Motivation matters more than working memory for improving student math skills, study finds

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Phys.org
Motivation matters more than working memory for improving student math skills, study findsWorldPing
Image via Phys.org.

What happened

Why do some students become ever better at mathematics, while others plateau?

Many people may think that mathematics is primarily about cognitive skills.

A new study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) provides a more nuanced view.

Key facts

  • Reported by Phys.org and published Fri, 02 Oct 2026 19:40:08 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Coverage timeline

When each newsroom published on this story, oldest first — all times UTC.

  1. Animals may have evolved 200 million years earlier than previously thought, new study suggests

  2. Motivation matters more than working memory for improving student math skills, study finds

  3. Plasma-activated water tests show concentration matters for effective bacterial disinfection

Sources

The original report was published by Phys.org. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Phys.org

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