Elementary Mathematics Teachers Research Articles

Using instructional coaching to support elementary preservice mathematics teachers' development of questioning strategies

Using instructional coaching to support elementary preservice mathematics teachers' development of questioning strategies

Exploration of the “3 + 5” Model in Elementary Mathematics Teaching in Smart Classrooms Against a Digital Background—A Case Study

Exploration of the “3 + 5” Model in Elementary Mathematics Teaching in Smart Classrooms Against a Digital Background—A Case Study

Characteristics of Effective Elementary Mathematics Instruction: A Scoping Review of Experimental Studies

Considering that the teaching of mathematics in elementary school is an important prerequisite for the development of mathematically literate citizens, it is essential to identify what makes it effective. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of effective interventions in elementary school mathematics education. To this end, a scoping review was conducted that included 44 experimental studies published between 2014 and 2023. Through a qualitative analysis of the intervention descriptions, we identified 27 characteristics, which were categorized into nine thematic units. We found that, on average, seven characteristics were used per intervention. The results of this study suggest that effective elementary school mathematics instruction should foster students’ conceptual understanding and procedural fluency through problem-solving, active learning, and mathematical games. This can be achieved through a dynamic alternation of whole-class instruction and cooperative and individual learning with the use of manipulatives and visualizations to reach the level of abstraction. Considering that the analyzed interventions rarely addressed students’ common errors and critical thinking, future research could focus on these aspects in elementary school mathematics education.

Impact of teaching style on perceived mathematics achievement of elementary education preservice teachers: the mediating roles of attitude and math self-concept

Teaching style has long been recognized as a factor influencing students’ achievement, particularly in subjects like mathematics. However, its impact on aspiring elementary mathematics teachers, often considered generalists, remains relatively underexplored. Based on the theoretical underpinning of self-determination theory, the paper examines how teaching style (autonomy support and structured), attitude towards mathematics, and math self-concept form part of the overall variations of perceived mathematics achievement of 444 preservice elementary teachers in the central Philippines. In this paper, autonomy support and structure form a second-order construct of teaching style, while attitude and math self-concept serve as mediating variables toward perceived mathematics achievement. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling demonstrated the statistical significance of all five hypothesized paths and identified two partial mediation effects within the examined relationships. This study sheds light on the importance of teaching style in promoting positive attitudes, math self-concepts, and perceived mathematics achievement among preservice elementary teachers, which has implications for the quality of mathematics education in elementary schools. Implications for teacher training programs for elementary education are discussed, and future research directions are suggested.

비와 비율 개념 지도에 대한 초등수학 교과서 분석: 2015 개정 초등수학 교과서를 중심으로

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze how prior knowledge is utilized in introducing the concept of ratio and how context is utilized in introducing the concept of rate in 11 elementary school mathematics textbooks according to the revised 2015 curriculum, and to derive implications for teaching ratio and rate based on this. Methods From prior research, we derived the prior knowledge(subtraction comparison, division comparison, orrespondence relationship, multiple-batches perspective) that can be utilized in the introduction of the concept of ratio and the form of context utilization(whole-part rate, part-part rate, rate of two equal quantities) in the introduction of the concept of rate, and based on this, we analyzed the ratio and rate sections of 11 textbooks. Results In the introduction of the concept of ratio, 7 out of 11 textbooks were classified into passive use of subtraction comparison-division comparison, 2 textbooks were classified into active use of subtraction comparison-division comparison, 1 textbook was classified into subtraction comparison-division comparison and utilization of correspondence relationship, and 1 textbook was classified into utilization of multiple-batches perspective and correspondence relationship. In the introduction of the concept of rate, 8 out of 11 textbooks utilized the whole-part rate, 2 textbooks utilized the part-part rate, and 1 textbook utilized the context of the rate of two equal quantities. Conclusions This study confirmed that the 2015 revised elementary school mathematics textbooks attempted various approaches in introducing the concepts of ratio and rate, and the results of this analysis provide implications that can contribute to increasing the effectiveness of learning ratio and rate in elementary school mathematics education.

