Abstract:

Early numeracy skills in kindergarten constitute critical precursors for future mathematical achievement. Prior evidence emphasizes that ordinality, in particular, carries significant predictive weight for the development of arithmetic. Consequently, there is a growing need for learning software grounded in the sciences of learning and designed based on empirical evidence to serve as robust pedagogical support for early childhood educators. This paper presents MathPath, a software developed by a multidisciplinary team from the fields of mathematics education, early childhood education, cognitive psychology, and computer engineering. The tool targets cardinality, counting sequences, and number identification as essential precursors to ordinality, which represents the ultimate pedagogical goal of the digital tool. The experimental design tests two distinct versions of the software, according to two strategies for learning ordinality: one based on cardinality judgments through number comparison, and another based on counting sequence knowledge via long-term memory retrieval.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted with a final sample of 64 students from three preschools in Chile (age 5), divided into two experimental groups and one control group. Two distinct versions of the software were tested: one focusing on cardinality judgments and the other on counting sequence knowledge. The intervention lasted up to 15 sessions over a five-week period. The dependent variable measured was the Applied Problems subtest from the Woodcock-Johnson IV (Batería IV) battery. Findings demonstrate that both versions of MathPath were effective in improving numerical performance, with no significant differences observed between the two experimental conditions.

The discussion focuses on the software development experience and its current validation stage. It is concluded that MathPath serves as a playful and effective complement to early mathematics instruction, leveraging digital devices to enhance motivation for learning. Furthermore, this study evaluates the integration of digital methodologies in the preschool classroom, emphasizing the role of educational technology as a scaffold for teacher-led instruction rather than a replacement. The findings highlight the importance of creating user-friendly tools that facilitate the digitalization of classrooms while mitigating the risks of screen overexposure through the use of scientifically validated materials.

Keywords:

Early Numeracy, Ordinality, Educational Software, Preschool Education, Evidence-based Learning.