Cognitive analysis and path construction of Chinese students' mathematics cognitive process based on CDA

Area of Science:

• Educational Assessment
• Cognitive Psychology
• International Comparative Studies

Background:

• Cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) offers personalized learning insights.
• The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) lacks participation from Mainland China.
• Understanding Chinese students' performance in TIMSS is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess Mainland Chinese students' performance within the TIMSS framework.
• To compare their cognitive abilities with high-performing nations.
• To analyze learning paths and progressions using CDA.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Q-matrix based on TIMSS-2015 items and eight cognitive attributes.
• Administered a diagnostic assessment to 4,733 Grade 8 students.
• Utilized a mixed model from the G-DINA package in R for analysis.

Main Results:

• Grade 8 students in Mainland China demonstrated an advantage in mathematical cognitive processes.
• Specific strengths were observed in Calculation and Measurement (CM), Operation and Solution (OS), and Representation Modeling (RM).
• Analysis revealed diverse knowledge states and learning progressions among students.

Conclusions:

• CDA provides valuable insights into students' cognitive strengths and weaknesses.
• The study advances methods for TIMSS cognitive diagnostic assessment and learning progression construction.
• Findings underscore the potential of CDA for in-depth data mining in educational assessment.