Teachers' views on their professional identity in teaching number concepts in the foundation phase

This study explores the professional identity perceptions of teachers responsible for instructing number concepts in the foundation phase, focusing on their roles and responsibilities within elementary mathematics education. Using qualitative methods, including interviews and observations, the research examines the multifaceted dimensions of teachers' professional identities, highlighting both positive and negative perspectives. Twelve foundation phase teachers from the Johannesburg East District were purposively selected for in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations. Thematic analysis was employed to uncover and present detailed findings. Results indicated that teachers perceive their professional identity as either positive or negative. Positive identities include viewing themselves as specialists in pedagogical content knowledge and as in loco parentis, displaying enthusiasm, self-motivation, friendliness, competence, and commitment. Negative identities involve seeing themselves primarily as administrators or social workers. The study identified a misalignment between teachers' self-perceptions and their classroom practices in teaching number concepts. Teachers' self-perception as instructors of number concepts significantly influences their teaching approaches in the foundation phase. The study suggests that investing in teacher development programs can help construct and reconstruct a positive professional identity, thereby enhancing the teaching of number concepts in the foundation phase. This research underscores the importance of aligning teachers' self-image with their pedagogical practices to foster effective mathematics education at the elementary level.

Effectiveness of Using Ludo Game-Based Learning Media to Improve Understanding of Spatial Building Concepts in Elementary School Students: Literature Review

Understanding the concept of spatial structures is a significant challenge in elementary school mathematics education due to its abstract nature. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Ludo game-based learning media in enhancing students' understanding of spatial concepts. This research uses a literature review method to analyze various previous studies using game-based media to teach spatial concepts. The findings indicate that Ludo games significantly improve students’ cognitive understanding by visualizing abstract concepts more concretely, fostering active and interactive learning, and reinforcing concepts through repetition. Additionally, this medium enhances students' learning motivation and spatial skills. However, its implementation faces challenges, such as diverse student abilities, limited classroom time, and the need for teacher training to integrate the games into the curriculum. These findings highlight the substantial potential of Ludo games in addressing difficulties in mathematics education, particularly in understanding spatial concepts. This study recommends integrating game-based media into teaching strategies to create a more engaging and effective learning environment.

수학교육을 위한 수학사 활용 연구 분석: Scoping Review

This study employs a scoping review methodology to map the trends and the scope of existing research on the use of mathematics history in Korea. The primary research question addressed is, ‘How has the research on the use of mathematics history in elementary, middle, and high school mathematics education in Korea evolved since 2000?’ This review examines literature published in Korean academic journals from 2000 onward, with a specific focus on the application of mathematics history in elementary, middle, and high school settings. The selected literature was analyzed based on publication year, research subjects, research topics, and content areas within mathematics. The study identifies key trends and research gaps, providing insights for future systematic reviews and guiding subsequent research in this domain.

Didactic Game Based on the Unreal Engine and the Effectiveness of its Implementation in Mathematics Education

This study investigates the integration of a didactic game developed using Unreal Engine into elementary school mathematics education, specifically focusing on the teaching of fractions. The research aims to answer the following questions: (1) How do students react to the didactic game? (2) What is the difference between experimental and control group of students? The study involved 46 seventh-grade students from a school in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, randomly divided into two groups: one using the didactic game and one following traditional teaching methods. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative methods, including participatory observation, questionnaires, and didactic tests. The findings reveal that while both groups showed significant improvement in their understanding of fractions, the group using the didactic game demonstrated a more considerable progression, with an average increase in test scores from 38.07% to 71.36%. In contrast, the traditional group improved from 54.17% to 79.68%. Students' reactions to the game were mixed, with some expressing enthusiasm despite technical difficulties, while others were less motivated due to hardware limitations.

