Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences

Dr Judi Humberstone

BA (Hons); PGCE; PhD

Tutor Coordinator, Lecturer & Registered Psychologist

Contact details:

email:judih AT unimelb.edu.au  
telephone: +61 3 8344 6366 / Rm 912 Redmond Barry Building 

Mathematics Cognition Lab
Ph: +61 3 8344 9308 / Rm 713 Redmond Barry Building

 

Research Interests:

My research is focused on answering the question: “How do children acquire mathematical understanding?

The aim of my research is to identify the cognitive and educational bases of children's mathematical reasoning.  Specifically, I am interested in the conceptual changes that occur as children acquire mathematical competence. I am especially interested in identifying different patterns of mathematical understanding and the ways in which these patterns change or remain stable over time. In association with colleagues, I am currently conducting research on:

  1. individual differences in students’ acquisition of algebraic ability;
  2. using interactive assessment to evaluate children's mathematical learning potential in rational number and algebra;
  3. the relationships between the development of mathematical, language and general cognitive concepts across the primary-school years;
  4. individual differences in the development of primary-school aged children's addition concepts.

Professional Associations & Memberships:

Publications:

 

Book Chapters:

Humberstone, J. & Reeve, R.A. (under review). Conceptual Change and Mathematics: Challenges for Instruction in a Technological Culture in Fostering Conceptual Change with Technology: Asian Perspectives.


Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

Humberstone, J. & Reeve, R.A. (2008). Profiles of Algebraic Competence. Learning and Instruction, 18, 354–367.

Humberstone, J. & Reeve, R.A. (2011) Dyscalculia in Young Children – Cognitive and Neurological Bases in Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning.

Reeve, R.A. & Humberstone, J. (2011). Five- to 7-Year-Olds’ Finger Gnosia and Calculation Abilities. Frontiers in Cognition (in press).

Reeve, R.A., Reynolds, F.J., Humberstone J. & Butterworth, B.L. (under review). Stability and Change in Markers of Core Numerical Competencies


Publication Work in Progress

Humberstone, J. & Reeve, R.A. – Relationships between Arithmetic and Algebraic Referential Mapping Abilities.

Reeve, R.A., Humberstone, J., Reynolds, F.J., & Butterworth, B.L. Single-digit Addition Strategy Change over Time.


Conference Presentations:

  1. August, 2004: Paper presentation – the Acquisition of Algebraic Competence – the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction, biennial conference, Nicosia, Cyprus;
  2. April, 2005: Poster presentation – Children’s Algebraic Abilities – The American Educational Research Association conference, San Francisco, USA;
  3. June, 2006: Paper presentation – Conceptual Changes in the Transition from Arithmetic to Algebra – the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction Cognitive Change conference, Stockholm, Sweden;
  4. January/February, 2007: Cognitive Development Laboratory at the University of Athens working with Professor Stella Vosniadou as the principal researcher. I presented a two-hour seminar – Students’ Profiles of Algebraic Abilities – to members of the Cognitive Development Lab and other invited academics from the University of Athens;
  5. May, 2007: Paper presentation – Conceptual Changes in the Acquisition of Fractional Number Understanding – EuroCogSci07, Delphi, Greece;
  6. October, 2007: Paper presentation –Profiles of Algebraic Competence – Rutgers Center for Cognitive Science (RuCCS).
  7. August, 2008: Paper presentation – Understanding Algebraic Equivalence: The Role of Cognitive Conflict – the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction Cognitive Change conference, Turku, Finland;
  8. March, 2009: Co-presenter with Associate Professor Robert Reeve – Relationships Between Core Number Abilities and Mathematical Outcomes: Findings from the Melbourne Longitudinal Study – European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction Advanced Study Colloquium, Bruges, Belgium.
  9. August, 2009: Paper presentation – Developing an Understanding Algebraic Equivalence: Possible Barriers and Indices of Change – the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction, biennial conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands;
  10. March, 2010: Paper presentation – Is there conceptual overlap in symbol-referent mapping abilities in arithmetic and algebra? – the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction Cognitive Change conference, Leuven, Belgium.
  11. March 2011: Paper presentation – Do Young Children’s Arithmetic Mapping Abilities Scaffold Subsequent Algebraic Problem Solving? – Society for Research into Child Development, Montreal, Canada.
  12. April 2011: Paper Presentation – Is There Conceptual Overlap in Symbol-Referent Mapping Abilities in Arithmetic and Algebra? – American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, USA.
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