Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.0
3.0
Journals
Education Sciences
Special Issues
Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation
share announcement

Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Curriculum and Instruction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 47580

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Miklos Hoffmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, Eszterhazy Karoly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary
Interests: geometry; computer graphics; philosophy of science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mathematics education continuously faces various challenges, and not just because of the current pandemic. Fluctuating level of motivation of students, overloaded and difficult-to-process curriculum, and meeting the requirements of the labor market are just some of the issues we seek to solve in mathematics education. Skill development and assessment are also among these challenges: finding the most effective way to develop the necessary mathematical skills and choosing the most appropriate way to evaluate these skills are of utmost importance in our mission. This Special Issue is open to articles, including research papers, reviews of research studies, and practical and conceptual pieces, which tackle some of these challenges. From primary school to teacher training, from numeracy to spatial imagination and other spatial skills, a range of levels and skills and their evaluation are in our focus. Alternative approaches and concepts of teaching mathematics for students with special needs and with various social backgrounds are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Miklos Hoffmann
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mathematics
  • teaching
  • skill development
  • skill assessment
  • curriculum

Published Papers (11 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 1681 KiB  
Article
Bringing Together Mathematics and Philosophy with Logic and Poly-Universe
by Ana Paula Mouro, Margarida Cid Brito, Graça Lopes, Maria da Graça Bidarra and Piedade Vaz-Rebelo
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 356; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13040356 - 30 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1032
Abstract
In this paper we report on an activity developed in the context of the Erasmus+ PUNTE Project, using the Poly-Universe material, which led to the learning of logic and mathematics among the 10th grade students of a school in the central region of [...] Read more.
In this paper we report on an activity developed in the context of the Erasmus+ PUNTE Project, using the Poly-Universe material, which led to the learning of logic and mathematics among the 10th grade students of a school in the central region of Portugal. Three teachers, two of mathematics and one of philosophy, and 21 students of secondary education participated in the study. The data obtained, following the observation and application of questionnaires and pre- and post-tests, reveal the usefulness of Poly-Universe for the acquisition of notions about logical operations, for analysing arguments and their validity and solving mathematical problems, motivating the students for carrying out the activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1112 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Informant Approach Testing an Expanded Home Numeracy Mode
by Paola Bonifacci, Diego Compiani, Viola Ravaldini, Benedetta Peri, Alexandra Affranti and Valentina Tobia
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 278; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13030278 - 05 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1160
Abstract
The role of home numeracy activities in the development of numeracy skills is receiving growing interest, although some mixed results highlight the need to consider models that include different contextual variables. The present study was aimed at investigating, using a multi-method and multi-informant [...] Read more.
The role of home numeracy activities in the development of numeracy skills is receiving growing interest, although some mixed results highlight the need to consider models that include different contextual variables. The present study was aimed at investigating, using a multi-method and multi-informant approach, how parents’ educational levels, parents’ numerical attitudes, home numeracy, and expectations toward their offspring’s numeracy attitudes concurrently predict children’s early numeracy abilities as measured with early numeracy tasks and through teachers’ evaluations. The sample includes 430 preschoolers, their parents, and 56 teachers. The children’s early numeracy competence was assessed using digit recognition and digit-quantity association tasks and via a proxy-report questionnaire administered to their teachers. The parents were then administered a questionnaire investigating their educational levels, home numeracy activities, math attitudes, and expectations toward their child’s numeracy ability. The results of the structural equation models revealed that both children’s performance in numeracy tasks and the teachers’ evaluation of their math skills were directly predicted by their parents’ educational levels. In contrast, the parents’ math attitudes were indirect predictors via the mediation of home numeracy. These results contribute to understanding the relationships between the investigated environmental variables and the children’s early math skills. Additionally, the implications for early family-based interventions are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 494 KiB  
Article
Achieving Transfer from Mathematics Learning
by José Víctor Orón and Inmaculada Lizasoain
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 161; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13020161 - 02 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1530
Abstract
The question of transfer is a special challenge in mathematics teaching because the wide range and fragmentation of the curricula have in many cases fostered an instrumental understanding, which makes transfer difficult for the students. Although promoting a relational learning has been a [...] Read more.
