Teaching Mathematics Research Articles

The Study of Teaching Staff Motivation to Use Mobile Technologies in Teaching Mathematics

The use of distance learning platforms, digital educational resources and mobile devices expand pedagogical arsenal. The subject of the study is teachers’ readiness to use mobile technologies in education, for the issue of motivation remains important. The purpose is to identify motivational factors and define mathematics students and teachers’ motivation level to use mobile technologies in teaching. The survey involved 74 people, of which 38 were bachelor students of Elabuga Institute of Kazan Federal University in the pedagogical direction (profile “Mathematics and Physics”) and 36 mathematics teachers of the Republic of Tatarstan. The author identified motivational factors characterizing mathematics teachers and students’ attitude to mobile learning and defined the degree of their relationship with the teaching staff readiness to use mobile technologies in teaching mathematics. The results of the survey confirmed the teachers and students’ high motivation to use mobile technologies in teaching mathematics. The calculation of the Spearman correlation coefficient allowed concluding that the level of motivation decreases with age, but the relationship is weak, insignificant. The results can be used to define the level of motivation and assess the motivational factor significance in the teaching staff training, retraining and advanced training in the field of mathematics mobile learning.

Teachers’ Attitudes about Teaching and Learning Mathematics

The aim of the research is to determine the attitudes of teachers about different concepts of learning and teaching mathematics in the lower grades of primary school. In accordance with the goal, three research tasks were set in which we wanted to determine the attitudes of teachers towards the traditional and constructive concept of teaching and learning mathematics and possible differences in these attitudes in regard to the degree of education and work experience. The research sample consisted of 161 primary school teachers in Serbia. A scale of attitudes was used as an instrument, which contained 16 items (9 items referred to traditionalist beliefs, and 7 to constructivist beliefs). The results of the research indicate that teachers understand and act in accordance with the requirements of the constructivist concept of modern teaching, but at the same time they determine certain elements of traditional teaching as acceptable and desirable. When it comes to these attitudes, we found that there is no statistically significant difference in regard to the education and work experience of teachers globally, but there is significant difference when it comes to individual items. In some further research, the application of a qualitative methodology should examine how teachers understand and determine the items about which they have expressed their views.

Motivational components in TIMSS 2015 and their effects on engaging teaching practices and mathematics performance

Student motivation is a multifaceted construct with empirically supported associations with educational outcomes. This study used latent variable methodology to examine the factor structure of the engaging teaching and motivational constructs in the fourth- and eighth-grade USA student context questionnaires of the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Measurement models revealed adequate fit of correlated factors for self-concept, enjoyment, and importance and usefulness of learning mathematics, after controlling for negative wording. Self-concept was the strongest predictor of achievement in both grades; importance and usefulness beliefs had a weak relationship with eighth-grade performance. Engaging teaching and enjoyment were positively associated; accounting for self-concept, the effect of engaging teaching on TIMSS performance was negative and mediated by enjoyment. The results suggest that a multifaceted conceptualization of motivation is needed in studies of student achievement. The strong effect of student self-concept on performance should be acknowledged in educational reforms.

METHODOLOGY OF APPLICATION OF CASE TECHNOLOGY IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS

METHODOLOGY OF APPLICATION OF CASE TECHNOLOGY IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS

Walking through Algebraic Thinking with Theme-Based (Mobile) Math Trails

Tasks are a key resource in the process of teaching and learning mathematics, which is why task design continues to be one of the main research issues in mathematics education. Different settings can influence the principles underlying the formulation of tasks, and so does the outdoor context. Specifically, a math trail can be a privileged context, known to promote positive attitudes and additional engagement for the learning of mathematics, confronting students with a sequence of real-life tasks, related to a particular mathematical theme. Recently, mobile devices and apps, i.e., MathCityMap, have been recognized as an important resource to facilitate the extension of the classroom to the outdoors. The study reported in this paper intends to identify the principles of design for mobile theme-based math trails (TBT) that result in rich learning experiences in early algebraic thinking. A designed-based research is used, through a qualitative approach, to develop and refine design principles for TBT about Sequences and Patterns. The iterative approach is described by cycles with the intervention of the researchers, pre-service and in-service teachers and students of the targeted school levels. The results are discussed taking into account previous research and data collected along the cycles, conducing to the development of general design principles for TBT tasks.

