Mathematics Teaching Research Articles

Mathematics teaching and the Culture of the "Rezadeiras" (traditional healers) from the perspective of the global approach of Ethnomodelling

Esta pesquisa visa identificar as possíveis conexões entre a cultura das "rezadeiras" (curandeiros tradicionais) e o ensino de matemática. Como fundamentação teórica, utilizamos a Etnomatemática e a Modelagem Matemática, o que nos permitiu estabelecer conexões entre o conhecimento matemático advindo de um grupo cultural e o conhecimento produzido academicamente por meio da Etnomodelação, que é a abordagem metodológica norteadora deste estudo. Adicionalmente, utilizamos os métodos da narrativa por meio de entrevistas para coletar os dados que subsidiaram os achados deste artigo. A entrevistada é uma mulher negra residente no Recôncavo da Bahia que trabalhou por muito tempo como rezadeira. Ao conversar com ela, identificamos como a Matemática está presente nas práticas de cura e como esse conhecimento matemático cultural pode ser utilizado para conteúdos matemáticos em sala de aula. Os grandes destaques nessas condições são o ensino de conjuntos por indicação de chá e o ensino de Estatística por meio da pesquisa e produção de dados pelos alunos, capacitando-os a serem protagonistas na construção de seu conhecimento.

Engaging primary mathematics teachers in two private schools in South Sudan: A case study on student-centred teaching in problem-solving and mathematical discourse

The teaching and learning of mathematics in sub-Saharan African countries is dominated by teacher-centred pedagogies rather than student-centred ones. Observations of mathematics teachers at two private schools in South Sudan confirmed such practices. This inspired the researchers to design an intervention to help six primary mathematics teachers shift their practices through problem-solving and mathematical discourse. Design-based research methods were implemented, and data were gathered using observations supported by video and audio recordings and field notes. The participants were selected using convenience sampling, and the data were analysed using Stephan’s checklist of student-centred teaching as a framework. The findings revealed that initially, teachers were using tasks from textbooks, and the teachers themselves were engaged in solving the tasks while their students reproduced their actions. Additionally, all the teachers dominated classroom discussions. After the intervention, the teachers began to select tasks that could enhance learning through problem-solving and mathematical discourse among the students, shifting the teacher’s role to facilitation as the students engaged in solving the tasks on their own. However, the shift in practice was highly dependent on the intervention, as the teachers’ tasks were adopted from the workshop.Contribution: This study contributes to the literature on student-centred mathematics teaching in sub-Saharan Africa by providing insights into the factors that enable or hinder teachers’ adoption of student-centred approaches, and by suggesting ways to support teachers’ professional development and learning within their own contexts.

Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions on the Use of Technological Tools in Teaching and Learning Practices in Selected Rwandan Secondary Schools

This article assessed one objective derived from an unpublished master's thesis with the title "Factors Constraining the Effective Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching and Learning Mathematics: Case Study of Selected Secondary Schools in Rwanda." The objective of this study was to investigate how mathematics teachers perceive the use of technological tools in teaching and learning mathematics. Gregory's constructivist theory of perception served as the anchor for the research. A case study research design was adopted. The research focused on secondary school mathematics teachers in 10 selected Rwandan schools. Purposive sampling was employed to choose 20 mathematics teachers. Primary data was obtained through open-ended questionnaires along with semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. Study outcomes indicated that perceptions of mathematics teachers' of embracing technological tools are formed by their familiarity with technology, confidence in adopting it, and the help they get in incorporating it into their teaching procedures. The study concluded that teachers ought to participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs aimed at technological tools to enhance confidence and boost their integration into teaching. According to research, school leaders should ensure access to the most up-to-date technological resources and offer customized training to facilitate effective technology adoption in mathematics teaching. The study further suggested that Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB) and the National Examination and Schools Inspection Authority (NESA) should enforce extensive training programs, avail more resources in essential technological infrastructure, and boost research and best practices to encourage innovation. Additional research should broaden its context to include different perspectives, evaluate the long-term impact of technological tools on student outcomes, and assess the effectiveness of professional development programs.

