A Conceptual Framework for Mathematical Ability Analysis through the Lens of Cultural Neuroscience

This paper present a conceptual framework that will be used for analyzing divergence in mathematical thinking, skills, abilities, processes and achievements in mathematics through the lens of cultural neuroscience. The bidirectional interface between mathematical thinking and cultural neuroscience is used to explore different learning styles, cognition patterns and neural activities in response of mathematical thinking influenced by culture. Research questions are emerged as how do innate mathematical abilities, plasticity of the young brains and the mathematical cultural environment contribute to mathematical thinking? Why do a group of students from one ethnicity tend to achieve higher scores in mathematics than a group of students from another ethnicity? How does cultural neuroscience report the differences in mathematical thinking and learning trajectories? How does culture accelerate the mathematical thinking? (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Centre of Engineering Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia