Mathematics Teaching Research Articles

Effect of Gamification-Based Teaching on Junior Secondary School Student's Academic Performance in Mathematics at Kwara State

Gamification is a cutting-edge pedagogical approach to addressing student social behaviour, motivation, and academic performance in the classroom, particularly in subjects that are perceived to be difficult such as mathematics where there was a perceived failure. Hence, this study investigated the effect of gamification-based teaching on junior secondary school student’s academic performance in mathematics in Kwara State. The study adopted a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest, non-equivalent group design. The population was all junior secondary students in Kwara State while the target population were all junior secondary students in J.S.S. 2 in Kwara-North Senatorial district. A purposive sampling technique was used to select two junior secondary schools based on the availability of computer laboratories. A total of 122 students (experimental group 64; control group 58) were involved. Three instruments were used for data collection. Split-half was used to test the reliability of the instruments and coefficients of .89 were obtained Data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that; gamification-based teaching had a significant effect on the experimental group (F (1,54) = 1.826; p< 0.05) and female students in the experimental group significantly performed better than male students after the treatment. This study concluded that the use of gamification-based teaching in mathematics enhanced teaching-learning effectiveness in mathematics. The study, therefore, recommended among others, that mathematics teachers should use gamification in teaching mathematics to reduce the level of abstractness associated with teaching-learning of mathematics.

Preservice Teachers’ Experiences With, Beliefs About, Self-Efficacy In, and Instructional Practices for Mathematical Writing

ABSTRACT Students across grades K-12 may communicate their mathematical understanding via writing. Mathematical writing (MW) can include journaling about prior mathematical experiences, reflecting on a problem-solving strategy, providing feedback on a peer’s strategy, and generating a mathematical proof. Although there are a wide range of MW activities, many teachers report that they do not provide MW instruction or utilize writing activities with their students. Such instructional decisions are tied to teachers’ prior experiences with MW, beliefs about MW, and self-efficacy in teaching MW. Thus, in an effort to increase MW instruction for K-12 students, this study examined pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) prior MW experiences and the impact of an online learning module on self-efficacy in teaching, beliefs about, and instructional decisions for MW. Participants were 111 elementary, special, or dual-education PSTs at one of the two universities. Findings indicated that PSTs had minimal prior MW experiences in their K-16 schooling but believed that MW was important before the module. After the module, PSTs’ self-efficacy in teaching MW significantly increased. Further, PSTs’ saw greater benefits of MW and demonstrated more sophisticated ways to utilize MW in mathematics teaching and learning.

Sociocultural influences on primary teachers implementing TouchTimes

In this article, I share case studies of two primary school teachers (K–5) in British Columbia, Canada who were interviewed after their implementation of <i>TouchTimes</i> (hereafter, TT) in their mathematics classes. TT is a multi-touch digital application that is designed for users to create and interact with multiplicative situations kinaesthetically through their fingertips on an iPad screen. Using the theoretical constructs of double instrumental genesis, instrumental distance and didactical landmarks, I identify and highlight sociocultural influences described by each of the teachers as being impactful on their integration of this digital technology into their mathematics teaching. These influences included other teachers and the researchers who were part of a larger research project involving TT, as well as the students in each of the case study teachers’ classes. My analysis indicates the multi-faceted and complex nature of the process of double instrumental genesis that teachers undergo when implementing digital technology and how sociocultural factors impact teachers’ personal and professional instrumental geneses.

Developing an assessment instrument for strengthening the Pancasila student profile in web-based middle school mathematics teaching

This study aims to develop an assessment instrument for strengthening students' Pancasila profile in middle school mathematics teaching, which teachers can use. This research follows a development process using the Plomp model, consisting of three phases. The respondents involved in this study were six experts in mathematics education and information technology, 23 middle school mathematics teachers, and 1,297 students. The research results show that Aiken's V value is 0.89, which exceeds the v-table of 0.630, indicating good validity. The Cronbach Alpha reliability analysis results indicate a strong outcome, with a value of 0.751. Confirmatory factor analysis using the R program showed significant factor loadings with a p-value < 0.05. Apart from that, the achievement percentage for all dimensions is in the good category, with an average achievement of 87.06%. These results prove that the assessment instrument developed is suitable for teachers to measure the strengthening of Pancasila student profiles in mathematics teaching at school. The developed instrument can be used as an effective evaluation tool in mathematics teaching to strengthen the Pancasila Learner Profile and help identify areas that require improvement in teaching to achieve a more balanced profile across all dimensions.