Epistemic emotions and pre-service mathematics teachers’ knowledge for teaching

Affective and cognitive processes may be jointly researched to better understand mathematics learning, paying special interest to emotions related to knowledge acquisition. However, it remains necessary to explore these processes in studies linked to the education of pre-service mathematics teachers. This study aims to characterize epistemic emotions in different practices linked to the practice of mathematics teaching: problem-solving, anticipating what would happen with the students and reflecting on classroom implementation. It considers the theory of Mathematical Working Spaces to describe the mathematical and cognitive dimensions generated by epistemic emotions, paying special attention to the cognition-affect interaction and the workspace created. The results indicate that the epistemic emotions of the pre-service mathematics teachers associated with the distinct practices were different. Differences are observed in the interaction between emotions and cognitive epistemic actions, depending on whether the pre-service mathematics teachers analyze them within the framework of their own solving or anticipate them in their students. This reveals how personal work relates to what is considered to be suitable for students. Specifically, certain antecedents and consequences have been specified for the emotions of surprise and boredom in relation to the characteristics of the optimization problems and the cognitive activity of the subject when solving them. These results highlight the need to enhance the education of pre-service mathematics teachers through training that helps regulate their epistemic emotions and model effective strategies for regulating their own emotions and those of their students.

Learners’ algebraic and geometric connections when solving Euclidean geometry riders

In this article, we explored Grade 11 learners’ algebraic and geometric connections when solving Euclidean geometry riders. A qualitative interpretive case study design was followed. Thirty Grade 11 learners from a non-fee-paying secondary school in the Capricorn North district of South Africa were conveniently sampled to participate in this study. Data were collected through learners’ responses to classwork, homework exercises, and task-based interviews. Data were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that to solve Euclidean geometry riders successfully, learners need to establish the feature connections embedded in the given figure or diagram. The ability to make feature connections provides a point of departure in the solution process of a geometric problem.Contribution: Once the feature connection is established, other connections will subsequently emerge. In addition, the reversibility connections become a form of feature connection when solving Euclidean geometry riders. Therefore, we recommend that mathematics teachers emphasise and use mathematical connections in their daily teaching of mathematics.

Exploring the Cultivation Path of Algebraic Thinking Ability for Junior High School Students

With the deepening development of mathematics education, the cultivation of algebraic thinking has gradually become one of the core tasks of junior high school mathematics teaching. As a fundamental ability in mathematics, it not only has a positive promoting effect on students logical thinking and abstract ability, but also provides important tools and methods for students to further learn advanced mathematical knowledge and solve practical problems. Based on the understanding of mathematical algebraic thinking, this article mainly discusses the importance of students algebraic thinking and how to cultivate students algebraic thinking ability in general operations, logical reasoning, mathematical modeling, etc. and explores new methods and approaches to cultivate students algebraic thinking in junior high school teaching.

Realistic mathematics education: Mathematics e-modules in improving student learning outcomes

Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) has gradually influenced the development of mathematics learning worldwide, including in Indonesia. Through the implementation and development of online-based 21st-century education, RME is increasingly proving itself as an effective approach to improving the quality of mathematics teaching and student learning. Learning using the RME approach based on the e-module System aims to become a real learning experience for education and students in implementing mathematical concepts into web-based software systems. The type of research used is pseudo-experimental research with a population in this study of 3 schools, and the number of samples is 147 students. Hypothesis testing was carried out with the N-gain test on the experimental class and control class and the Linear Regression Analysis Test to determine the effect of Gender on improving the learning outcomes of the experimental class. The results of this study show that: 1) There is a difference in the improvement of learning outcomes of classes taught with the RME approach based on the e-module System with conventional learning models; 2) There is no significant difference in the improvement of learning outcomes of students taught using the RME approach based on the E-Module System based on gender characteristics; 3) Gender only contributes 0.1% to the improvement of learning outcomes while 99.9% of other factors.

Strategies for Guiding Creative Teaching of Elementary Mathematics by Young University Teachers

In the context of current educational reforms, creative teaching in elementary mathematics has become a crucial means to enhance students' interest and mathematical literacy. This paper explores the strategies for guiding creative teaching in elementary mathematics by young university teachers. By analyzing the current status and challenges of elementary mathematics teaching and combining the professional competence and innovative capabilities of young university teachers, a series of guiding strategies are proposed. The research indicates that these strategies can effectively enhance the creativity in elementary mathematics teaching and improve student learning outcomes, demonstrating significant practical value.

