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Pre-service Elementary Mathematics Teachers' Opinions on the School Experience Course Conducted through Distance Education

This study aims to examine the experiences of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers regarding the school experience course conducted through distance education due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study was conducted with 64 volunteer participants, from students who took the School Experience course in the fall semester of the 2021-2022 academic year at a state university, which was determined by convenience sampling among the universities in Turkey. The data was gathered using Google form at the end of the fall semester, using a data collection tool including 4 open-ended questions. These questions were about general evaluation, contributions, faced problems, and suggestions about the school experience course process. The study is phenomenological research from qualitative research types, and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data. Based on the analysis of the collected data, the following codes were obtained: positive, neutral, and negative under the heading of general evaluation; no contribution, getting to know students, professional skills, and time under the heading of contributions; technological problems, lack of professional skills, professional satisfaction, and communication under the heading of faced problems; and active participation, changing the course content, educational support, face-to-face education, student participation, and technological support under the heading of suggestions.

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High school graduates’ perceptions of space studies in formal education

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects are a significant concern in educational systems worldwide. Students who learn these subjects acquire skills and knowledge that enable countries to develop advanced technological infrastructures in industry and academia, ultimately driving local and global economies toward a more advanced future. However, many countries have reported reduced student interest in STEM studies. While students become interested in STEM subjects after joining space education projects, these are often informal activities that occur outside schools. Space education allows students to explore several subjects simultaneously through a multidisciplinary approach and facilitates the development of important skills required in the knowledge-intensive industry and academia. Hence, this research aimed to analyze the perceptions and attitudes of high school graduates exposed to school-based space studies within the formal educational framework in relation to their motivation to undergo STEM studies and other pedagogical issues. The results reveal students’ high degree of motivation to undergo STEM studies through space education, which is an expected but not obvious finding. As for the pedagogical aspect, the issues highlighted by space education include learning activities outside the classroom, the acquisition of skills, and the use of the project-based learning (PBL) approach.

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A Study of Estonian High School Students' views on Learning Mathematics and the Integration of Digital Tools in Distance Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the education landscape, with distance learning and digital tools becoming increasingly essential. This shift has presented both opportunities and challenges for educators and students. We examine the intersection between distance learning and digital tools in modern education, focusing on Estonian high school students' views on learning mathematics during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, and compare learning in classroom situations to distance learning. In 2021, we conducted online interviews with 30 12th-grade students who had participated in the online course offered by the university to prepare for the state mathematics exam. Given that the Estonian education system provides significant autonomy to teachers in selecting their teaching materials and methods, we explore the benefits and challenges of distance learning and the use of digital tools such as online platforms, video conferencing software, and educational apps to support student learning. The study found that teachers did not increase their use of specific ICT tools for teaching mathematics, but instead, relied on established teaching methodologies. Furthermore, the survey showed that learners expect an online course to be rich in video material and real-time meetings, so that they can get prompt feedback on questions and problems that arise. While digital tools have opened up new possibilities for distance learning, there must be a balance between technological innovation and human connection to create effective and meaningful learning experiences.

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Nomophobia and smartphone addiction as correlates of senior secondary school students’ mathematics anxiety

Technology has revolutionised everyday existence. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is essential to society, employment, and education. Improved microelectronics has facilitated the proliferation of inexpensive portable devices such as smartphones. This study, therefore, investigated whether senior secondary school students' nomophobia and smartphone addiction are linked to math anxiety. Two research hypotheses were tested and the study was guided by social cognitive theory. This study employed a descriptive survey research methodology and primary data were collected from 397 students in Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria with the use of the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q, α=0.89), the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV, α=0.82), and the Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS, α=0.81) developed by Yildirim and Correia (2015), Kwon et al. (2013), and Ablian and Parangat (2022) respectively. The data gathered were subjected to analysis using frequency counts, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis at 0.05 significance level. This analysis was conducted using SPSS software, specifically version 23.0. The research revealed a significant association between nomophobia and smartphone addiction among the students. Additionally, the severity of nomophobia and smartphone addiction emerged as significant predictors of mathematics anxiety among high schools in Lagos. Consequently, this investigation proposes that educational authorities in Lagos State should consider implementing a ban on mobile phone usage within secondary schools as a means to mitigate these behavioural addictions among adolescents. Additionally, stakeholders within the education sector, including parents, can contribute to the prevention of these addictions by advising students about the perils of smartphone addiction, fostering ethical social interactions that cultivate trust in the family unit, and imposing restrictions on their children's smartphone usage and associated expenses.

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