This study explored the potential of a rich assessment task to reveal students' multiplicative thinking in respect to a hypothetical learning trajectory. Thirty pairs of students in grades 5 and 6 attempted the task. Twenty-two pairs applied multiplicative structure to find the number of items in arrays. However counting and computational errors…

Within the "Australian Curriculum: Mathematics" the Understanding proficiency strand states, "Students build understanding when they connect related ideas, when they represent concepts in different ways, when they identify commonalities and differences between aspects of content, when they describe their thinking mathematically and…

That the quality of teachers' knowledge has direct impact on students' engagement and learning outcomes in mathematics is now well established. But questions about the nature of this knowledge and how to characterise that knowledge are important for mathematics educators. In the present study, we examine a strand of "Specialised Content…

While there are many considerations for effective mathematics teachers, one key factor is the development of a classroom culture that supports the desired form of learning. In examining the opportunities and constraints associated with posing challenging tasks, we are exploring ways that teachers might influence classroom culture positively. The…

Chris Brough and Nigel Calder share two scenarios in which students co-constructed their curriculum through generating their own problem solving and mathematical investigations. This article is a valuable exploration of the benefits of teachers working in partnership with their students.

The first volume of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains plenary lecture and research forum papers as listed below. Short oral communications papers, poster presentations, brief summaries of discussion groups, and working sessions are also included in the volume. The plenary…