ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Custodians of Quality: Mathematics Education in Australasia--Where from? Where at? Where to?
Author: Galbraith, Peter
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Education,Foreign Countries,Communities of Practice,Mathematics,Professional Personnel,Mathematical Models,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematical Concepts,Problem Solving

As a contribution to honour the foresight of Ken Clements and John Foyster in founding MERGA [Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia] so many years ago this paper is not a research paper in the usual sense. Rather it sets out to sample the context of Mathematics Education in Australasia and beyond (then and now) and to highlight some challenges as seen by this author. In this personal view I do not intend to expand in detail upon particular strands of research in which I have been involved, although for purposes of illustration examples will be drawn from time to time from this and other work. MERGA is about both people and scholarly activity, and so this paper will make reference to both--for history, culture, and challenge are essential components of the development of any organisation.
A Framework for Teachers' Knowledge of Mathematical Reasoning
Author: Herbert, Sandra
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematical Logic,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Teachers,Phenomenology,Teacher Attitudes,Research Methodology,Foreign Countries,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Teachers

Exploring and developing primary teachers' understanding of mathematical reasoning was the focus of the &quot;Mathematical Reasoning Professional Learning Research Program.&quot; Twenty-four primary teachers were interviewed after engagement in the first stage of the program incorporating demonstration lessons focused on reasoning conducted in their schools. Phenomenographic analysis of interview transcripts exploring variations in primary teachers' perceptions of mathematical reasoning revealed seven categories of description based on four dimensions of variation, establishing a framework to evaluate development in understanding of reasoning.
Identifying South Carolina Charter Schools That Are &quot;Beating the Odds.&quot; REL 2017-236
Author: Partridge, Mark A.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Charter Schools,School Effectiveness,Identification,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,Achievement Tests,Mathematics,English,Language Arts,Statistical Analysis,Institutional Characteristics

Charter schools have become a widely used alternative to traditional public schools, both nationally and in the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Southeast Region. They play an increasingly important role in state reform efforts. South Carolina stakeholders--including the South Carolina Department of Education, the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina, and charter school leaders throughout the state--requested assistance from REL Southeast to broaden their understanding of why some charter schools are more successful than others to inform their consideration of whether to expand this school choice option. This study identifies charter schools that are &quot;beating the odds,&quot; or performing better than expected given the demographic characteristics of the students they serve. &quot;Details on the Analyses and Results&quot; is appended.
Development of Fourth-Grade Students' Understanding of Experimental and Theoretical Probability
Author: English, Lyn
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Elementary School Mathematics,Elementary School Students,Grade 4,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematical Concepts,Probability,Longitudinal Studies,Mathematics Activities,Computer Simulation,Prediction,Learning Processes,Computer Software,Expectation,Experiments,Focus Groups,Data Analysis,Grade 5,Grade 6

Students explored variation and expectation in a probability activity at the end of the first year of a 3-year longitudinal study across grades 4-6. The activity involved experiments in tossing coins both manually and with simulation using the graphing software, &quot;TinkerPlots.&quot; Initial responses indicated that the students were aware of uncertainty, although an understanding of chance concepts appeared limited. Predicting outcomes of 10 tosses reflected an intuitive notion of equiprobability, with little awareness of variation. Understanding the relationship between experimental and theoretical probability did not emerge until multiple outcomes and representations were generated with the software.
An Investigation of Students' Errors in Logarithms
Author: Ganesan, Raman
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Secondary School Mathematics,Secondary School Students,Grade 8,Mathematics Tests,Number Concepts,Error Patterns,Classification,Qualitative Research,Misconceptions,Interviews,Data Analysis

In this study we set out to investigate the errors made by students in logarithms. A test with 16 items was administered to 89 Secondary three students (Year 9). The errors made by the students were categorized using four categories from a framework by Movshovitz-Hadar, Zaslavsky, and Inbar (1987). It was found that students in the top third were less likely to make &quot;distorted theorem or definition&quot; type of errors whereas they were more likely to make errors in the other three categories.
A Working Understanding of Numeracy in the Secondary Setting
Author: Ferme, Elizabeth
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Qualitative Research,Case Studies,Numeracy,Secondary School Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Teacher Competencies,Mathematics Skills,Number Concepts,Foreign Countries,Semi Structured Interviews,Observation

This paper reports on a recent qualitative case study that explored the numeracy understanding and practices of a secondary school teacher who did not have formal teaching qualifications in mathematics. Results of the study suggest that although teachers may be able to confidently articulate a definition of numeracy, their working understanding, application of numeracy concepts and propensity to facilitate student learning opportunities in numeracy are less certain.
Beating the Odds in Mississippi: Identifying Schools Exceeding Achievement Expectations. REL 2017-213
Author: Partridge, Mark A.
Date: 2017-02-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: School Effectiveness,Disadvantaged Schools,Public Schools,Elementary Schools,Middle Schools,English,Language Arts,Mathematics,Identification,Statistical Analysis,Achievement Tests,Profiles

The purpose of this report was to determine which Mississippi public schools perform better than could be predicted, considering demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Additionally, this study identified profiles of schools within Mississippi, or groups of schools with similar socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. This study identifies Mississippi public schools as &quot;beating the odds&quot; when they outperform their predicted level of performance on standardized tests given school demographics using a multiple linear regression approach. The study identified distinct socioeconomic and demographic profiles of schools using latent profile analysis. Results indicate that 18 schools are beating the odds in English language arts and 19 schools are beating the odds in mathematics. Seven schools (about 3 percent) are beating the odds in both English language arts and mathematics. Four distinct demographic profiles of schools were identified, with the majority of schools having a profile consisting of high percentages of minority and low socioeconomic status students. The results of this study can inform decisions related to the improvement of low performing schools in Mississippi. Appended are: (1) Study Methods; and (2) Statistics for Beating-the-Odds Schools.
The Effect of Professional Learning on Early Algebra Teachers' Content Knowledge in Nigeria
Author: Ladele, Omolola
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Algebra,Inservice Teacher Education,Faculty Development,Mathematical Concepts,Misconceptions,Teacher Competencies,Word Problems (Mathematics),Elementary Secondary Education,Equations (Mathematics)

Teachers' knowledge of the early algebra content that is to be taught is crucial for effective pedagogy and ensuring that the students' understanding of early algebra is not flawed. This article reports the findings of two of the activities that a group of in-service teachers participated in during a professional learning intervention program that was a part of a recent research study in Nigeria. The intervention program amongst other things focused on enriching the teachers' knowledge of some common students' misconceptions about the variable, expressions and equations. The teachers' algebra knowledge and PCK [pedagogical content knowledge] were enhanced as they examined some of the solutions they gave to two algebra word problems.
Devising Principles of Design for Numeracy Tasks
Author: Geiger, Vince
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Numeracy,Foreign Countries,Mathematics Instruction,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematical Logic,Mathematical Concepts,Mathematics Skills,Grade 7,Achievement Tests,International Assessment,Secondary School Students

Numeracy is a fundamental component of the Australian National Curriculum as a General Capability identified in each F-10 subject. In this paper, we consider the principles of design necessary for the development of numeracy tasks specific to subjects other than mathematics--in this case, the subject of English. We explore the nature of potential design principles by synthesising generic principles of task design from relevant literature, mapping these principles against an episode of classroom practice sourced from a project concerned with enhancing teaching in numeracy, and interrogating this mapping for elements of design that are complementary to aspects identified in the generic principles.
Big Challenges and Big Opportunities: The Power of &quot;Big Ideas&quot; to Change Curriculum and the Culture of Teacher Planning
Author: Hurst, Chris
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Curriculum Development,Educational Change,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,School Culture,Mathematics Education,Units of Study,Lesson Plans,Concept Mapping,Mathematical Aptitude,Questionnaires,Adoption (Ideas),Foreign Countries

Mathematical knowledge of pre-service teachers is currently &quot;under the microscope&quot; and the subject of research. This paper proposes a different approach to teacher content knowledge based on the &quot;big ideas&quot; of mathematics and the connections that exist within and between them. It is suggested that these &quot;big ideas&quot; should form the basis of teacher planning but it is acknowledged that this represents a &quot;cultural change.&quot; The proposal is supported by results from a project that involved pre-service teachers in their final mathematics education unit. Results suggest that a focus on the &quot;big ideas&quot; of mathematics has the potential to change teacher planning and enhance content knowledge.
Who Is Really Interested in Mathematics? An Investigation of Lower Secondary Students' Mathematical Role Models
Author: Lee, Kester
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Student Interests,Mathematics,Mathematics Instruction,Role Models,Foreign Countries,Grade 6,Grade 7,Grade 8,Secondary School Students,Secondary School Mathematics,Mixed Methods Research,Questionnaires,Interviews,Disproportionate Representation,Student Attitudes,Gender Bias,Likert Scales

