Previous research into the teaching and learning of surface area emphasises the use of nets and formulae to calculate the total surface area of three-dimensional objects despite enduring student difficulties. This study investigated an instructional intervention for Year 8 mathematics students (n = 47; 13-14 years old) designed to elicit multiple…

This article presents activities focused on developing some essential Year 1-3 fraction understandings (i.e., joining/composing, decomposing/ partitioning) while aligning these activities to the Australian Curriculum content strands and content descriptions. Additionally, the authors describe the materials/resources needed, the key vocabulary…

When young students engage with activities aimed at improving spatial reasoning, there is potential to also improve learning and performance in practical mathematics problem-solving tasks, scientific inquiries, and other STEM-based tasks. In this study, students worked in pairs to problem solve through 3D construction. The aim was to assess…

The purpose of this article is to present and discuss two recommended sequences of learning the areas of polygons, starting from the area of a rectangle. Exploring the algebraic derivations of the two sequences reveals that both are valid teaching progressions for introducing the area formula for various polygons. Further, it is suggested that…

In this article, the authors explore a number of interesting games as contexts for students learning geometry and enhancing their development of problem solving and reasoning. The games selected were appealing, content-aligned games for approximately four players with simple rules and 10-30 minutes of play time. The games were integrated by…

This article describes several ways to connect probability to other topics within mathematics, over a range of year levels, and across the curriculum. It includes a description of common issues and misconceptions, and practical learning activities to address them.

As a multifaceted concept, the learning of angle concepts takes years to achieve and is beset with challenges. This paper explores how the processes of constructing and validating a learning progression in geometric reasoning can be used to generate targeted teaching advice to support the learning of angle concept. Data from 1090 Year 4 to Year 10…

This study surveyed and analysed four secondary school students' writing about a square. Sfard's discursive approach to understanding mathematical discourse was used to analyse the responses collected from 214 Australian secondary school students. The results showed that geometric knowledge was developed experientially and not developmentally.…

The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. The following purposes summarize the work of the…

Ever wondered why children have difficulty using a ruler? In this article Michael Drake investigates some of the difficulties students encounter and provides some ideas for teaching about and learning to use rulers.

The following outlines the rationale and structure of a professional learning initiative that seeks to explore teachers' ways of engaging students more actively in building mathematical connections for themselves. An example of one of the suggested experiences is presented.

This paper provides historical insights and educational background of Froebel's Gifts, hands-on materials developed in the early 19th century. Based on an explorative study with 54 German children (aged 5 to 10) in 2016, we first took steps to explore how these materials meet the demands for early mathematics learning of primary children. Starting…

Geometry belongs to branches of mathematics that develop students' visualisation, intuition, critical thinking, problem solving, deductive reasoning, logical argument and proof (Jones, 2002). It provides the basis for the development of spatial sense and plays an important role in acquiring advanced knowledge in science, technology, engineering,…

The context of students as architects is used to examine the similarities and differences between prisms and pyramids. Leavy and Hourigan use the Van Hiele Model as a tool to support teachers to develop expectations for differentiating geometry in the classroom using practical examples.

Ever wondered how to use technology to teach angles? This article follows on from an earlier article published last year, providing a range of ideas for integrating technology and concrete materials with the teaching of angle concepts. The authors also provide a comprehensive list of free online games and learning objects that can be used to teach…