Influence Of Working Group Activities Of Teachers On The Effectiveness Of Mathematics Teaching At EBC Besilau Laulara And EBC Fahisoi Lequidoe Academic Year 2021

The data analysis technique used in this research is descriptive statistics analysis techniques and inference analysis techniques with the aim of studying the research variable itself. In relation to the variables and samples mentioned, the techniques used to collect data are observation, questionnaire and documentation and according to Setiono and Riwonoto (2015) states that the Likert scale is the psychometric scale that is generally used in the questionnaire. And the instrument to be used to measure alternative responses is the Likert scale, this scale can be measured by choosing the perfect alternative answers, with the value used being 1 to 5 variables, so the researcher concluded that the questionnaire distributed to teachers with variables (X) is the influence of the activity of the teachers (GTP) and variable (Y) is the effectiveness of teaching mathematics, from the dependent and independent variables used by the researcher to find out whether or not the influence of one variable on another variable. Thus the results of the inference statistics analysis on the influence of the activity of the Working Group teachers (GTP) with a sample of 27 shows that the table = 0, 9 with a count = 2. Because the largest count of the table (2 > 0,9) is that we can say that we revenue Ho and accept Hi with his conclusion that there is a significant influence between the Activity of the Working Group dose teachers on the effectiveness of mathematics teaching (Y) at EBC Fahisoi Lequidoe and EBC Besilau Laulara.

Interest in science and mathematics teaching among non-science/mathematics initial teacher education candidates

ABSTRACT Many countries are experiencing teacher shortages, with particularly long-standing issues in attraction and retention in secondary science and mathematics. Policy initiatives often focus on science and mathematics undergraduates, with the aim of encouraging them to consider teaching by offering scholarships into teacher education or fast-tracking into employment permanency. However, those who have already chosen to teach in non-science and mathematics teaching specialisations have already shown their interest in teaching and form a pool of candidates that may potentially be recruited into science and mathematics teaching pathways. While these non-science and mathematics teacher candidates could have the capacity to address in part longstanding science and mathematics teacher shortages, there is a lack of research examining their motivations from the perspective of initiatives that may attract them into science and mathematics teaching, and little that examines their science and mathematics backgrounds. We sought to address these gaps by surveying 349 initial teacher education (ITE) students from four Australian universities, examining their career motivations, interest in science and mathematics teaching, and science and mathematics backgrounds. We explored perceived barriers to secondary science and mathematics teaching, and responses to potential policy initiatives. We found that 61% of non-science/mathematics ITE candidates indicated high interest in secondary science or mathematics pathways. Policy options such as support for science and mathematics retraining after several years of teaching in their current subject area or level, were selected as likely to support this choice. Our results suggest considerable capacity for policymakers and tertiary institutions to design initiatives that may attract non-science/mathematics ITE candidates into science and mathematics teaching.

Production and evaluation of audiovisual material to support the teaching of mathematics in eighth-grade learners

Audiovisual materials have been widely investigated in mathematics education for their capacity to improve learning outcomes and mitigate student disengagement. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the acceptance of audiovisual materials as instructional aids among eighth-grade students. Adopting a mixed-method approach, the research first involved semi-structured interviews with mathematics teachers to identify key teaching and learning challenges. Based on the insights gained, educational videos were developed, adhering to motivational and didactic criteria. In the final phase, 78 students from a public high school in Ibarra, Ecuador, participated in a Likert-scale survey, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), to assess their reception of the videos. The findings revealed that teachers highlighted fear of mathematics, insufficient prior knowledge, and the abstract nature of the content as major obstacles to be addressed. Most students responded positively, considering the videos effective for enhancing their understanding of mathematical concepts and boosting their motivation to learn. This study underscores the potential of audiovisual materials as effective tools to address educational challenges and foster student engagement in mathematics.

The laboratory as a pedagogical resource for teaching mathematics: the state of knowledge in ENEM communications

The development of mathematical learning begins through the relationship between the subject and the mathematical object with the use of concrete materials. In view of this, it is believed that the Mathematics Teaching Laboratory (LEM) is an environment that can promote mathematical learning through this relationship. Therefore, this qualitative research sought to understand how LEM can collaborate in the teaching and learning process of Basic Education students. To this end, a survey of articles published in editions of the Annals of ENEM’s (1987 – 2022) that had LEM as its theme was carried out; Subsequently, the texts were read in full, in which ten scientific communications were selected and constituted the object of analysis of this investigation. As main results, we highlight that LEM encourages students to develop activities using concrete and manipulable materials that allow them to review, learn about and deepen characteristics of objects of knowledge related to mathematics, developing interest in the study through the relationship that can be established with the social context to which this subject belongs.

