ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Let the Research Show: Developing the Research to Improve Early Childhood Teacher Preparation
Author: LiBetti, Ashley
Date: 2018-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Early Childhood Education,Preservice Teacher Education,Educational Research,Research Needs,Research Problems,Teacher Effectiveness,Preschool Teachers,Educational Policy

Early childhood educators play a crucial role in supporting the development of our nation's youngest children. Research shows that the quality of interactions between adults and children is one of the strongest predictors of learning outcomes in early childhood classrooms, and that the difference between a more and less effective kindergarten teacher can have lifelong effects on children's learning and earnings. Given the research, policymakers and advocates are doing all they can to ensure that early educators are effective, often through improving the quality of their preparation. But as a field, we know next to nothing about how to prepare an effective early educator. &quot;Let the Research Show&quot; digs into the research on how an early educator's preparation affects their effectiveness in the classroom -- and ultimately finds that there are no clear answers about what high-quality teacher preparation looks like. This is particularly alarming because more and more states and localities are requiring preschool teachers to earn degrees. While some states are providing the resources and support to do so, completing a degree still carries a substantial financial and time cost, particularly for current early educators. If public policies demand that early educators earn degrees, it's crucial to ensure that this preparation actually helps them improve their practice -- and right now, the research can't guarantee that. This report proposes a research agenda to build on what we currently know about early childhood teacher preparation and fill the gaps in our knowledge. Specifically, the paper calls for research into the types of preparation practices and content that lead to effective early educators. At the same time, &quot;Let the Research Show&quot; makes the case that policymakers must be cautious with early childhood teacher preparation policy. For the sake of urgency, it's tempting to more closely standardize preparation and degree requirements, but that would be a mistake in the absence of more robust research. Instead, policymakers should design a more flexible policy environment that encourages program experimentation, builds on best practices, and can be refined as more research becomes available.
Preparedness to Teach: The Perspective of Saudi Female Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers
Author: Alsaleh, Fatimah
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Females,Preservice Teachers,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Secondary Education,Preservice Teacher Education,Technology Integration,Middle School Teachers

This study investigates how well Saudi pre-service teachers feel prepared to teach mathematics at secondary or middle schools through an interview-based exploration. The participants, a sample of 16 female mathematics pre-service teachers, were near the end of the final year of their 4-year education degree. Key findings show that these graduate teachers felt prepared in teaching methods and strategies, but less prepared about some aspects, namely classroom management, lesson preparation, and integration of technology. Findings from this study will contribute to the current drive to improve teacher and teaching quality, including initial teacher education in Saudi Arabia.
Preparing for the Final Examination in Abstract Algebra: Student Perspectives and Modus Operandi
Author: Ioannou, Marios
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Algebra,Mathematics Tests,Undergraduate Students,Student Attitudes,College Mathematics,Study Skills,Foreign Countries

This study focuses on the undergraduate mathematics students' perceptions and applied techniques for the preparation for their final examination in Abstract Algebra. The results of this study suggest that the revision for the final examination involves, firstly, the review of the lecture notes, followed by the solution of the coursework together with the use of model solutions and the solution of the past papers. The order of the last two activities varies. An often-occurring revision technique involves, instead of a linear succession of the aforementioned activities, a 3-dimensional spiral approach towards revision, with the three activities interchanging until the students who apply it feel that they have achieved adequate object-level and metalevel learning.
Pre-Service Teachers&apos; Difficulties with Problem Solving
Author: Berenger, Adrian
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Difficulty Level,Problem Solving,Student Attitudes,Mathematics Instruction,Learner Engagement,Foreign Countries,Mathematical Concepts,Student Experience,Numbers

This paper reports the results of an investigation into the ways pre-service teachers engaged in structured problem solving as part of their first-year mathematics education course. The purpose of this study was to determine the preferred problem solving strategies of pre-service teachers and the types of difficulties they experienced. The written discourse of 179 pre-service teachers indicated difficulties with being able to articulate the strategies they used in their solution processes. The results also showed that pre-service teachers did not readily use models and relied largely on numerical procedures.
Proposed Structural Refinements to the Interconnected Model of Teacher Professional Growth
Author: Lomas, Laurinda
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Faculty Development,Grade 4,Grade 5,Elementary School Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Foreign Countries,Fractions,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Teacher Attitudes,Beliefs