Declining participation rates in advanced mathematics courses and STEM-related occupations has been an issue in Australia for some time, particularly for females. As students continue to disengage with mathematics and complain about its usefulness, it is important to explore what we can do to stem the tide of departing students. One area worthy of investigation is students' interest in mathematics including whether they are able to name a mathematical role model in their lives. Forty-three students in Years 7 to 9 from three schools were asked to name people they knew who were interested in mathematics. There was a strong bias towards male figures (44 to 17), particularly fathers and male peers.
Asking Questions and Performing Mathematics Identity
Author: Darragh, Lisa
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Questioning Techniques,Mathematics Education,Professional Identity,Interviews,Secondary School Mathematics,Secondary School Students,Secondary School Teachers,Teaching Methods,Educational Practices,Educational Strategies,Student Attitudes,Teacher Attitudes,Foreign Countries

When students begin secondary school they must learn what it means to be a learner of mathematics in this new context. Certain actions are more valued than others and these can be considered &quot;scripts&quot; for successful learning. Students may call upon these scripts when enacting their mathematics learner identity. Sixty-four interviews with 22 students and 16 interviews with their Year 9 teachers were analysed using a performance metaphor for identity to explore the role of scripts in developing learners' mathematics identities. Teachers promote an &quot;ask questions&quot; script and see their students as lacking if they do not do so. Students, in contrast, receive and enact passive learner identity scripts.
The Impact of an Intervention Program on Student Approaches to Learning: A Case Study
Author: Long, Bernadette
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Intervention,Case Studies,Grade 5,Foreign Countries,Mathematics,At Risk Students,Mathematics Tests,Mathematics Achievement,Achievement Tests,Questionnaires,Mathematics Education

This paper reports on an intervention program, &quot;Prepare 2 Learn&quot;, that was designed taking into account a range of components from other successful intervention programs. The program is focussed on year 6 students from a school in Melbourne, Australia, who are falling approximately 6 months behind with the hope that extra help at an early stage may result in them reaching the required standard and realising their potential. While the students' academic results moved substantially a more pleasing result was the noticeable improvement in the students' approaches to their learning.
Foundation Content Knowledge: Pre-Service Teachers' Attainment and Affect
Author: Ingram, Naomi
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Preservice Teachers,Mathematics Achievement,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Mathematics Instruction,Student Teacher Attitudes,Self Efficacy,Numeracy,Cohort Analysis,Online Surveys,Likert Scales,Mathematics Tests,Intervention,Mathematics Education,Developmental Studies Programs,Computer Assisted Instruction,Outcomes of Education

In this paper, three elements of primary pre-service teachers' relationships with mathematics are explored: mathematical achievement, feelings about the subject, and confidence to teach mathematics. At the beginning of their programme, under half of the pre-service teachers did not meet the numeracy requirements and took part in a support programme. By the end of their first year, 95% of the cohort had met the numeracy requirements of the course. Sixty-five percent of the pre-service teachers surveyed liked or felt neutral about the subject, and 38% felt confident to teach mathematics when they graduated.
&quot;I Don't Really Understand Probability at All&quot;: Final Year Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Probability
Author: Maher, Nicole
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,College Seniors,Probability,Mathematics Skills,Mathematical Concepts,Knowledge Level,Beliefs,Intuition,Barriers,Error Patterns,Mathematics Instruction,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Structured Interviews,Self Efficacy,Teaching Methods

This paper reports on one aspect of a wider study that investigated a selection of final year pre-service primary teachers' responses to four probability tasks. The tasks focused on foundational ideas of probability including sample space, independence, variation and expectation. Responses suggested that strongly held intuitions appeared to interfere with understanding probability, which impacted on the pre-service teachers' ability to identify students' errors and to confidently provide appropriate teaching suggestions and approaches.
The Association between Students' Number Knowledge and Social Disadvantage at School Entry
Author: Gould, Peter
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Kindergarten,Foreign Countries,Numeracy,Number Concepts,Disadvantaged Youth,Socioeconomic Status,Low Income Groups,Student Records,Correlation,Mathematics Skills

At the start of the Kindergarten year in New South Wales (NSW) government schools, teachers gather information on several aspects of children's number knowledge to guide their teaching programs. This includes knowledge of the sequence of words used for counting, numeral identification, and using counting to solve problems. This study investigated the interaction between socio-economic disadvantage in NSW government schools and Kindergarten students' number knowledge on entry to school in 2013. There is a strong association between the measure of socio-economic disadvantage and the proportion of Kindergarten children starting school with limited number knowledge, underscoring the need for high quality early number programs in these communities.
Will This Net Work?: Development of a Diagnostic Interview
Author: Knight, Rose
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Diagnostic Tests,Interviews,Visualization,Spatial Ability,Video Technology,Predictive Validity,Prediction,Geometry,Protocol Analysis,Task Analysis,Student Projects,Grade 5,Student Attitudes,Classroom Research,Foreign Countries

