerada como a causa necessária, embora não suficiente, para o desenvolvimento do cancro do colo do útero, sugerindo que outros fatores estarão envolvidos no processo de carcinogénese. Este estudo pretendeu avaliar indicadores de prognóstico da persistência da infeção por HPV, nomeadamente o estado físico e a carga viral dos HPV 16 e 18 e a superexpressão dos transcritos do RNAm dos HPV 16, 18, 31, 33 e 45, num grupo de mulheres com ou sem sintomatologia clínica e citopatológica. Material e Métodos: Foram estudadas 378 alíquotas de células epiteliais congeladas pertencentes a utentes dos centros de saúde do Serviço Nacional de Saúde e de clínicas privadas, referenciadas para teste HPV, entre Janeiro de 2007 e Dezembro de 2010. De acordo com o diagnóstico citopatológico, foram definidos cinco grupos: normal, ASCUS, LSIL, HSIL e carcinoma invasivo do colo do útero. Para a determinação do estado físico do DNA e da carga viral dos HPV 16 e 18 foi utilizada metodologia de PCR em tempo real, e para a superexpressão dos transcritos dos oncogenes E6 e E7 o sistema comercial NucliSENS EasyQ HPV®. Os indicadores foram analisados em associação com os tipos de lesão do colo do útero. Para a análise estatística foi utilizado o o programa informático SPSS versão 16.0 e o teste de Chi-Quadrado. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram ausência de associação estatisticamente significativa entre a gravidade da lesão e o estado físico do DNA dos HPV 16 e 18. A superexpressão dos transcritos do RNAm E6/E7 e a carga viral dos HPV 16 e 18 aumentaram significativamente em função do grau da lesão. Conclusões: Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a determinação do estado físico do DNA dos HPV 16 e 18, isoladamente, não constitui um indicador de prognóstico para o desenvolvimento e progressão das lesões. A superexpressão dos transcritos dos oncogenes E6 e E7 está associada à progressão das lesões do colo do útero e apresenta maior especificidade no diagnóstico precoce das lesões pré-malignas. A quantificação do DNA dos HPVar pode ser um indicador promissor de prognóstico das lesões pré-neoplásicas do colo do útero.