Case Design and Practice of Integrating Ideological and Political Education into Higher Mathematics Teaching

Case Design and Practice of Integrating Ideological and Political Education into Higher Mathematics Teaching

Mathematical Critical Thinking Skills through STEM/STEAM Approach: A Systematic Literature Review

The STEM/STEAM approach provides opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills through the integration of different disciplines. This study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent to which the STEM/STEAM approach develops critical thinking skills in mathematics teaching and learning. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We searched Springer Link, Eric, and Google Scholar for 21 articles on critical thinking published between 2018 and 2022. The results show that most of the lead authors studying critical thinking through STEM/STEAM are from Indonesia, with fewer contributions coming from the United States, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Japan, and Malaysia. The most common research methods used are quantitative research and R & D. These methods correspond to the types of data collection tools used by researchers and critical thinking tests to identify critical thinking skills for the cognitive aspect and questionnaires for the affective aspect. The best practice for improving learner’s mathematical critical thinking skills in STEM/STEAM is Project-Based Learning (PBL). However, this practice is not used by many development researchers. The authors find distinctive features in the interventions used by researchers to improve the critical thinking of learners from each country. The most common intervention was an analysis of the implementation of the STEM/STEAM approach in Indonesia. Many Indonesian researchers also developed learning models and media. Other countries focused more on computer-based activities, developing community programs, and identifying participants' perceptions of critical thinking. These differences give each country its own characteristics in improving and identifying the critical thinking skills of its people. These differences in practices and interventions can also provide alternatives for researchers in their research on critical thinking through the STEM/STEAM approach.

The Impact of GeoGebra in Analytic Algebra: A Bibliometric Review

GeoGebra is a software that is often used in mathematics learning. GeoGebra is an electronic program that contains a set of tools that equip students with mathematical skills. This research aims to look at research trends related to algebra learning that integrates GeoGebra. This research is literature review research, there are 95 publications collected from the Scopus database which are then analyzed using the bibliometric analysis method assisted by the Vos viewer application. Data taken from the Scopus database was refined in 4 stages, namely identification, filtering, eligibility, and inclusion, resulting in 95 publications. The research results show that Spain and Austria are the most influential countries and have high cooperation with other countries in this field. The focus of research related to GeoGebra on algebra material is, 1) geometry and students; 2) GeoGebra and algebra; 3) elementary geometry and computational theory; 4) dynamic geometry and computer algebra. The new themes in this research are symbolic computation, quantifier elimination and real quantifier elimination. This research not only enriches the scientific literature in the fields of GeoGebra and algebra but also provides practical guidance for educators and researchers to improve mathematics teaching and learning methods in the future.

O SOFTWARE GEOGEBRA COMO FERRAMENTA PARA O ENSINO DA GEOMETRIA ANALÍTICA NA EEMTI LICEU VILA VELHA

This paper aims to present a methodology differentiates teaching of analytic geometry in high school with the help of GeoGebra software. For this sequence of activities developed by the authors that are proposed constructions involving the basic contents of analytic geometry is presented . The paper also presents a historical study of analytic geometry and its importance today. Also made a study of the importance and contribution that Information and Communication Technologies ( ICT ) can make to the teaching of mathematics as well as the guidelines from the National Curricular Parameters ( PCN ) that encourage the use of ICTs . For better development of the work a thorough study of GeoGebra software is performed . Shortly after the proposed activities , a case study conducted with a group of third year of high school at EEMTI(High School) Vila Velha, this study analyzes both the qualitative results as well as the students' opinion on the use of ICTs in the room is shown classroom and more specifically the GeoGebra as a tool for the teaching of analytic geometry . Finally, consideration and positive conclusions are made regarding the completion of the work and also considerations on the difficulties encountered and the prospects for its future applicability.

