Are children losing their ability to think with numbers?

KUALA LUMPUR: Ask a child to estimate the cost of groceries, work out how long a journey might take, or even tell the time, and the answer often comes from a phone.

In an age of calculators, apps and artificial intelligence, answers are often only a tap away. But experts warn that when children rely too heavily on digital tools, they may miss out on something more important than the answer itself: the ability to think through a problem.

According to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia senior lecturer Kalaivani Chellappan, technology can improve efficiency and support learning, but should not replace basic numeracy and reasoning skills.

She said the concern is not that children are less intelligent, but that modern lifestyles are giving them fewer chances to work with numbers naturally.

“Modern lifestyles are increasingly limiting opportunities for them to work with numbers in their daily lives,” Kalaivani told Bernama.

“This is not just about academic achievement, but also reflects a decline in the ability to think, analyse and make rational judgements.”

Her concern is based on a two-year study involving 12 schools in suburban areas of Sepang, conducted from March 2024 to February this year.

It found that more than 80% of students aged nine to 12 were unable to solve mathematical questions requiring basic calculation and reasoning skills.

The study also found that many students relied on smartphone calculators and AI applications such as ChatGPT to solve maths problems.

“For them, there is no need to learn calculation methods as tools are already available to provide answers,” Kalaivani highlighted.

“This becomes a concern when technology is used as a substitute for learning rather than a complement.”

Follow-up findings showed a trend of lower mathematics performance among pupils who were overly reliant on digital aids when they entered secondary school.

Kalaivani said this highlights the importance of building strong foundations first, before technology is used as a support tool.

“Calculators and ChatGPT can provide answers. However, it is thinking ability that enables a person to assess whether an answer is reasonable and whether the information is reliable,” she said.

For parents, this does not mean banning technology. Instead, Kalaivani said children should be encouraged to practise numeracy in simple, everyday situations.

This can include helping to prepare a budget, comparing prices while shopping, measuring cooking ingredients, estimating travel time, or reading an analogue clock.

Schools, too, can place greater emphasis on how mathematics applies in real life instead of focusing only on examinations.

“The solution is not to reject technology – such a response would be unrealistic and counterproductive,” she said. “Instead, Malaysia must rebuild a culture of thinking.”

Kalaivani said communities can also help by creating environments where children engage with numbers through sports, games, planning, gardening, house cleaning, cooking, woodcraft projects and everyday problem-solving.

The goal, she stressed, is to help children understand that mathematics is not merely a school subject: it is part of how people make decisions, solve problems and navigate daily life.

“Every receipt, timetable, recipe, football score, fuel bill, bank statement and construction measurement is a mathematics lesson,” she concluded.

“Mathematics is the language of thinking.”