This paper proposes structural modification of the Clarke and Hollingsworth (2002) Interconnected Model of Teacher Professional Growth (IMTPG) based on results from doctoral research that studied the changes in mathematical knowledge and beliefs of two Year 5/6 teachers as they implemented a four-week, innovative curriculum unit. These inclusions into the current model expand its analytical, interrogatory and predictive functions. This in turn increases its relevance for those implementing professional learning at the school level, enabling them greater insight into the aspects of a teacher's world that require more support, and possibly more challenge.
The Effects of Mathematics Anxiety on Primary Students
Author: Prodromou, Theodosia
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Anxiety,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Grade 5,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Tests,Questionnaires

Mathematics anxiety is a known problem in mathematics education. This paper reports on a study looking at mathematics anxiety in a primary school classroom (year 6). Students were given a mathematics test and a following anxiety questionnaire to assess their levels of anxiety, to try to better understand issues that caused anxiety and to understand ways that teachers might help reduce anxiety. Results indicated that assessing anxiety itself could be pedagogically valuable. Results also offered some suggestions for reducing anxiety.
Teachers&apos; Perceptions of Obstacles to Incorporating a Problem Solving Style of Mathematics into Their Teaching
Author: Cheeseman, Jill
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Barriers,Problem Solving,Teaching Methods,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Elementary School Mathematics,Foreign Countries,Kindergarten

Despite recommendations to incorporate mathematical problem solving into the practice of primary teachers there is little evidence of the widespread acceptance of such advice by Early Years teachers. Understanding teachers' perceptions of the obstacles they encounter when incorporating mathematical problem solving into their teaching can shed light on the matter. Survey responses of 22 teachers of Foundation and Year 1 across three Victorian schools indicated that the initial obstacles teachers perceived were those concerning children, teaching pedagogy, planning, resources, tasks and time.
School Location and Socio-Economic Status and Patterns of Participation and Achievement in Year 12 Enabling Mathematics
Author: Murphy, Steve
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: School Location,Socioeconomic Status,Grade 12,Student Participation,Mathematics Achievement,Advanced Courses,Foreign Countries,Enrollment,Secondary School Students,Public Schools,Secondary School Mathematics

There is national and international pressure for schools to increase student engagement and skills in more challenging mathematics, in particular for disadvantaged students. This study repurposes school level data to examine patterns of participation and achievement in advanced year 12 mathematics. It confirms that school socio-economic status (SES) is strongly tied to participation and achievement in these subjects, and that non-metropolitan schools tend to perform more poorly than metropolitan schools in these areas. However, it suggests that a non-metropolitan location mitigates against the apparent impact of SES, pointing the way for potentially fruitful lines of future inquiry.
Senior Secondary Probability Curriculum: What Has Changed?
Author: Ernst, Heather
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Secondary School Mathematics,Probability,Foreign Countries,Difficulty Level,Technology Uses in Education,Classification

In this paper, the probability content in senior secondary mathematics Victorian curriculum between 1978 and 2016 was classified and compared, by content, context, procedural complexity, the SOLO thinking frameworks and use of technology. While probability continues to form an important and increasing component of the curriculum, it has moved from the popular general mathematics to the specialised subjects. The senior secondary probability curriculum as described by the textbooks, provided students with a variety of levels of complexity and thinking in both 1978 and 2016, although low complexity questions were more common in 2016.
Sense-Making in Mathematics: Towards a Dialogical Framing
Author: Scheiner, Thorsten
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Comprehension,Mathematical Concepts,Teaching Methods,Mathematics,Concept Formation

This paper presents a new theoretical viewpoint blended from the perspectives that mathematical meaning is extracted (from objects falling under a particular concept) and that mathematical meaning is given (to objects that an individual interacts with). It is elaborated that neither uni-directional framing (whether involving extracting meaning or giving meaning) provides a comprehensive account of the complex emergence of evolving forms of meaning. It is argued for a framing that construes sense-making in mathematics as dialogical: where what meaning one extracts is a function of what meaning is given to, and vice versa.
Variations on a Theme: Pre-Service Mathematics Teacher Reflections Using an Affect-Based Critical Moment Protocol
Author: Marshman, Margaret
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Foreign Countries,Preservice Teacher Education,Critical Incidents Method,Reflection