Interpretative Knowledge of Prospective Kindergarten and Primary Teachers in the Context of Subtraction

Background : Teaching and learning with understanding leads to the adoption of “what” and “how” each individual knows as starting points, requiring from teachers a specialised knowledge, called Interpretative Knowledge (IK), which supports constructive feedback and pedagogical actions aimed at developing the students’ mathematical knowledge and skills. Objective s: This paper aims to trace and discuss the problematic areas of the IK presented by prospective kindergarten and primary teachers’ (PTs) when attributing meaning to students’ productions within the scope of subtraction. Design : The focus is on the IK revealed by PTs when analysing and giving meaning to students’ written productions on a task involving subtraction between natural numbers . Setting and participants : Twenty-six PTs attending the only course focusing on teaching and learning mathematics they have in their curriculum participated in the research. Data collection and analysis : The data collected and analysed, from the qualitative and interpretative perspective of content, come from the written productions of the PTs on a task for teacher education, together with the audio and video recordings of the group discussions. Result s: The results show a “linear” interpretation of the students’ productions, associated with a single way of understanding subtraction, limiting the PTs’ development of constructive feedback and pedagogical interventions, so their practice is not based simply on “teaching how to do.” Conclusions : The limited interpretation and, consequently, the limited development of constructive feedback stood out, showing the need for teacher education to focus on tasks specifically conceptualised for developing the specificities of (prospective) teachers’ knowledge that would enable them to give meaning to students’ production and assume the associated mathematical reasoning as a starting point for practice.

On metaphors in thinking about preparing mathematics for teaching

This paper explores how different schools of thought in mathematics education think and speak about preparing mathematics for teaching by introducing and proposing certain metaphors. Among the metaphors under consideration here are the unpacking metaphor, which finds its origin in the Anglo-American school of thought of pedagogical reduction of mathematics; the elementarization metaphor, which has its origin in the German school of thought of didactic reconstruction of mathematics; and the recontextualization metaphor, which originates in the French school of thought of didactic transposition. The metaphorical language used in these schools of thought is based on different theoretical positions, orientations, and images of preparing mathematics for teaching. Although these metaphors are powerful and allow for different ways of thinking and speaking about preparing mathematics for teaching, they suggest that preparing mathematics for teaching is largely a one-sided process in the sense of an adaptation of the knowledge in question. To promote a more holistic understanding, an alternative metaphor is offered: preparing mathematics for teaching as ecological engineering. By using the ecological engineering metaphor, the preparation of mathematics for teaching is presented as a two-sided process that involves both the adaptation of knowledge and the modification of its environment.

After plantations’ precarities: curating math-thematic curriculum plots in initial teacher education for multispecies’ flourishing and a freedom-yet-to-come

ABSTRACT We give an unconventional, mythopoetic response to the question of Why teach mathematics to all learners in school? In our work with pre-service teachers, we attempt to teach how to value the vulnerability of the multispecies world in a relational, anti-colonial way through passionate immersion, and to use mathematics education towards the ends of promoting its and our own (human) flourishing through taking on relationships of curatorial care. Our contribution includes the novel theoretical assemblage and elaboration of the metaphors of plot and curating as “medicine” [Doolittle, E. (2007). Mathematics as medicine – plenary lecture. In P. Liljedahl (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2006 CMESG Annual Meeting (17–25), Burnaby, BC, Canada.] for addressing challenging ethical questions for mathematics education [Karrow, D., Khan, S., & Fleener, Y. (2017). Mathematics education’s ethical relation with and response to climate change. Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal, 32 (Special Issues on Mathematics Education and the Living World: Responses to Ecological Crisis). ISBN: 1465-2978.] of its ongoing relationship with the precarity produced by unexamined plantation commitments.

Prospective elementary teachers’ attitude toward technology-based mathematics assessment

This research is motivated by the rapid development of information communication and technology (ICT) in the era of the industrial revolution 4.0. Most teachers seem to be unfamiliar with the use of technology in teaching and learning mathematics. In the present study, we are interested in investigating prospective elementary teachers’ attitudes towards technology-based mathematics assessment. We surveyed 70 prospective elementary teachers from a teacher education study program in Riau province, Indonesia. The study results show that prospective elementary teachers have positive attitudes towards the technology-based mathematics assessment. More than 75% and 55% of third and first-year students agreed with technology usage in mathematics assessment. They provided several reasons underlying the agreeableness of technology-based mathematics assessment, such as innovation, practices, and need to be used in line with the current situation.

Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computing in Multilingual Contexts

Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computing in Multilingual Contexts

Discussing students’ thinking and perspectives for improving teaching: An analysis of teachers’ reflection in post-lesson discussions in lesson study cycles

Lesson study is a Japanese concept to improve teaching and learning mathematics through a particular form of activity in which a group of teachers works collaboratively to plan, implement, observe, and reflect on the proposed research lessons. Although lesson study is internationally acknowledged as providing key learning opportunities for teachers, there is limited information on post-lesson discussion and its contribution toward teachers’ professional growth. This study has the aim of describing the key features of post-lesson discussions. An entire group of teachers at a public elementary school in Japan participated in three lesson study cycles. During the post-lesson discussion in each cycle, the teachers were invited to write down what they believed was significant in the planned lesson and their comments regarding the lessons, for the discussion. The writings and comments were collected and analyzed. This method helped capture teachers’ ‘voices’ better compared to recordings of oral discussion. The results of the analyses of teachers’ writings and comments revealed that a major part of post-lesson discussions involved issues related to pedagogies, and teachers’ reflections tended to focus more on students’ thinking and mathematical topics over time as the cycles of lesson study proceeded. The results suggested that teachers’ professional growth can be related to their recognition of the importance of understanding students’ thinking and their perspectives on mathematics, in order to improve teaching.

The Effectiveness of Experiential Learning in Teaching Arithmetic and Geometry in Sixth Grade

Many educators and policymakers worldwide have noticed the burgeoning field of experiential learning in the twenty-first century. Learning theory and practice together is beneficial to education in general, and mathematics education in particular, because it enables students to realize their full potential for knowledge and skill, and it connects the two aspects of knowledge. A focus on the cross-cutting and critical role of experience activities within the framework was emphasized in Vietnam’s general education program in mathematics, released in 2018 and included views on the content and methods of teaching and learning mathematics in the country. Experiential learning in mathematics was studied to see if this method could positively help students participate, increase their motivation and interest in learning, and impact their math outcomes. A series of pedagogical experiments with 29 sixth-grade students on arithmetic and geometric topics was conducted to confirm the research goals. Students were required to develop solutions to real-world problems related to their studying subjects. The experimental and control classes are subjected to a pre-test and a post-test design. Mixed methods, including qualitative and quantitative analysis, are handled by the statistical data processing software (SPSS) program and the results of observations and surveys of learners’ opinions. The results were found that experiential learning activities positively influenced math learning attitudes and student achievement progress in the classroom.

Pre-service Teachers’ Reflections on Attitudes Towards Teaching and Learning Mathematics with Online Platforms at School: A Case Study in the Context of a University Online Training

Online learning platforms take over a new role in education, especially in times of the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper will discuss pre-service teachers’ reflections on attitudes towards online learning platforms and the respective changes due to an online training of using this digital tool in mathematics classes. The special training took place in a bachelor seminar with fourteen participants on the use of digital media in mathematics education at the University of Siegen. Based on the ‘Tripartite Model of Attitude Structure’ which defines the psychological concept of attitude, data material about the pre-service teachers’ attitudes is gathered by pre- and post-reflection-questionnaires. A qualitative content analysis led to the formation of a system of six main categories and approximately 51 descriptors for pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards online learning platforms and especially their changes due to the online training of using these platforms. The descriptors can be a basis for further research studies on this topic.

The effect of teaching using multimedia on mathematical anxiety and motivation

In Iran and many other parts of the world, teaching and learning mathematics has confronted students and teachers with many challenges such as lack of motivation and increased anxiety. ThusT the current situation should be changed and shifted to active methods. One of the active methods is teaching with the help of multimedia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teaching using multimedia systems on the students' motivation and anxiety in mathematics. The method is a quasi-experimental with pretest and posttest design with a control group. Based on the available sampling, two classes were selected and a class was randomly assigned to the experimental group and the other to the control group. The tools were questionnaires of mathematical anxiety and motivation. In 8 sessions, using multimedia systems, the experimental group was taught, but in the control group, the same concepts were taught in the conventional way in Iran. In the end, Mathematical Anxiety and Mathematical Motivation Questionnaires were performed on both groups. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in each of the dependent variables and the use of multimedia systems has affected the students’ motivation and anxiety in mathematics.

Faculty Readiness to Teach Mathematics in the Modern World Online

Faculty Readiness to Teach Mathematics in the Modern World Online

Mathematics students’ conceptions and reactions to questions concerning the nature of rational and irrational numbers

In this paper, we present parts of an online qualitative research project which lasted a whole semester about the understanding of real numbers by sixty first-year Greek mathematics undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We focus on the distinction between rational and irrational numbers and their location on the number line using straightedge and compass. The results, came of questionnaires, focused interviews and tasks, disclosed some gaps regarding real numbers that the students had from school and revealed confusion between irrational numbers and their decimal approximation. The results also led us to group students’ conceptions of rational and irrational numbers into five categories related to the number and pattern of decimal digits. Teaching practices and perspectives as well as the, negative, impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning mathematics are discussed.

