Structural relationships among number sense performance, fraction and decimal understanding, and mathematics achievement: Evidence from sixth-grade students in Türkiye
Journal of Educational Research, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/00220671.2026.2707170
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Educational Research
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, ABI/INFORM, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo, MLA International Bibliography, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Education Collection (ProQuest), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection (EBSCO), Sociology Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Conceptual understanding, mathematics achievement, number sense, rational numbers, sixth-grade students
- Uşak Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study investigates the structural relationships among sixth-grade students’ number sense, understanding of fractions and decimals, and mathematics achievement through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The sample consisted of 272 sixth-grade students (aged 11–12) from public schools in western Türkiye. Number Sense Test (NST), Fraction Conceptual Understanding Test (FCUT), and Decimal Conceptual Understanding Test (DCUT) were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS and SEM path analysis. Results showed that students’ overall number sense performance was low and differed across components. Students performed better in numerical meaning and magnitude but struggled with interpreting operations and judging result reasonableness. SEM results showed NST significantly predicted FCUT and DCUT, which in turn predicted GPA. NST had indirect effects on GPA through FCUT and DCUT and a direct effect in the partial mediation model, explaining 46% of GPA variance. Overall, number sense influences achievement directly and indirectly through rational number understanding.