Spatial visualisation is a subset of spatial ability and is exemplified in predicting whether or not a net will fold to form a target solid. The researchers examined video of interviews to explore the schemes of Year 5 students for determining the validity of nets for a cube and pyramid. Findings suggest the significance of imaged actions, shown through gesturing, and the importance of providing physical models during interviews as a means of validation.
Do Teachers Make Decisions Like Firefighters? Applying Naturalistic Decision-Making Methods to Teachers' In-Class Decision Making in Mathematics
Author: Jazby, Dan
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Mathematics Teachers,Elementary School Teachers,Primary Education,Decision Making,Semi Structured Interviews,Cognitive Processes,Task Analysis,Critical Thinking,Foreign Countries,Pilot Projects,Data Analysis,Data Collection,Critical Incidents Method,Cues

Research into human decision making (DM) processes from outside of education paint a different picture of DM than current DM models in education. This pilot study assesses the use of critical decision method (CDM)--developed from observations of firefighters' DM -- in the context of primary mathematics teachers' in-class DM. Preliminary results show that CDM yields significant amounts of data regarding teachers' cognition during DM and that the process that expert teachers follow when they make decisions may better match naturalistic accounts of DM.
Social Theories of Learning: A Need for a New Paradigm in Mathematics Education
Author: Jorgensen, Robyn
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Education,Social Theories,Learning Theories,Models,Educational Innovation,Educational Change,Indigenous Populations,Context Effect,Transformative Learning

This paper is theoretical in orientation and explores the limitations of the current field of mathematics education which has been dominated by social theories of learning. It is proposed that the field is approaching its limits for these theories and there is a need for shift that moves from the idiosyncratic possibilities of subjective meaning making and identity formation to a more profound position of &quot;knowledge making.&quot; There have been few, if any, advances in equity target group performance so questions are posed as to the viability of social theories for changing the status quo. If equity target groups are to be successful, then success needs to be more aligned with knowledge-making processes.
Leading a New Pedagogical Approach to Australian Curriculum Mathematics: Using the Dual Mathematical Modelling Cycle Framework
Author: Lamb, Janeen
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematical Models,Grade 5,Elementary School Students,Mathematics Instruction,Problem Solving,Elementary School Mathematics,Mathematics Curriculum

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of the &quot;dual mathematical modelling cycle framework&quot; as one way to meet the espoused goals of the Australian Curriculum Mathematics. This study involved 23 Year 6 students from one Australian primary school who engaged in an &quot;Oil Tank Task&quot; that required them to develop two models in order to solve the task. Results indicate that although some students struggled to fully develop the two models there were students who engaged in both models, deepening their mathematical knowledge and its application when working in real world contexts.
Indigenous Languages and Mathematics in Elementary Schools
Author: Edmonds-Wathen, Cris
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Indigenous Populations,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Students,Teacher Education,Uncommonly Taught Languages,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Language of Instruction,Language Usage,Guidelines,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Workshops,Elementary School Teachers,Grammar,Teaching Methods

Indigenous languages are used for instruction in elementary schools in Papua New Guinea, but teachers have generally received their own education in English. The challenges of identifying terminology to use in mathematics include many-to-one correspondences between English and the vernacular languages, and different grammatical structures. Guidelines to assist teachers need contextualised examples. Teachers also need sufficient mathematical understanding themselves. [This project was funded through an Australian Development Research Award.]
Comparison of a Targeted Intervention Program Delivered Face-to-Face and by Personal Videoconferencing for Primary and Middle School Students with Mathematical Learning Difficulties
Author: Kestel, Eugénie
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Comparative Analysis,Intervention,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Students,Middle School Students,Instructional Effectiveness,Individual Instruction,Videoconferencing,Mixed Methods Research,Learning Problems,Rural Schools,Mathematics Achievement,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries

This paper describes part of a mixed-methods study comparing the effectiveness of an individual, conceptual instruction based, tuition program delivered face-to-face and by personal videoconferencing (PVC) for 30 upper primary and middle school students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLDs). The experimental intervention targeted number sense and fluency with basic facts in mathematics. Results showed significant improvements were achieved in accuracy on basic skills tasks and standardised test results. Implications for students with MLDs living regionally and remotely are discussed.