The study reported on here was conducted to explore four Grade 7 mathematics teachers' understanding of the relationship between the objectives indicated in the CAPS for teaching different topics/concepts and instructional time stipulated for doing so. Seven lessons were studied in 4 primary schools in the Vhembe district of the Limpopo province,…

This paper provided new evidence on three kindergarten instructional practices that may be associated with better reading and math skills, particularly for children of less educated parents: (1) full-day kindergarten; (2) more instructional time; and (3) ability grouping. The analysis used Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort…

This dissertation study explores the emergence of off-task engagement, in which three Chinese first-graders write mathematically. It seeks the solution to the conflict between the intended mathematics writing and the realized mathematics writing, which ties to the Cartesian rationality dominating mathematics classrooms--that tends to ignore…

The current study examined digits correct per minute (DCPM) growth using explicit timing procedures across varying instructional set sizes (ISSs) and dose. Specifically, the study used a randomized group design to compare DCPM growth within three different ISSs (9, 18, and 36 multiplication facts) across three different levels of dose (2-, 4-, and…

To achieve the goal of 100% proficiency for all students in mathematics, a middle school in a large urban public school district in Omaha, Nebraska increased the frequency of instructional time in mathematics instruction for a group of seventh and eighth grade students. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the…

The present study used a multilevel approach to investigate the influence of four clusters of variables (i.e., demographic, homework, teacher, and parent) on three types of math homework purposes (i.e., academic, self-regulatory, or approval-seeking) perceived by 3,018 8th graders in China. Results revealed that each of the three math homework…

Using data from 82 classroom observations conducted in a large urban school district, we explore how kindergartners spend their time in general and across schools serving children from lower and higher income households. Consistent with prior research, we find that kindergartners spend the majority of instructional time on reading and mathematics,…

As computer games become integral to students' learning experiences, this dissertation investigates the impact of educational game-based learning on mathematical outcomes and attitudes among elementary school students. Employing data science techniques, including statistical approaches and quantitative analysis through data mining of gameplay data…

Mathematical fluency supports maintenance of mathematical skills (Shurr et al., 2019). Multiple interventions support fluency, including the use of games. However, limited research exists exploring games as a means of increasing student fluency in mathematics. In this single case design study, researchers examined the relation between four…

This study is focused on the threat of retention associated with test-based promotion in Grade 3. Through analyzing the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 data, we found that schools having such a policy apparently increased math instructional time but not reading instructional time in Grade 3. On average, the…

This paper studies students engagement in e-learning environments in which students work independently and solve problems without external supervision. We propose a new method to infer engagement patterns of users in such self-directed environments. We view engagement as a continuous process in time, measured along chosen axes that are derived…

Background: Educational video games are increasingly used in classrooms because they can offer meaningful contexts for problem solving. However, educational video games bring together two historically disparate activities: school mathematics and video games. How these two activities complement, compromise, or contradict each other influences how…

Background/Context: Funders, researchers and developers share an interest in applying rapid cycle evaluation techniques in education (McNall & Foster-Fishman, 2007; Resch, 2016). Both rapid-cycle and other evaluation processes require monitoring the quality of implementation (Moir, 2018). By quickly monitoring and adjusting implementation,…

Students with high incidence disabilities in the public school system often perform multiple grade levels below their typically developing peers in mathematics achievement. These students exhibit lower levels of on-task behavior that limits their access to effective instruction, thus requiring instructional interventions that personalize learning,…

The ability to code computer programs is considered an important part of literacy in today's society. This paper reports from a case study in two sixth-grade classes where Scratch coding was part of six mathematics lessons. The aim of the study was to investigate how Scratch coding affected students' interest development in coding and in…