Ground rules for talk – the use of conversation rules to increase productivity in mathematical conversations in the early years

ABSTRACT In recent years, social aspects of teaching and learning have gained increased recognition, prompting researchers to focus on conversations and language in mathematics classrooms. While prior studies have highlighted the importance of conversations in primary school teaching, a gap remains in understanding how they influence mathematics teaching and learning, especially among younger children (Muhonen et al. 2016; Patterson 2018). To address this gap, this study explores the implementation of ground rules for talk in two first-grade classrooms in Norway (ages 5–6 years). This educational design research study investigated the impact of conversation rules on enhancing mathematical reasoning and promoting productive communication in primary school. Findings indicate that implementing ground rules for talk can foster productivity by encouraging pupils to inquire about others’ reasoning and share their perspectives to foster a respectful discourse. However, it also emphasises the importance of teachers being mindful of their language to foster reasoning effectively.

Investigation of Middle School Students' Attitudes towards Mathematics Course in the Context of Different Variables (Eskişehir-Türkiye Case)

It is believed that students' motivation and emotions have an important role in their understanding of mathematics teaching. In this context, this study aims to investigate middle school students' attitudes towards mathematics lessons in the light of various variables. A quantitative cross-sectional survey approach was used in the design of the study. It was tried to understand how these variables affect students' attitudes towards mathematics. In the study, various variables such as gender, grade level, school type, technology use, use of concrete materials/activities in lessons and use of Education Information Network (EBA), an online platform for distance education, were taken into consideration. According to the findings of the study, students' attitudes towards mathematics lessons are positively affected by educational policies, curriculum designs and the creation of concrete materials and activities in the classroom. In particular, a detrimental change was observed in the attitudes of students who used EBA less. The perspective provided by this study is crucial for understanding middle school students' attitudes about mathematics in learning environments. It is also recommended that the study be extended to cover more samples and regions, as the findings can serve as a basis for further research.

Designing and Testing a Contextual Factors-Based Teaching and Learning Model for Blended Mathematics Instruction

The study employs design-based research (DBR) to design the mathematics teaching and learning activity model (M-TLAM) for blended learning instruction in a Tanzanian higher education context. This model utilises contextual factors, including ICT tool usage, collaborative learning with metacognitive activities, and local culture, to determine how optimising these factors boosts math students’ motivation and achievement. Two DBR phases were conducted, of which Phase 1 lasted for two weeks and Phase 2 an entire semester. To evaluate M-TLAM in real-life learning settings, experiments were conducted with 225 first-year undergraduate students and seven lecturers at the College of Business Education in Tanzania. Experimental data were collected from pre-and post-tests, interviews, and questionnaires administered to students and lecturers. The study examined the perceptions and motivation of the participating lecturers towards using the M-TLAM in mathematics education and the factors influencing student motivation, academic achievement, and experience towards business mathematics courses. The evaluation results are promising and show that the M-TLAM implementation can potentially improve students’ motivation and academic achievement. In addition, the pedagogical experiences of students were primarily positive, and student’s attitudes towards the business mathematics course through M-TLAM were more favourable than those of students who studied the course via traditional methods. Cultural, technological, and instructional Factors contribute to students’ improved motivation. Lectures demonstrated a cheerful disposition towards the potential of the M-TLAM for enhancing teaching and learning activities. The contributions of this study are highlighted through the implementation of the M-TLAM for blended learning and through the design principles and guidelines provided towards its effective implementation.

The impact of Ethno-Realistic Mathematics Education-based e-module in strengthening students’ problem-solving abilities

Mathematics education in Indonesia faces challenges primarily due to the limited problem-solving skills of students, prompting a need for effective teaching materials to enhance classroom learning. Despite this, many educators still rely on conventional methods that are less effective in fostering mathematical understanding. Consequently, there is a demand for alternative resources that can better support mathematics education. This study aims to develop a valid and practical e-module based on Ethno-Realistic Mathematics Education (Ethno-RME) to improve problem-solving abilities among eighth-grade students. Employing a design research approach within the development studies framework, the study includes preliminary and formative evaluation stages. Evaluation tools encompass expert assessments of content and media quality, walkthroughs, documentation, and problem-solving assessments. The outcome is an Ethno-RME-based e-module focused on number patterns, validated through expert reviews and positively evaluated for practicality by students. This research highlights the e-module's potential to significantly enhance students' mathematical problem-solving skills, offering educators an innovative tool to support effective mathematics teaching.