THE EFFECT OF USING MATHWAY ON DEVELOPING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS IN NAJRAN, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

This study aimed to identify the effect of using the Mathway application on the development of academic achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Najran city. The study population consisted of all students in the second year of secondary school who study Mathematics -4- in the second semester of the academic year 1442 AH in Najran city. The study followed the quasi-experimental design, which was conducted on a sample of (83) students divided into (41) students in the experimental group studying using Mathway application, and (42) students in the control group who studied using the traditional method. To ensure that the two groups are equal, a pre-achievement test was prepared before the experiment, and a post-achievement test was prepared to find out the differences between the two groups after applying the experiment. The results of the study showed a statistically significant difference at (∝ ≤ 0.05) between the means of the experimental group and those of the control group in the post-academic achievement test in favor of the experimental group due to the use of Mathway application. In light of the results, the study recommended using Mathway application and similar applications in the processes of teaching and learning mathematics.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0939/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Matematika dengan Metode Daring pada Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh

The corona pandemic since the end of 2019 has caused learning activities to be carried out distantly or PJJ (Distance Learning). Teaching Mathematics through PJJ with the online method has generated various obstacles, including student discipline that is difficult to control and difficulties in independent learning due to material that requires high abstraction skill. This has made the learning outcomes of most students do not reach the Minimum Mastery Criteria (KKM). The purpose of this research is to improve the students’ mathematics learning outcomes on Number Patterns material during PJJ. In order to achieve learning objectives, improvements are made to the learning process with the MERDEKA technique, which is an acronym for Motivation, Education, Repetition, Discussion, Evaluation, Competition and Action. Furthermore, this study is aimed at finding out the student's response to online learning by the researcher. This Classroom Action Research consists of 2 cycles with 181 Grade VIII students of MTs Negeri Samarinda as research subjects in Academic Year 2020/2021. From this study, it can be concluded that the MERDEKA interaction technique in teaching and learning mathematics conducted online could improve student learning outcomes on Number Patterns material. The students’ response to the teacher’s learning is also favorable. It is proven that the presence of students is more than 85% on average, more than 85% of students admit that the teacher's teaching methods are fun and more than 75% convey that they understand the teacher's explanations in the teaching and learning process.

Faculty Readiness to Teach Mathematics in the Modern World Online

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled a shift to online teaching and learning in colleges and universities around the world, requiring teachers to adapt their instruction in a very short period of time—regardless of whether they were prepared. Drawing from a sample of 30 faculty and 172 students, the study investigates the teacher’s level of readiness in teaching Mathematics in the Modern World in an online platform in terms of course design, course communication, time management, technical skills, and pedagogical skills and to compare the teacher and student’s assessments of teacher’s online teaching competencies. The study adopted the quantitative-descriptive research method. Stratified random sampling and exact population sampling were utilized. An online questionnaire was used, and the responses were analyzed quantitatively. Results revealed that teachers have a high level of ability to teach the subject online. Additionally, results showed that there is no significant difference in the assessment of online teaching as perceived by teachers and students; this infers that two groups of respondents have the same perception of faculty members’ readiness to teach Mathematics in the Modern World online. Thus, a training intervention program is recommended for teachers in order to improve their competencies in instructional development, time management, technological skills, and teaching strategies. Keywords: course communication, course design, Mathematics in the Modern World, pedagogical skills, technical skills, time management

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions of College Tutors’ Use of Student-Centred Approach of Teaching and Learning Mathematics

The study sought to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions of tutors’ use of student-centred approach of teaching and learning Mathematics in Akatsi College of Education. The study also evaluated pre-service teachers’ learning experiences in relation to their active and passive learning. The study used descriptive survey design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from one hundred and ninety-seven pre-service teachers who were purposively sampled for the study. The data collected was analysed using means and standard deviations. The results of the study revealed that College tutors used both student-centred and teacher-centred approaches of teaching Mathematics. In addition, students’ learning experiences could be described as a mixed bag, incorporating both active and passive learning experiences, with most of the pre-services involved in active learning. Consequently, it was recommended that during the development and implementation of the subject course manuals, tutors should be encouraged to use student-centred approach of teaching and learning Mathematics in the Colleges of Education. Also, since stakeholders of Initial Teacher Education programme, made provision for 60% of continuous assessment marks in the implementation National Teacher Education Assessment Policy, tutors no matter the circumstances, should engage pre-service teachers in student-centred Mathematics lessons.