Mathematics as a driver for sustainable development: Pre-service teachers’ perspectives on awareness, challenges, and implications for teacher training

Despite mathematics being multidisciplinary, sustainability and mathematics education are largely under-researched and in an infant stage. In the Namibian context, previous research has investigated in-service teachers' per­ceptions of education for sustainable development and teach­ing practices. Little is known about pre-service teachers' per­spectives on mathematics for sustainable development in terms of awareness, challenges, and how pedagogical mod­ules can be enhanced to develop students' pedagogical knowledge to integrate sustainability concepts in mathemat­ics. The study uses a qualitative approach with an exploratory case study design. Eight third-year pre-service Mathematics teachers were conveniently sampled and completed an open-ended questionnaire. The researcher, informed by the Repre­sentations, Educational approach, Didactic tools, and Skills model, conducted a content analysis of participants' aware­ness, challenges, and implications for training Mathematics teachers. In terms of awareness, the findings revealed that most of the pre-service teachers appear aware and knowl­edgeable of the role of mathematics in driving education for sustainable development. The study also found that the major challenges in incorporating ESD in the mathematics teaching and learning process are didactic tools and skills. Based on the study findings, teacher educators should develop student teachers' pedagogical ESD knowledge to be able to link Mathematics to appropriate SD themes, design learning tasks and materials, and present lessons that incorporate SD. The findings of the study provide direction on components to be considered to en­hance pedagogical modules for pre-service teachers. This study is limited to a case study of the chosen pre-service teachers and campus, thus cannot be extrapolated to a broader population.

Gamification and problem-based learning (PBL): Development of creativity in the teaching-learning process of mathematics in university students

This study aims to determine whether the combination of techniques such as gamification along with problem-based learning (PBL) can significantly enhance the problem-solving abilities of university students and their academic performance compared to those who do not receive this educational approach. An experimental design was employed, incorporating the administration of tests, data collection, non-participant observation directed at teachers, and a survey administered to students. The study was conducted with 42 students in the treatment group and 37 students in the control group. As a result of the analysis, it was identified that the combination of gamification and PBL significantly improves the problem-solving capabilities of the treatment group, as well as the average grades. This suggests that these techniques can increase the engagement, motivation, and academic performance of university students in the context of mathematics. This holds significant implications for the design of educational programs and underscores the importance of integrating innovative approaches in teaching to foster holistic student development. It is recommended that educational programs and teachers consider the implementation of techniques that promote active student participation and the integration of technological resources to enhance the teaching and learning process of mathematics in university students.

Investigating Preservice Teachers’ Conceptualizations of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Through Video Analysis

Mathematics Preservice Teachers’ (M-PSTs) conceptions of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) enhance their reflective skills because they utilize such conceptions to reflect on how to contextualize content knowledge during secondary mathematics teaching. While previous studies suggested M-PSTs develop MKT, including pedagogical content knowledge by analyzing teaching in video lessons, how M-PSTs enhance their conceptions of MKT through such analysis is underexplored. I used a collective case study approach to investigate how four secondary M-PSTs conceptualized MKT when they analyzed and discussed teaching represented in a video lesson using the MKT framework. The findings indicated that the M-PSTs often described teacher knowledge either as purely pedagogical or solely content knowledge in their initial analyses of the video lesson. After engaging in a discussion that introduced the MKT framework, the M-PSTs began to illustrate how a teacher’s content knowledge influenced her instructional decisions and actions. Through this discussion, M-PSTs began identifying MKT as professional content knowledge unique to teaching and, thus, distinguished MKT from generic pedagogical or content knowledge. I argue that the language and concepts offered through the framework enhanced the M-PSTs’ conceptions of MKT and suggest that the instructional activities from this study contribute to developing M-PSTs as reflective practitioners.

Mathematics teachers’ practices in light of the effective teaching practices

Recognising the pivotal role of effective teaching practices in enhancing student learning outcomes, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has outlined a comprehensive framework of key strategies. However, empirical research on these practices remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the extent to which mathematics teachers apply NCTM-identified effective teaching practices and examine potential differences attributable to teachers' gender and teaching experience. Adopting a quantitative approach and employing a descriptive survey, the study systematically assessed eight designated practices using a validated observation checklist in the Jazan Education Administration, observing 38 mathematics teachers during routine classes. The results indicated a moderate level of implementation overall, with ten practices demonstrating high application. Statistical analyses found no significant differences in practice implementation based on gender or teaching experience at the .05 level. The limitations included the study's relatively small sample size, potentially limiting generalisability, and the observational nature of the checklist, which may not fully capture nuanced teaching dynamics. Future research could focus on developing training initiatives to enhance educators' application of NCTM-recommended practices and undertake qualitative inquiries to understand barriers to integration and teachers' attitudes towards these practices. Finally, this study contributes to the discourse on effective mathematics teaching by providing empirical insights into current practices and highlighting avenues for further investigation and professional development in educational settings.