Incorporating entrepreneurial skills into mathematics teaching in school

Abstract Mathematics, as one of the core subjects in education, can be recognized as a tool for strengthening fundamental entrepreneurial skills. In this study, attempt was made to examine how integrating entrepreneurial skills—creativity, responsibility, courage, initiative, tolerance of ambiguity and collaboration ( Palmer & Johansson, 2018)—into mathematics teaching compares against mathematical teaching alone in terms of the marks of the students and the learner’s and the teacher’s perceptions about the class. The study was conducted in the summer of 2023 with the participation of 50 students in two classes of 25 students in Iran, who were chosen based on convenience sampling. Given the time available, four chapters of the eighth-grade mathematics textbook were taught. In the experimental group, entrepreneurial skills were integrated into class, and in the control group, no such integration happened. After the end of each chapter in both classes, a test was given to the students. In addition, the views of the experimental group and the instructor about the treatment were sought by survey questions. Comparing the mean scores of the two classes in the tests showed no significant difference. However, the survey questions suggested improvements in the six entrepreneurial skills and a better mathematics learning environment in the experimental group.

Intrinsic relations among chemistry, physics and mathematics in the brazilian high school: a theoretical-methodological approach

This paper reports an investigation into the dialogical relation among significant learning experiences of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics contents in an interdisciplinary context. It aimed at answering the following questions that are relevant to the field of Exact Sciences: why do students show little interest in these courses?; where is the problem?; did Chemistry and Physics abandon Mathematics when they started to focus more on qualitative and theoretical concepts than on quantitative ones?; and how can the three courses work together to make both teaching and learning processes easier?. This study presented an actual overview of the Brazilian High School by highlighting strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics teaching. The Brazilian educational scenario showed again that the three courses are the ones that students enjoy the least. The research methodology had a qualitative focus since it had an interpretative and descriptive nature. Answers given to the questions may be found in the text intertwined with some worrisome reflections, which also include the triad teacher-student-educational system. Results showed that further studies are needed to find out the reasons for multiple difficulties found in the intrinsic relations among Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. It is disappointing to know that no satisfactory practical solution has been proposed so far. Everything has been kept in the educational ideal described by research articles, chapters and motivational quotes.

Flipped classroom technology in the contextual teaching of mathematics to university students

Flipped classroom technology in the contextual teaching of mathematics to university students

Khan Academy Platform for Mathematics Teaching and Learning

Objective: To assess the impact of Khan Academy on the Mathematics educational process for UNDAC students and determine the relevance and efficacy of its content and strategies within the Mathematics-Physics program. Methodology: This research is framed within the positivist paradigm and takes on a quantitative approach. An experimental pre-experimental design was used with pretest and posttest in a single group. The study is applied in nature and is grounded in the contributions of expert researchers and methodologists on the subject. Analytical tools were developed with a reliability coefficient of 0.90, and the investigated population consisted of students from the Mathematics-Physics program at UNDAC. Results: Students who incorporated Khan Academy exhibited significant improvements in their mathematical performance. Persistence in using the platform led to significant enhancements in academic achievement. 70 % of the students reached high levels of mathematical skill development. The majority expressed high satisfaction with the platform. Conclusions: Khan Academy has a meaningful and positive impact on mathematics learning among university students at UNDAC. The platform not only promotes content mastery but also fosters learning autonomy. These findings advocate for the adoption of innovative educational technologies in teaching, especially within STEM disciplines.

Using academic mathematical knowledge when working on interface tasks–analyses of pre-service teachers’ arguments about rotationally symmetric figures

AbstractSpecial tasks for pre-service teachers (PSTs) in university mathematics courses (“interface tasks”) are a common innovation in recent years to overcome the second discontinuity. By this, we mean tasks that are situated by typical everyday challenges of mathematics teaching and in which PSTs must use their mathematical knowledge and skills in a professionally relevant way. In this paper, we analyze answers that PSTs have created to an interface task on symmetry. The PSTs were asked to clarify a student’s question from a mathematical perspective and then give a suitable elementarized answer. We situate these two steps theoretically and reconstruct the mathematical reasoning in PSTs' answers. Through qualitative content analysis, we examined how PSTs justify figures' symmetries from a university mathematics perspective and when responding to the fictitious student. The scenario of a student questioning the existence of 100° rotationally symmetrical figures elicited rich and varied responses, proving suitable for an interface task. We compared PSTs' reasoning related to mathematical clarification with the reasoning related to elementarization. In many cases, this revealed a productive use of course content. An interesting result is that there is no uniform picture as to whether the arguments are more detailed in the mathematical clarification or in the elementarization.