Examining critical incidents in the mathematics classroom is a useful way for pre-service teachers to understand the experience of teaching. This paper examines the development and trialling of variations of a novel affect-based critical moment protocol that enables preservice mathematics teachers to reflect on their teaching performance. The emotions experienced in these moments were examined using self and group reflection, considering the thoughts and actions occurring immediately prior to, or during those moments. The four case studies presented report on trialled variations of this reflection process in a range of programs and delivery modes in four regional Australian universities.
Verification and Validation: What Do We Mean?
Author: Czocher, Jennifer
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematical Logic,Validity,STEM Education,Problem Solving,Mathematics Activities,Mathematics Curriculum

Verification and validation are essential aspects of mathematics and beyond in STEM, but these constructs are not consistently defined in research nor in curricula documents. In this theoretical paper, we argue that verification and validation are largely characterized as binary judgments by teachers and researchers about what students do. We then present empirical examples of student work to show this view does not account for students' thinking as they resolve problems. We conclude that in order to foster learners who are confident and capable in STEM fields, it is necessary to revisit how verifying and validating activities are conceptualised and developed across years of schooling.
The Experiences of Homeschooling Parents When Teaching Mathematics
Author: Reaburn, Robyn
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Home Schooling,Mathematics Instruction,Parents as Teachers,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Educational Strategies,Mathematics Anxiety,Parent Influence,Self Efficacy,Parent Participation

This paper compares and contrasts the experiences of two parents who have chosen to homeschool their children in mathematics despite having difficulties with mathematics at school themselves. It describes the strategies these two parents used to overcome their lack of content knowledge and/or mathematics anxiety and are illustrative examples of how these deficits can be overcome with sufficient motivation.
What Can Be Learned from Teachers Assessing Mathematical Reasoning: A Case Study
Author: Bragg, Leicha A.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Elementary School Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Teachers,Student Evaluation,Mathematical Logic,Thinking Skills,Scoring Rubrics,Case Studies,Mathematics Skills,Foreign Countries,Algebra

Recently, mathematical reasoning has grown in prominence in curriculum documents and professional learning programs. However, the assessment of reasoning actions continues to be an elusive task for many teachers. Research has shown that many primary teachers focus only on explaining. This case study examines the salient behaviours of two Year 6 primary teachers employing the &quot;Assessing Mathematical Reasoning Rubric.&quot; Results indicated the teachers gained deeper insights into the diverse nature of reasoning through the employment of rubric. Therefore, it provides teachers with a vehicle for a more nuanced examination of reasoning beyond explaining and is a launching pad for lesson planning.
Zooming-in on Decimals
Author: Gorman, Amelia
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Arithmetic,Grade 3,Elementary School Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Students,Number Concepts,Fractions,Numbers,Foreign Countries

This study investigated how six Year Four (9-10 years old) students interacted with a dynamic (zoomable) digital number line to demonstrate knowledge and understandings of decimal fractions. Results from a task-based interview indicated that the zoomable number line is able to assist students in developing conceptual understandings of decimal density, place value and relative size. The app proved to be a powerful mathematical representation of decimal fractions because of its dynamic affordances that allowed the students to 'see' concepts that would otherwise be 'unseeable' when using a traditional static number line.
The Five Question Approach: Disrupting the Linear Approach to Mathematics Teaching
Author: Ley, John
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Middle School Teachers,Secondary School Mathematics,Teaching Methods,Instructional Effectiveness,Middle School Students,Mathematics Education,Learner Engagement,Mathematics Achievement,Mathematics Tests,Test Anxiety,Teacher Attitudes,Student Attitudes,Student Improvement,Outcomes of Education

Student disengagement is influenced by the degree of success that is experienced in the mathematics classroom. In turn, success is often determined by the depth of understanding that students gain during predetermined time frames. This paper reports on the Five Question Approach to teaching mathematics which provides teachers with greater flexibility in content delivery, pacing and consolidation of content. This qualitative case study draws on data collected in three Australian secondary classrooms. Findings indicate that the Five Question Approach led to increased student engagement, academic improvement and a significant decrease in examination anxiety.
What Do Culturally Diverse Students in New Zealand Value Most for Their Mathematics Learning?
Author: Hill, Julia L.
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Student Diversity,Middle School Students,Student Attitudes,Minority Group Students,Pacific Islanders,Ethnic Groups,Mathematics Education,Secondary School Mathematics,Equal Education,Values,Preferences,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Comprehension,Cooperative Learning