The question of transfer is a special challenge in mathematics teaching because the wide range and fragmentation of the curricula have in many cases fostered an instrumental understanding, which makes transfer difficult for the students. Although promoting a relational learning has been a huge step forward in achieving transfer, understanding usually remains at the technical level of learning. Fostering critical thinking and metacognition raises learning to the psychological level, as students are encouraged to analyse their own thinking. Despite this, our hypothesis is that transfer will only be achieved when students are helped to reach a personal dimension, being encouraged to discover their own way of approaching the global reality of their lives beyond the subject. Learning, for instance, the greatest common divisor should be an opportunity to discover that, as numbers can be presented by their prime factors, people can be recognised by their features and interests. As such, looking for the greatest common divisor should not differ from discovering common interests with friends. Integrating specific and general learning will make transfer no longer unattainable. Personalising learning means discovering how one specific learning impacts on the personal way of understanding reality (oneself, others, and the world), thus making transfer natural. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2900 KiB  
Article
Incorporating Problem-Posing into Sixth-Grade Mathematics Classes
by Zoltán Kovács, Emőke Báró, Orsolya Lócska and Eszter Kónya
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 151; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13020151 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3065
Abstract
Problem-posing is an essential component of mathematics education because, among other reasons, when students are given the opportunity to pose their problems, they can take ownership of their learning and become more engaged in the given subject. Thus, problem-posing can lead to a [...] Read more.
Problem-posing is an essential component of mathematics education because, among other reasons, when students are given the opportunity to pose their problems, they can take ownership of their learning and become more engaged in the given subject. Thus, problem-posing can lead to a deeper understanding of the studied mathematical concepts. In a collaborative action research study, the authors explored whether well-structured problem-posing activities could be incorporated into classes with students of mixed ability in mathematics. This question is addressed by examining the correlation between students’ mathematics grades and problem-posing success. The problem-posing approach used in this paper relies on problem solving as a parallel activity. Hence, the study also focuses on the relationship between problem posing and problem solving. The paper presents the results of a classroom experiment with 86 sixth-grade students and their teachers from Hungary and Romania. After evaluating the students’ problem-posing products and problem-solving performances, the results show that problem posing, based on a worked-out model problem, is a feasible challenge for most students. Moreover, this experiment identified a direct relationship between successful problem posing and problem solving. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 572 KiB  
Article
Describing and Interpreting the Space of Classroom Learning in Problem-Solving-Based Mathematics Instruction: Variation as an Analytical Lens
by Berie Getie Kassa, Liping Ding and Alemayehu Bishaw Tamiru
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 111; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13020111 - 20 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1903
Abstract
The field of mathematics education research has been promoting problem-solving-based mathematics instruction (PS-based MI) to afford opportunities to develop students’ conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities in mathematics. Given its usefulness, there is still little knowledge in the field about how it can afford [...] Read more.
The field of mathematics education research has been promoting problem-solving-based mathematics instruction (PS-based MI) to afford opportunities to develop students’ conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities in mathematics. Given its usefulness, there is still little knowledge in the field about how it can afford such opportunities in real classrooms. In this study, an attempt was made to make in-depth observations of such classrooms from the perspective of variation. We examined the differences in the space of learning provided by two lessons of the same teacher in two Ethiopian primary school classrooms. Based on the literature, we identified three key aspects for analysis: mathematical tasks, lesson structure and classroom interaction patterns. Our analysis showed that, even though both lessons focused on the same topic of solving linear inequalities, they were enacted differently. The lesson that employed a PS-based MI approach constituted a wider space of learning than the lesson employing a conventional approach. This study demonstrates the usefulness of our analytical approach for describing and documenting PS-based MI practice, and for qualitatively interpreting the differences in what is mathematically made available to learn. We suggest that it can provide guidelines for mathematics teachers to reflect upon and to enhance learning spaces in their own classrooms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 5621 KiB  
Article
Lossless Encoding of Mental Cutting Test Scenarios for Efficient Development of Spatial Skills
by Róbert Tóth, Miklós Hoffmann and Marianna Zichar
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 101; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci13020101 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1549
Abstract
In the last decade, various mobile applications have been developed to improve and measure spatial abilities using different spatial tests and tasks through augmented reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), or embedded 3D viewers. The Mental Cutting Test (MCT) is one of the most [...] Read more.
