Computerized dynamic assessment of seriational thinking modifiability: Effects of mediation on seriation and readiness for math among kindergarten and grade 1 children

Background and Aims: A vast body of theory and researchhighlights the operation of seriation as a prerequisite tomathematical thinking in young children. However, thereis limited evidence that seriation interventions improveearly years mathematics. The current study's primary aimwas to explore whether a brief computerized interventionfor seriation within a dynamic assessment procedure canenhance seriation and transfer to mathematics readiness,the effect of intervention on task dimensions of quantity,size and darkness, and the prediction of math modifiabilityby seriational modifiability.Sample: A sample of 440 Kindergarten and Grade 1children was randomly assigned to experimental (n = 231)and control groups (n = 209). The mean age (in months) ofthe children in the experimental and control groups was73.48 and 74.51, respectively. The number of boys and girlswas 228 and 212, respectively.Methods: All children were administered a computerizedversion of the Children's Seriational Thinking ModifiabilityTest and the Math Readiness Test before and after theintervention. The experimental group of children received45 min of mediation on seriation problems, whereasthe control group practised seriation problems withoutmediation.Results: The findings revealed that children in theexperimental group demonstrated improved seriation andmath performance compared to children in the control group. More significant increases were observed in sizeand darkness than in quantity. Seriational modifiabilitysignificantly predicted readiness for math improvement. Thefindings support our hypothesis that seriation interventionis essential for developing math thinking.