Classrooms around the world are becoming increasingly diverse. A major challenge faced by educators is achieving equity for all mathematics learners. To achieve equity, educators need to acknowledge and cater for this increasing diversity which includes attending to values of their students. Drawing on survey responses and individual interviews, this paper explores the mathematics education values espoused by 227 middle school students in New Zealand, including Pakeha/European, East Asian, Maori and Pasifika learners. Results from this study provide insight into what is valued in the mathematics classroom and may assist teachers to develop pedagogy and classroom culture which aligns with students' values.
The Explicitness of Teaching in Guided Inquiry
Author: Fry, Kym
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Inquiry,Teaching Methods,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Students,Geometric Concepts,Grade 5

Guided inquiry pedagogy is gaining recognition for promoting deep learning as students connect concepts, understandings and meanings to defend and justify their mathematical ideas. Research describes how it promotes the development of deep understandings, yet the approach can seem at odds with explicit teaching pedagogies that show potential for a rapid rise in mathematical achievement in solving simple, routine tasks. Additional pressure from timed, standardised tests can contribute to confusion about choice when teachers consider implementing pedagogies with which they are less familiar. This paper illustrates what explicit teaching looks like in inquiry as year five students explore angles in polygons.
What Can We Learn about Students&apos; Mathematical Understanding from Their Writing?
Author: Kontorovich, Igor'
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematical Concepts,Concept Formation,Algebra,Cognitive Processes,Discourse Analysis,Writing (Composition),Late Adolescents,College Students,Foreign Countries,Problem Solving,Assignments,Symbols (Mathematics)

Growing from the commognitive framework, this study is concerned with objectification -- a special way of talking about mathematical objects, which is key to one's concept formation. The study explores how objectification can be manifested in the discourse on square roots that unfolds in writing. The data comes from a class in a foundation programme where 11 students worked on a specially-designed assignment after intensive engagement with roots. The findings point to the task-dependency of students' written talk about square roots, a struggle to coordinate words and symbols into coherent narratives, and an avoidance of verbal formulations. Theoretical and practical implications are drawn.
Using a Contextual Pasifika Patterning Task to Support Generalisation
Author: Hunter, Jodie
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Generalization,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Achievement,Ethnic Groups,Pacific Islanders,Culturally Relevant Education,Mathematics,Grade 1,Student Diversity

Pasifika cultures have a rich background of mathematics including a strong emphasis on patterns used within craft design (Finau &amp; Stillman, 1995). However, there have been limited studies which have investigated the use of contextual Pasifika patterns in mathematics classrooms. The aim of this study was to explore how contextual Pasifika patterning tasks can potentially support young children to develop their understanding of growing patterns. Ten lessons using Pasifika and Maori patterns were undertaken with 27 Year 2 students (6-year-old). In this paper, analysis of one of the lessons is used to examine how a contextual task assisted these young students to generalise growing patterns.
The Distinction between Mathematics and Spatial Reasoning in Assessment: Do STEM Educators and Cognitive Psychologists Agree?
Author: Harris, Danielle
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Correlation,Mathematics Instruction,STEM Education,Spatial Ability,Thinking Skills,Foreign Countries,Cognitive Psychology,Numeracy,Psychologists

Mathematics in Australia specifies spatial reasoning as a general capability within the curriculum. However, psychological research to date limits spatial assessment to psychometric tests leaving little room for a well-defined spatial curriculum. Although there are clear relationships between mathematics and spatial thinking, the independence in the measurement of the two constructs in research literature is rarely explored. In the present study, professionals in the fields of STEM Education and Cognitive Psychology evaluated mathematics and spatial assessment items. The results show evidence for a distinction between the two constructs in the content of the items, however with a caveat that thoughtful selection of assessment items is crucial to ensure independence in the measures.
&quot;Plot 1 Is All Spread out and Plot 2 Is All Squished Together&quot;: Exemplifying Statistical Variation with Young Students
Author: Chick, Helen
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Grade 2,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Instruction,Graphs,Mathematical Concepts,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Teachers,Class Activities,Statistics

The idea of variation is a foundation of statistical reasoning, and many curriculum documents, including the &quot;Australian Curriculum&quot;, include variation in the learning required for the primary years. In this paper, we consider the design of activities that can exemplify the idea of variation for young students and investigate how students can use graphs to support discussions about variation. The use of appropriate contexts and the provision of physical experiences of the phenomena seemed to help students make sense of graphical representations and allowed them to discuss how variation was exemplified in the graphs.