Conceptual knowledge of arithmetic for Chinese- and Canadian-educated adults

This study investigated whether Canadian- and Chinese-educated adults differ in their understanding of simple arithmetic concepts. Participants (n = 21 per group) solved 3-term addition and subtraction (e.g., 5 + 22 - 22 and 3 + 24 - 26) and multiplication and division (e.g., 2 × 28 ÷ 28 and 4 × 39 ÷ 13) problems. All problems could be solved more easily if conceptual knowledge of the relationship between the 2 operations in each problem was understood and applied. Accuracy, solution time, and immediately retrospective self-reports of problem-solving strategy data were collected. Participants also completed a timed arithmetic fluency task. Chinese-educated participants demonstrated stronger conceptual understanding of arithmetic on all problems and outperformed Canadian-educated participants on the fluency task. A cluster analysis revealed 4 groups of individuals: weak concept users, who rarely used conceptual knowledge to aid their problem solving; strong concept users, who almost exclusively used their conceptual knowledge to facilitate problem solving; addition and subtraction concept users, who frequently used conceptual knowledge except on difficult multiplication and division problems; and multiplication and division concept users, who frequently used conceptual knowledge except on difficult addition and subtraction problems. Chinese-educated participants were more likely to be in the strong concept clusters, and none were in the weak concept cluster, providing further evidence of stronger conceptual knowledge of arithmetic. These results demonstrate for the 1st time that there are strong cross-cultural differences in conceptual knowledge of simple arithmetic, even in adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record