This paper describes the design, implementation, and results of a training action with prospective primary education teachers, focusing on the creation of problems involving proportional and algebraic reasoning. Prospective teachers must solve a proportionality problem using both arithmetic and algebraic procedures, and then vary it to motivate…

Linear algebra is gaining increased attention due to its applications in many modern high-tech industries, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics. Coordinate systems underlie many concepts in linear algebra and promote students' spatial thinking of key concepts by imposing a visual aspect to courses that may otherwise be…

The challenge posed by algebra story problems creates a significant hurdle for many students, transcending both the mathematical content of the problem and the specific instructional background received. This study offers a distinctive contribution to the existing literature by focusing on the cognitive conditions essential for comprehension in…

A substantial body of research has documented that the types of knowledge that mathematics teachers draw upon during their practice often differs from the knowledge of individuals working in other fields. Drawing on the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) Framework and the School Mathematics Teaching Pedagogical Content Knowledge (SMTPCK)…

This study sought to explore whether access to definitions and general representations influences the construction of general direct arguments. Data was collected in college mathematics courses for prospective elementary school teachers. Participant arguments were analyzed along two variables: the generality of the representations and the…

Spanish educational curriculum adopts a mathematical process-based approach, which encompasses problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections and representation. A fundamental role in the integration of these processes in mathematics teaching is played by teachers' professional practice of designing tasks. According to this, our…

Conjectures are a key component of mathematical inquiry, a process in which the students raise conjectures, refute or dismiss some of them, and formulate additional ones. Taking a design-based research approach, we formulated a design principle for personal feedback in supporting the iterative process of conjecturing. We empirically explored the…

We investigate the beliefs that influence middle and high school algebra teachers' appraisals of contextual problems having diverse mathematical and pedagogical features. We asked six teachers to analyze six contextual algebra tasks and indicate how they would apportion instructional time among the six tasks based on their structure, pedagogical…

As proof and proving are the key elements of mathematics, several frameworks evaluating this process have been presented. Proof image, being one of them, was introduced by Kidron and Dreyfus (2014) through analyses of two mathematicians' activities. Authors clarified it in the context of components, and emphasized its relation with formal proof.…

Generalization is a critical component of mathematical reasoning, with researchers recommending that it be central to education at all grade levels. However, research on students' generalizing reveals pervasive difficulties in creating and expressing general statements, which underscores the need to better understand the processes that can support…

Algebraic thinking and strategy flexibility are essential to advanced mathematical thinking. Early algebra instruction uses 'missing-operand' problems (e.g., x - 7 = 2) solvable via two typical strategies: (1) direct retrieval of arithmetic facts (e.g., 9 - 7 = 2) and (2) performance of the inverse operation (e.g., 2 + 7 = 9). The current study…

The aim of this research is to analyse students' sense-making regarding matrix representation of geometric transformations in a dynamic geometry environment (DGE) within the perspective of semiotic mediation. In particular, the focus is on students' reasoning on the transition from the notion of function to transformation and to matrix…

The importance of students being acquainted with algebraic ideas before secondary education has been revealed in the research literature. It is therefore essential that prospective elementary teachers (PTs) be prepared to instill an early algebra perspective in their teaching. However, PTs often show difficulties in algebra content knowledge,…

This study extends past research on students' understanding of slope by analyzing college students' mistakes on routine tasks involving slope. We conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of students' mistakes to extract information regarding slope conceptualizations described in prior research. Results delineate procedural proficiencies and…

Matrices occupy an awkward spot in a typical algebra 2 textbook: sandwiched between solving linear systems and solving quadratics. Even teachers who do not base their course timeline and pacing on the class textbook may find a disconnect between how matrices are taught (procedurally) and how other topics are taught (conceptually or with real-world…