Evaluation of the Impact of Webinar on Teaching Mathematics to Undergraduate Students

Webinar is an application of video conferencing to communicate with a group of persons and have discussions as if all are in the same place. It is a handy tool for distance learning and educational-based communication. Employing webinars in education has the advantage of helping users achieve their goals in their comfort zones. In this study, a survey of 250 undergraduate students and 50 mathematics teachers on the impact of webinars on the teaching of mathematics was carried out. The students were divided into 50 students majoring in mathematics and 200 students who offered mathematics as a compulsory course. All the teachers were university lecturers currently teaching mathematics in the universities in Rivers State, Nigeria. All the subjects are familiar with the webinar. Fourteen-item Likert Scale questionnaire was used for the study. Data collected were analyzed using a chi-square test at a .05 significance level. The result reveals that webinars are an acceptable medium for teaching mathematics but with reservations. The proviso is that it should be used where one–to–one interaction is impossible. Secondly, the webinar package should be wealthy so that while discussing, it would be easy to understand and waste of resources on data avoided.

Factors influencing students’ attitude towards science subjects in Secondary Schools: A case study of Secondary Schools in Kisseka Sub County, Masaka District

As a result of its earliest history, science has faced a minimal level of interest in secondary schools by students and few teachers qualified for teaching. The study, therefore, was about factors influencing students’ attitudes towards science subjects in secondary schools. The study was carried out in Kisseka Sub County, Masaka District. The study was aimed at analyzing factors that influence students’ attitudes towards the sciences, analyzing current teaching and learning practices in science and mathematics, and establishing strategies that have been adopted to improve students’ attitudes towards the science subjects. Various data collection methods were used to elicit information from the respondents. These included a self-administered questionnaire, key informant interviews, and a documentary review. The data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively using a computer package known as Microsoft Excel. Excel was used to generate tables, charts, and graphs. From the findings, it was found that students’ attitudes towards science subjects were generally negative. The negative students’ attitudes toward science subjects were attributed to a lack of necessary laboratory equipment, a lack of confidence and trust that the students may have towards the teachers handling the subject, low commitment by teachers, old students influence, and poor teaching methods. The teaching methods used by science teachers were said to include the use of notes and explanations, the use of practicals in the laboratory, setting constant tests for the science students, and the use of discussions. These teaching methods varied according to different secondary schools and according to their different capacities. With the above background, there is a need to encourage science and mathematics teachers to improve their classroom practices and create a conducive learning environment for students to motivate them to offer science subjects. Also, the school head teachers, in conjunction with the district education department, should recruit more trained and qualified science teachers to effectively handle science students’ needs. Keywords: Students, Science teachers, Secondary schools, Teaching methods

Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers' Performance on Reflection on Mathematics Teaching and Learning Using GeoGebra Programme

The advancement of applied mathematics founded upon information technology represents a pivotal aspect of contemporary mathematical development, with the integration of (IT) information technology into the mathematics curriculum becoming an indispensable necessity. The study of relevant IT-based courses by pre-service mathematics teachers will contribute to their professional development, as will their reflection on their teaching. This study combines the two, using 40 Master of Education students from a university as respondents and employing open-ended interviews to investigate the reflective performance of pre-service mathematics teachers in teaching mathematics after completing the GeoGebra course. Subsequently, the data were analysed from three perspectives: dimensions of reflection, level of reflection and degree of collaboration. The results were concluded as follows: 1. The dimensions of pre-service teachers' reflection was extensive but skewed, and reflection on the students' aspect was not yet evident; 2. The level of reflection was "describes only" (Level 1) and single-angle analytical (Level 2); 3. The degree of collaboration in teaching reflection was predominantly limited to "integration" and "self only"; 4. In conclusion, the GeoGebra programme can be considered an effective tool for assisting pre-service teachers in teaching mathematics. Therefore, it is suggested that: 1. It is recommended that higher education institutions reinforce the training of prospective mathematics teachers by incorporating pertinent GeoGebra courses into their curriculum. 2. Pre-service mathematics teachers should take the initiative to conduct learning, research, and reflection, and to improve their own awareness and ability to reflect, so that they can: (1) Strengthen their own mathematical knowledge and technical knowledge, and improve their own quality and professionalism; (2) Conduct multiple analyses by considering both teachers, students, and mathematics. knowledge reserves, improve their own quality and professionalism; (3) Pay attention to both group work and be able to think independently to identify problems.