In the last decade, various mobile applications have been developed to improve and measure spatial abilities using different spatial tests and tasks through augmented reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), or embedded 3D viewers. The Mental Cutting Test (MCT) is one of the most well-known and popular tests for this purpose, but it needs a vast number of tasks (scenarios) for effective practice and measurement. We have recently developed a script-aided method that automatically generates and permutes Mental Cutting Test scenarios and exports them to an appropriate file format (to GLB (glTF 2.0) assets) representing the scenarios. However, the significant number of permutations results in more than 1,000,000 assets, requiring more than 6 GB of storage space. This paper introduces an encoding scheme consisting of four stages to handle this issue through significantly reducing the storage space, making the app suitable for everyday individual use, even on a mobile phone. The proposed method encodes a subset of assets from which it can decode the whole dataset with 3% time complexity compared to classical Blender’s computations, exceeding the compression ratio of 10,000 and storage space saving 99.99%. This paper explains the features of the original assets, introduces the encoding and decoding functions with the format of documents, and then measures the solution’s efficiency based on our dataset of MCT scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 731 KiB  
Article
Design and Validation of a Test for the Types of Mathematical Problems Associated with Reading Comprehension
by Verónica Díaz
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(11), 795; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12110795 - 09 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2275
Abstract
Being able to understand a written text is an essential life skill, as is solving a problem, which configures a bidirectional relationship between both skills. With regard to reading comprehension, at least three specific levels are required to achieve a full understanding of [...] Read more.
Being able to understand a written text is an essential life skill, as is solving a problem, which configures a bidirectional relationship between both skills. With regard to reading comprehension, at least three specific levels are required to achieve a full understanding of a text: literal, inferential, and critical. For its part, mathematics has changed substantially in recent decades, prioritizing problem-solving as the central axis of the teaching process as it constitutes a resource for learning. This study connects both skills and aims to design and validate a mathematical problem-solving test contextualized to the quadratic function, to assess the level of reading comprehension of secondary school students. The study is nonexperimental, cross-sectional, and focused on psychometric aspects since it aims to validate a measurement instrument. It was applied on a pilot basis to three municipal secondary education courses in Chile. The content, construct, discrimination, and reliability validation tests carried out allowed us to demonstrate that the problem-solving test contextualized to the quadratic function is a reliable instrument to produce knowledge in educational research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2245 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Differences in Mathematical Competencies in Middle School Students during Pandemic Conditions through Preparatec Platform
by Blanca Estela Maldonado-García, Alejandra Ocampo-Díaz and May Portuguez-Castro
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(8), 546; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12080546 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2018
Abstract
This research proposes to evaluate the difference in essential mathematical competencies of middle school students transitioning to high school level under pandemic conditions (COVID-19) using the PreparaTec platform and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) released items as an evaluation instrument. The study [...] Read more.