Alternatives to traditional algorithms in elementary mathematics instruction

Alternatives to traditional algorithms in elementary mathematics instruction

The Process of Teaching and Learning from the Views of Prospective Mathematics Teachers: The Case of Algebraic Inequalities

This study explores the views of prospective mathematics teachers on the process of teaching and learning about algebraic inequalities. Phenomenology, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. The participants of the study consisted of 6 prospective middle school mathematics teachers studying in the last year of the Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education Program of a university in the Central Anatolia Region of Türkiye in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The obtained data were analyzed using content analysis, one of the qualitative analysis methods. As a result of the analysis of the interviews with the prospective middle school mathematics teachers, three main themes were obtained. Teaching inequalities, the difficulties that students may experience in inequalities, and the methods that can be used to overcome difficulties were the main categories that emerged. Direct quotations from the prospective teachers’ views were also included in the presentation of the findings. As a result of the study, it is recommended that more practice should be included in teacher education programs to improve prospective mathematics teachers' knowledge and experience of meaningful learning and overcoming difficulties.

Implementasi Virtual Reality dalam Kegiatan Pembelajaran di Sekolah Dasar

Many students find traditional learning methods to be uninteresting, which can lead to a lackluster classroom environment. This is often due to teachers delivering material that fails to engage students and a lack of interaction between teachers and students. As a result, students may struggle to understand the material presented to them, leading to suboptimal learning outcomes. However, advancements in technology offer solutions to this issue. The use of Virtual Reality (VR) is an effective way to support learning and make it more engaging. Studies show that incorporating VR in elementary school mathematics education can be particularly helpful. VR allows for a more realistic and contextual learning experience, making topics that are often considered difficult or boring more interesting and interactive. In addition, research has shown that technology such as Wolfram's Mathematica can improve students' understanding of mathematical concepts and computational skills. This research aims to explore teachers' understanding of the potential of VR as a learning medium and how it can be used to visualize abstract concepts that are challenging to grasp. By implementing this technology, we can improve learning outcomes for elementary school students.

POSSIBILITIES OF USING PROBLEMED LEARNING IN TEACHING GEOMETRIC CONCEPTS IN PRIMARY GRADES

In this article, an idea is given about the possibilities of using problem-based learning in the formation of geometric concepts in elementary school mathematics education. Problematic education includes such categories as problem, learning problem, problem situation, problem, problem question, problem assignment. Teaching concepts like straight-line, straight-line section, broken line, length of broken line, perimeter of a triangle, perimeter of a rectangle, perimeter of a polygon, which are studied in primary grades, using problem-based learning, allows students to quickly and effectively master these concepts, as well as to be able to apply the acquired knowledge in practice gives.

Investigation of the Concept Images of Mathematics Educators and Preservice Mathematics Teachers Regarding Slope, Rate of Change, and Derivative

The aim of this study is to examine the concept images of mathematics educators and pre-service elementary mathematics teachers regarding the relationships between the concepts of slope, rate of change and derivative. Four mathematics educators working in different state universities and responsible for Analysis courses, three pre-service elementary mathematics teachers who successfully completed the Calculus 1 course at a state university, and four pre-service elementary mathematics teachers who successfully completed the Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 courses participated in the study. In order to determine the concept images of the participants about the concepts of slope, rate of change and derivative, the participants were asked semi-structured interview questions prepared by the researcher and application questions including the second stage questions. The audio recordings obtained from the interviews were transcribed and then the second stage questions were applied to the participants. The second stage questions were received in writing from the participants and analysed by the researcher through descriptive content analysis. As a result of this study, mathematics educators were able to use the concept images they had in the first stage questions in the second stage questions. On the other hand, pre-service elementary mathematics teachers were able to use the concept images they had in the first stage questions in the second stage questions.

Creating Digital Storytelling as Digital Materials in Mathematics Education

The digitalization of stories through technology-supported software has created the concept of digital stories. In recent years, researchers have been making efforts to investigate the effects of digital stories that have started to be used as digital materials in education. This study aims to evaluate the digital stories created by preservice mathematics teachers for mathematics courses, their experiences in the process of creating digital stories, and their views on the use of digital storytelling as digital materials in mathematics courses. This qualitatively designed study was conducted with the participation of 49 preservice elementary mathematics teachers and lasted 7 weeks. It was found that the digital stories created by the participating preservice teachers were moderately acceptable. Participants characterized digital storytelling as materials that are interesting, support teaching, and provide visual richness. They also stated that they intended to use digital storytelling when they begin working as teachers. However, due to the time-consuming nature of the process, most participants stated that they would use ready-made digital stories instead of creating them themselves. Additionally, the results of this study provide information about the experiences of preservice teachers regarding the process of creating digital storytelling.