PHÁT TRIỂN NĂNG LỰC GIAO TIẾP TOÁN HỌC CHO HỌC SINH LỚP 10 TRONG DẠY HỌC CHỦ ĐỀ PHƯƠNG PHÁP TỌA ĐỘ TRONG MẶT PHẲNG

Mathematical communication is one of the core competencies that needs to be formed and developed for students in the teaching of Mathematics in high schools. In this research, we have identified the manifestations of mathematical communication competence in 10th-grade students in teaching the topic “Coordinate Methods in the Plane”, based on a survey of opinions from 68 high school mathematics teachers in the provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. Additionally, the research was also conducted with 32 10th-grade students who were assigned several learning tasks related to the topic “Coordinate Methods in the Plane”, with the aim of understanding the manifestations of students’ mathematical communication competence and the mistakes they made related to these manifestations. From there, propose several teaching methods to contribute to the development of mathematical communication competence in students in teaching this topic. Keywords: Mathematical communication competencies; 10th-grade students; coordinate methods in the plane.

Centering community and care: Enacting the Torres’ rights of the learner to support middle grades students in building collective responsibility in learning mathematics

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a teaching approach centered on community and care, aimed at fostering a democratic classroom environment. We highlight the communal co-creation of the Rights of the Learner (RoTL) as the foundation for establishing a shared responsibility atmosphere. Our interpretation of the RoTL challenges traditional power dynamics, control structures, and authority in educational settings, advocating for an environment of mutual respect and collective learning. This approach promotes a more inclusive learning environment, where responsibility is distributed among all classroom members, enhancing unity and collective investment in the learning process. We provide concrete classroom practices to illustrate the enactment of the RoTL by offering a practical approach for integrating community and care to transform teaching and learning of mathematics into a democratic, inclusive, and equitable community for all learners.

Number Talks as Access to Teaching Practices: Pre-Service teachers’ Attention to Mathematical Teaching Practices While Reflecting on Number Talks Enacted in a Field Placement

ABSTRACT Number Talks are increasingly used in classrooms to support student’s number sense. While Matney et al. (2020) documented little empirical evidence about the effectiveness of Number Talks in improving student outcomes, we considered the potential benefits of Number Talks for teachers and their practices. We ask to which of NCTM’s Mathematical Teaching Practices do pre-service teachers attend while reflecting on Number Talks implemented in a field placement and what was the nature of their attention? Using a constructivist lens, we analyzed the reflections of ten pre-service elementary teachers on three Number Talks in a field placement. As they implemented Number Talks, the participants in this study constructed their own understanding of both the process and purpose of a Number Talk. By doing so, we found that not only was it possible for pre-service teachers to attend to each of the Mathematical Teaching Practices, but three practices were regularly attended to by participants: posing purposeful questions, facilitating mathematical discourse, and supporting productive struggle. Thus, Number Talks may serve pre-service teachers as important vehicles for developing these practices.

Investigating the Mediating Role of Self-Compassion in the Relationship Between Authenticity and Alexithymia in University Students.

The aim of our study is to investigate the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia by examining the relationships between authenticity, alexithymia and self-compassion. The data collected via email by using three scales from the students of a foundation university in Istanbul/Turkey in the spring semester of 2022-2023. The data collection method was a descriptive cross-sectional study and the data were collected on a voluntary basis. Since it was thought that there would be a difference between the departments, data were collected from three different departments. The sample included 263 participants, 139 were English Language Teaching, 107 were Guidance and Psychological Counseling, and 17 were Elementary Mathematics Teaching students. The average age of the participants was 22.11 ± 3.59, 257 of them were single and 6 of them were married. The data were evaluated by using the SPSS 22.0 and LISREL 8.80 programs. While descriptive analyses were used in the evaluation, the mediating role of self-compassion in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia was tested with Structural Equation Modeling. When the measurement model was examined, it was seen that there was a relationship between authenticity and alexithymia (r = -.40; p < .000), between self-compassion and alexithymia (r = - .85; p < .001) and between self-compassion and authenticity (r = .43; p < .001). When the structural equation model was examined, it was found that the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia in the measurement model (r = -.40) decreased to (β = - .05; p > .005) when the mediating role of self-compassion was examined and the relationship was found to be insignificant. When this path was removed from the model and the model was re-examined, the goodness of fit values of the model were χ2/df (71.12/51) ratio = 1.174; RMSEA = .039; SRMR = .050; CFI= .99; NFI = .96; NNFI = .98; IFI = .99; RFI = .95 and GFI = .96. In the study, it was found that self-compassion has a full mediating role in the relationship between authenticity and alexithymia in three departments. The relationship between authenticity and alexithymia goes through self-compassion.