This research proposes to evaluate the difference in essential mathematical competencies of middle school students transitioning to high school level under pandemic conditions (COVID-19) using the PreparaTec platform and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) released items as an evaluation instrument. The study was conducted with 84 students from first semester high school at Prepa Tec (Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Cuernavaca) aged 14 and 15. The students were divided into three experimental groups and a control group. Three levels of mathematical competencies: reproduction, definitions, and calculations (level 1), connections and integration to solve problems (level 2), and reflection (level 3) were evaluated. We applied a pre-test at the beginning of the semester and a post-test at the end after using the PreparaTec platform. Both tests were written and applied in a face-to-face format. The study presents the findings regarding the impact of using the PreparaTec platform during the first semester in the three levels of mathematical competencies mentioned. The results obtained are presented in two analyses. The first analysis involves the results obtained per experimental group and according to the number of correct answers per group. The second analysis represents a comparison between the percentage of correct answers and the level of difficulty per question per student regarding the percentage, determined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Spain in the format presented by PISA. The pre-test and post-test consisted of 23 questions from items released from PISA, which contemplated measuring the three levels of mathematical competence. The results showed an improvement of 57% in level 1 proficiency questions, 63.6% in level 2 proficiency, and 100% in level 3 proficiency. The findings indicate that new teaching strategies based on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and more meaningful assessment forms further develop students’ mathematical competencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 590 KiB  
Article
The Influence of School Factors on Students’ Mathematics Achievements in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in Abu Dhabi Emirate Schools
by Yousef Wardat, Shashidhar Belbase, Hassan Tairab, Rachel Alison Takriti, Maria Efstratopoulou and Hamza Dodeen
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 424; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci12070424 - 21 Jun 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4977
Abstract
This study aimed to explore school factors that influence students’ achievements in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The study sample for TIMSS 2015 consisted of 4838 students [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore school factors that influence students’ achievements in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The study sample for TIMSS 2015 consisted of 4838 students in eighth grade; 2172 girls, 2666 boys, and 156 schools from Abu Dhabi attended and participated in TIMSS 2015. Principal component analysis (PCA) was run on 77 items of school questionnaires administered to school principals to provide information about the school contexts for teaching and learning. The five factors from the school questionnaire were general school resources, school discipline and safety, parental support, principal experience and education, and library and instruction resources. Multiple regression models were implemented to examine the impact of school factors on student achievement in TIMSS 2015. The models are statistically significant, indicating that they fit the data well. This also demonstrates a significant linear relationship between students’ achievement in TIMSS 2015 and the variables related to school factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 941 KiB  
Article
Teaching Congruences in Connection with Diophantine Equations
by Ďuriš Viliam, Gonda Dalibor, Tirpáková Anna and Gabriela Pavlovičová
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 538; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11090538 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1984
Abstract
The presented paper is devoted to the new teaching model of congruences of computer science students within the subject of discrete mathematics at universities. The main goal was to create a new model of teaching congruences on the basis of their connection with [...] Read more.
The presented paper is devoted to the new teaching model of congruences of computer science students within the subject of discrete mathematics at universities. The main goal was to create a new model of teaching congruences on the basis of their connection with Diophantine equations and subsequently to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model experimentally. The teaching of congruences was realized in two phases: acquisition of procedural knowledge and use of Diophantine equations to obtain conceptual knowledge of congruences. Experiments confirmed that conceptual understanding of congruences is positively related to increasing the procedural fluidity of congruence resolution. Research also demonstrated the suitability of using Diophantine equations to link congruences and equations. Among other things, the presented research has confirmed the justification of teaching mathematics in computer-oriented study programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 929 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Impact of a Mathematics Enhancement Programme on Jamaican Students’ Attainment
by Shandelene Khadine Kedisha Binns-Thompson, Garry Hornby and David Burghes
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 516; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11090516 - 07 Sep 2021
Viewed by 24725
Abstract
Underperformance in mathematics has been an issue that plagues the education system in Jamaica. Studies in first world countries have shown that enrichment programs, including Mathematics Enhancement Programmes (MEPs,) have been positively impacting attainment in mathematics. This quasi-experimental research design study investigated the [...] Read more.
Underperformance in mathematics has been an issue that plagues the education system in Jamaica. Studies in first world countries have shown that enrichment programs, including Mathematics Enhancement Programmes (MEPs,) have been positively impacting attainment in mathematics. This quasi-experimental research design study investigated the impact of an MEP on Jamaican students’ attainment in mathematics. A sample of seven grade one classes from two primary schools in representative areas in Jamaica were selected for the intervention group. The treatment involved teaching the Jamaican grade one mathematics standards using the MEP resources for nine months. A statistically significant improvement and large effect size of the intervention was found, indicating that the MEP had a substantial impact on students’ achievement and attitudes towards mathematics. This study has implications for designing enrichment programs geared at addressing mathematics underperformance in Jamaica and in similar countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mathematics Education: Challenges in Skill Development, Assessment and Evaluation)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-11
Back to TopTop