Learning fraction with vacation: Integrating Musi Rawas tourism in designing learning trajectory on fraction

Fraction learning has gained significant attention in mathematics education research, with a growing body of literature addressing the instructional challenges inherent in teaching fractions effectively. Establishing a solid conceptual foundation in fractions is critical to fostering broader mathematical proficiency, yet many students continue to struggle with core fractional concepts. This study addresses these issues by integrating a real-world context—Musi Rawas tourism—into fraction instruction, targeting pre-service elementary teachers enrolled in an elementary mathematics education program. Adopting a design research methodology, specifically a validation study, the study progresses through three structured phases: preliminary design, design experiments (encompassing pilot and teaching experiments), and retrospective analysis. Data collection involved teaching materials, observational checklists, and documentation to capture the instructional dynamics and learning outcomes. The study’s primary contribution is a localized instructional theory for teaching fractions within a tourism context, organized across five progressive learning activities: problem identification in the Gegas Water Lake tourism setting, contextual model development, model-based problem-solving, context-specific solution formulation, and abstraction of mathematical conclusions. This framework offers an innovative pedagogical approach, illustrating the potential for enhancing fraction learning through contextualized instruction in tourism, with detailed insights into the methodology and outcomes presented in the full study.

Enhancing Elementary Mathematics Education: The Impact of ICT-Assisted Contextual Learning Models on Learning Outcomes, Cognitive Development, and Student Engagement

This research examined how ICT-supported contextual learning approaches impact elementary students' math learning, cognitive growth, and participation. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 120 fifth-grade students from four schools in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, who were separated into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was taught using contextual learning models assisted by ICT, while the control group received conventional instruction. Standardized mathematics achievement tests, cognitive development assessments, and student engagement and motivation measures were used to collect data. Significant progress was noted in the experimental group for all measures, with substantial effects seen in academic performance (d = 1.46), cognitive growth (d = 1.16), involvement (d = 1.45), and drive (d = 1.47). These results indicate that incorporating ICT into contextual learning can improve elementary math education through better academic results, cognitive growth, and increased student participation and drive. The research adds to the increasing number of studies on incorporating technology in early childhood education and offers insights into educational policies and practices.

Perception of the elementary mathematics teachers about assessment for learning: a case study of Sukkur IBA community colleges, Sindh, Pakistan

This study aims to explore the perceptions of elementary mathematics teachers regarding assessment for learning (AfL). The participants of this study included three elementary mathematics teachers, each with over 5 years of teaching experience at Sukkur IBA community colleges and schools in Sindh, Pakistan. These participants were selected using purposive sampling techniques. A qualitative exploratory case study research approach was used, with data collected through semi-structured interviews and observations. To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, the interview guide and observation checklist were reviewed by experts. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study revealed that teachers had a limited understanding of the concept of assessment for learning. Based on these results, the study recommends several measures: the initiation of an assessment literacy program, an increase in class time, reducing the number of students per class, using moveable chairs to enhance classroom flexibility, and making amendments to the assessment policy.

“Our Voyage with Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics”

From the Archives highlights articles from NCTM’s legacy journals, previously discussed during MTLT Teacher Talk.

DEVELOPING A SYSTEM OF PRACTICAL EXERCISES TO ENHANCE MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING COMPETENCIES FOR FIFTH-GRADE STUDENTS THROUGH REALISTIC MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

This paper develops a system of practical exercises to enhance the mathematical problem-solving competencies of fifth-grade students using Realistic Mathematics Education. The novelty of this study lies in creating tasks grounded in meaningful contexts, aimed at fostering mathematization and deeper conceptual understanding. Unlike traditional exercises, these tasks engage students in applying mathematics to situations relevant to their experiences. Additionally, the paper provides a framework for designing similar tasks, contributing valuable resources for elementary mathematics education under the RME framework.